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Bolts try to get back on track against visiting Habs

Mar 5, 2011 - 4:22 PM (Sports Network) - With their lead atop the Southeast Division down to just a single point, the Tampa Bay Lightning will try to avoid a third straight setback and prevent the Montreal Canadiens from winning their fourth game in a row this evening at St. Pete Times Forum.

The Bolts began a three-game road trip with a victory over the Rangers last Sunday for their third triumph in a row, but have since dropped consecutive 2-1 decisions to the Devils and Bruins. It marked the first time Tampa Bay has lost back-to-back games in regulation since Jan. 14-15 and the club hasn't gone three games in a row without a point since Nov. 11-14.

With Washington having won three straight and five of six, the Lightning's lead over the Capitals for first place is down to just one point with a game in hand and the two clubs will meet at the Forum on Monday.

Tampa Bay will hope it is coming off a victory prior to that matchup after Thursday's loss to the Bruins. Defenseman Eric Brewer netted his career-best ninth goal of the season in the setback and first in six games since being acquired from the Blues.

Mike Smith posted 26 saves in his first start since Dec. 18 due to the combination of injury, a conditioning assignment and also being put on waivers.

The Lightning may benefit from a return home after their five-day road trip. Tampa Bay is back on home ice for the first time since wrapping its NHL record-tying 12-game residency on Feb. 25.

"Guys were gassed," said Lightning head coach Guy Boucher after Thursday's loss.

Tampa, which has points in five of its last six at home (3-1-2) will also hope to have captain Vincent Lecavalier back after he missed the Boston game with an undisclosed injury, believed to be a mid-body ailment. Lecavalier is questionable for this game, as is Marc-Andre Bergeron after he sat out his second game in a row with back spasms.

The Lightning will also try to get leading scorer Steven Stamkos back on track. The center leads the NHL with 41 goals, but has just one in his last 10 games.

Stamkos, though, scored twice and had a pair of assists when these clubs last met in Tampa on Dec. 30. The Lightning have won both of their meetings with the Canadiens so far this season and have taken four of the last six matchups both at home and overall.

Stamkos is likely to face one of the league's hottest goaltenders in Carey Price, who made 30 saves in Thursday's 4-0 victory over Florida for his career-best 30th victory of the season and seventh shutout, tied for the second most in the league.

"I thought we looked pretty solid tonight," said Price, who is tied for second in the league in wins and has 11 career shutouts. "We were playing good two- way hockey."

Andrei Kostitsyn and Lars Eller both finished with a goal and an assist, and Kostitsyn now has three tallies and four assists over a five-game point streak. Hal Gill added his first goal since Dec. 31, 2009 in Florida, breaking a span of 100 games without a goal.

Montreal, which has won the first two games of a three-game road trip, is sixth overall in the East and six points behind Boston for first place in the Northeast Division.