Lightning vs. Flyers: Projected lines, injuries and storylines

[HockeyLady]

All that stands between the Bolts and the three-day All-Star Break is a matchup against the Flyers in Philadelphia. The Flyers won the first meetingof the season at AMALIE Arena, scoring three second period goals en route to a 5-3 victory. 

Tampa Bay has won back-to-back games over Chicago and Nashville earlier this week, while the Flyers come in winners of four straight. 

Lines from Thursday's morning skate. Subject to change.

Forwards
Chris Kunitz - Steven Stamkos - Vladislav Namestnikov

Tyler Johnson - Brayden Point - Nikita Kucherov

Alex Killorn - Matthew Peca - Yanni Gourde

Michael Bournival - Cedric Paquette - Ryan Callahan

Defensemen
Jake Dotchin - Anton Stralman - Mikhail Sergachev

Slater Koekkoek - Dan Girardi

Braydon Coburn - Andrej Sustr

Goaltenders
Andrei Vasilevskiy expected to start

Thursday's Matchup
The Lightning and the Flyers are playing their second of three meetings this season and the only one at Wells Fargo
Center...Philadelphia defeated Tampa Bay 5-3 at AMALIE Arena on Dec. 29 in the second half of a back-to-back set for the Lightning, Peter Budaj stopping 29-of-33 shots and Nikita Kucherov recording a two-assist night in the loss for the Bolts...Tampa Bay lost in its last visit to Philadelphia, dropping a 4-2 decision Jan. 7, 2017 despite a 40-save effort (out of 44 shots) from Andrei Vasilevskiy...The Lightning have split their last eight matchups with the Flyers in Philadelphia, going 4-4-0...The Bolts are 16-21-1 with seven ties all-time in Philadelphia...The Lightning have split their last six meetings overall with the Flyers, going 3-3-0...The Bolts are 14-5-1 in their last 20 games overall against Philadelphia...Dan Girardi has more career regular season assists (28) and points (28) vs. PHI than any other NHL team...Brayden Point has points (1-2--3) in two-straight games vs. PHI...Ryan Callahan has more career regular season goals (18) and points (31) vs. PHI than any other NHL team...Nikita Kucherov has points (2-2--4) in three-straight games vs. PHI.

Thursday's Storylines
The Lightning are playing their fourth game in a stretch of eight-straight games away from AMALIE Arena, the longest such road stretch in the NHL this season...Tampa Bay paces the NHL for wins (33), points (69), ROW (31), goals (168) and goal differential (+46)...The Bolts are off to their best start in franchise history with 69 points through 48 games, five points better than the 64 points put up by the 2014-15 team (30-14-4) through 48 games...The Lightning lead the NHL for goals per game (3.50) and rank third for goals against per game (2.54) and are the only team in the top four in both categories.

Injuries
2017-18 Regular Season Man Games Lost: 64
Current injuries
Peter Budaj - Lower body (out indefinitely; injured Dec. 29) 11 Games
Victor Hedman - Lower body (out 3 to 6 weeks; injured Jan. 11) 4 Games
Ondrej Palat - Lower body (out 6 to 8 weeks; injured Jan. 20) 2 Games

Transactions
Jan. 21 - Recalled F Michael Bournival from AHL Syracuse
Jan. 21 - Recalled F Matthew Peca from AHL Syracuse
Jan. 16 - Recalled G Louis Domingue from AHL Syracuse
Jan. 14 - F J.T. Brown claimed off waivers by Anaheim
Jan. 13 - Re-assigned G Louis Domingue to AHL Syracuse

Stammer Time 
Tampa Bay captain Steven Stamkos netted his 18th goal of the season Jan. 23 at NSH to end a nine-game goalless drought, his longest since going 10-consecutive games without a goal Nov. 25-Dec. 15, 2015...Stamkos also picked up career assist No. 299 Jan. 23 at NSH for his 15th multi-point game of the season (183rd career) and first since Dec. 28 vs. MTL...Stamkos has recorded an assist in six of his last nine games...Stamkos paces the Bolts for assists (38) and ranks tied for seventh in the NHL...Stamkos has recorded 38 assists in a season for just the third time in his career (44 in 2009-10 and 46 in 2010-11)...Stamkos was plus-3 Jan. 23 at NSH, tying a season high for plus/minus set previously Nov. 16 vs. DAL...Stamkos ranks tied for fourth in the NHL for scoring and third for powerplay scoring.

Stamkos paces the NHL for power-play goals.

Oh my Gourde
Lightning rookie forward Yanni Gourde scored the game-winning overtime goal Jan. 23 at NSH for the second OT goal of his career (also: March 27, 2017 vs. CHI)...Gourde was the first player other than Brayden Point (3) to score an overtime goal for Tampa Bay this season...Gourde has scored a goal in two-consecutive games and ranks tied for fourth on the Lightning for goals (16)...Gourde is the sixth Tampa Bay rookie to record 16 or more goals in a season, joining Tyler Johnson (24), Ondrej Palat (23), Steven Stamkos (23), Brad Richards (21) and Brayden Point (21)...Since Dec. 1, Gourde has netted 10 goals, ranking tied for second on the Bolts and tied for 16th in the NHL for goals over that stretch.