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Lightning hope to bounce back in home test vs. Panthers

Nov 27, 2010 - 4:23 PM (Sports Network) - The Tampa Bay Lightning were given a dose of reality Friday night in Washington, but will try to rebound tonight when they host the rival Florida Panthers at St. Pete Times Forum.

The Lightning had won five straight heading into Friday's road test against the Capitals and found themselves just four points behind Washington in the Southeast Division standings.

However, the Caps extended that division lead to six points with a convincing 6-0 victory at the Verizon Center. Alexander Semin notched his third hat trick of the season and Semyon Varlamov needed to stop just 17 shots to help Washington earn the blowout victory.

Mike Smith got the start and the loss after yielding four goals on 18 shots for the Lightning, who were shut out for the first time since November 4 at Los Angeles.

"Everything that we did well in the last five games to beat other teams wasn't there tonight," said Lightning head coach Guy Boucher. "I saw it in the first five minutes. Even at 1-0, after the first period, we had the flattest bench we've had all year long."

The Lightning were denied in their attempt to win six games in a row for the first time since an eight-game winning streak from Feb. 23-Mar. 6, 2004.

Tampa is 6-2-1 as the host this season and has won four of its last five games at the Forum.

On the injury front, the Lightning are still awaiting the return of winger Simon Gagne, who has missed 17 straight with a stiff neck. He has been cleared to play by doctors, but is expected to sit out again tonight.

The Panthers have lost a season-high three straight games heading into tonight's affair. Florida has scored just three total goals over that stretch and is coming off Friday's shutout loss to the visiting New York Rangers. Henrik Lundqvist made 40 saves to notch his third shutout of the season, as the Rangers downed the Panthers, 3-0, at BankAtlantic Center.

All of Florida's defeats on this current slide came during a three-game homestand. The Panthers, who are 4-7-0 on the road this year, are kicking off a four-game road trip tonight.

"You come into a homestand like this, your best players have to be your best players," said Florida head coach Peter DeBoer. "I think all three games we had trouble scoring, our best players didn't get on the board. I thought all three nights we got out-goaltended. So it's tough to win games when that happens."

Scott Clemmensen allowed three goals on 19 shots for the Panthers on Friday. Tomas Vokoun is expected to get the start in net tonight

Tonight marks the first of six encounters between the Panthers and Lightning this season. The clubs each won three games in the 2009-10 season series and Florida and Tampa have split the last 12 encounters overall. The Panthers have dropped two of three and three of their last five at the Forum.