DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings look to begin changing their fortunes against the Tampa Bay Lightning when they host the defending Eastern Conference champions on Tuesday.
The Lightning have taken seven of the nine regular-season meetings over the last two seasons and rallied to beat the Red Wings in the first round of the playoffs in seven games this past April.
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The Red Wings rolled over Toronto in their opener at home before grinding out a 4-3 victory at Carolina on Saturday, getting four goals overall from Justin Abdelkader, who was named the NHL's First Star of the Week. Dylan Larkin, a 19-year-old rookie, also attempts to add to his impressive early numbers (three points, plus-6 rating) against the unbeaten Lightning.
Captain Steven Stamkos notched his 500th career point in his 495th game with a goal Monday afternoon as Tampa Bay won 6-3 at Boston and will conclude its three-game road trip in Detroit. Ben Bishop has started the first three games for the Lightning and is 7-2-0 with a 1.68 goals-against average in his career against the Red Wings.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN, TVA
ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (3-0-0):
Brian Boyle recorded 15 goals last season, his first with Tampa Bay, and is off to a strong start after notching a pair on Monday. Boyle joins Stamkos and defenseman Jason Garrison with two goals apiece while seven others have tallied once for the Lightning.
Victor Hedman is picking up where he left off during a strong postseason with four assists and a plus-5 rating in the first three contests while defense partner Anton Stralman has set up three goals to go along with a plus-4.
Brian Boyle (No. 11) of Tampa Bay Lightning celebrates a goal against the Boston Bruins at the TD Garden on October 12, 2015 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Steve Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images)
ABOUT THE RED WINGS (2-0-0):
Detroit is expected to be without veteran center Pavel Datsyuk again Tuesday, but speedy forward Darren Helm (concussion, shoulder) possibly could make his season debut. Captain Henrik Zetterberg is tied with Abdelkader for the team lead with five points in the first two contests while 23-year-old forward Teemu Pulkkinen has recorded two goals.
Jimmy Howard posted a 22-save shutout over Toronto on Friday and is expected to get the nod in net ahead of Petr Mrazek, who started all seven postseason games against the Lightning but was in net versus Carolina on Saturday.
NOTES:
1. Bishop is tied with Nikolai Khabibulin for the franchise lead in victories (83) and needs two to reach 100 in his career.
2. Larkin has registered 10 shots in the first two games – five better than anyone else on the Red Wings.
3. Tampa Bay C Tyler Johnson netted six goals against Detroit in their playoff series.