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Lightning try to continue mastery of Thrashers

Jan 20, 2011 - 4:19 PM (Sports Network) - Locked in a tight race atop the Southeast Division, a visit from the Thrashers could help the Lightning build just their second winning streak of the month.

Tampa Bay aims for a fifth victory in as many meetings with Atlanta this season, and 10th in a row overall against the club, as the two teams get together this evening at Philips Arena.

The Lightning are 5-4-0 in January and haven't won back-to-back games since the final two contests of a three-game win streak from Dec. 30-Jan. 4. Tampa Bay has a chance to change that tonight after halting a two-game slide with Tuesday's 3-2 shootout victory over Columbus.

Ryan Malone scored the lone goal of the tie break in the fourth round and Dwayne Roloson secured the victory with a stop on the Blue Jackets' Antoine Vermette to earn his 200th career win. Steven Stamkos scored twice to up his NHL-leading goal total to 35 as Tampa won for the eighth time in its last 10 home games.

"I think that second [Columbus] goal, because we lost the last two games and we lost three out of four, it put us off a little bit in our drive for the third period. Not that the guys weren't trying to go, but they were extremely careful," said Tampa Bay head coach Guy Boucher.

The Lightning own a one-point edge over the Capitals for first place in the division and should like their chances of at least maintaining that edge tonight. Tampa Bay hasn't lost to Atlanta since Oct. 3, 2009 and has outscored the club, 15-8, in winning four matchups this year. That includes a pair of victories at Philips Arena, where the Lightning have won four straight.

Though just joined Tampa Bay on Jan. 1 in a trade with the New York Islanders, Roloson should fit right into those winning ways as he is 7-0-1 with a tie and a 2.99 goals-against average versus the Thrashers.

Stamkos, meanwhile, has six goals and three helpers in the four meetings this year, and his 23 career points (13 goals, 10 assists) versus Atlanta is by far the most against any one club in his young career.

The Thrashers will also be looking to win consecutive games this evening after an incredible rally on Monday versus the Panthers. Atlanta scored twice in the game's final two minutes with its goalie on the bench before Alexander Burmistrov scored the game-winner in the shootout for a 3-2 triumph.

Bryan Little scored with 1:58 left in regulation and then assisted on Chris Thorburn's game-tying goal 44 seconds later. Ondrej Pavelec ended with 38 saves.

"It was a weird game, it felt like we were getting our chances but we just weren't getting any bounces," Little said. "It took the last two minutes for some pucks to start going in, it sure was an exciting finish."

Atlanta is six points back of Tampa Bay in the standings and is eighth overall in the Eastern Conference. It will play two straight and five of its next six at home, where it has lost six of eight.

Pavelec is 2-2-3 with a 2.96 GAA in his career versus the Lightning.