(Sports Network) - Two teams in desperate need of positive momentum will meet
Monday at Tampa Bay Times Forum, as the Lightning host the Philadelphia Flyers
in the season-series finale.
The Flyers and Lightning enter this third and final meeting of the season
separated by only two points in the Eastern Conference standings. Philadelphia
is in 11th place with 27 points, leaving the Flyers four points shy of a
playoff spot. The Lightning are just two behind Philly in the East's 12th
spot.
The clubs have split a pair of meetings so far in 2013 with Tampa Bay notching
a 5-1 home win on Jan. 27 and the Flyers posting a 2-1 regulation victory on
Feb. 5 in Philly. The Bolts have won seven of 10 overall and three straight in
Tampa.
Both the Flyers and Lightning enter Monday coming off wins, but neither team
has won consecutive games in weeks. Philadelphia last recorded back-to-back
victories on Feb. 18 and 20, while Tampa hasn't strung together two wins in a
row since Feb. 16 and 19.
Philadelphia won for the second time in three games on Friday, salvaging the
finale of an important home-and-home series with New Jersey. The Devils
recorded a 5-2 win Wednesday on home ice, but the Flyers earned a 2-1 shootout
decision in their home portion.
Claude Giroux scored the winner in the shootout to help the Flyers grab the
extra point against their Atlantic Division rivals. In the second round,
Giroux beat Johan Hedberg through the five-hole and Ilya Bryzgalov stopped
David Clarkson's attempt. After Danny Briere was stopped, Patrik Elias missed
the net on the final try as the Flyers recorded their first-ever shootout win
over the Devils.
Maxime Talbot scored in the first period and Bryzgalov finished the game with
27 saves for the Flyers.
"We needed to win a hockey game tonight," said Philadelphia head coach Peter
Laviolette. "It was something that had to be done. We had to give ourselves a
fighting chance and credit to the guys because we came out, played a smart
game, played a hard game and ended up with two points."
The Flyers will try to end a three-game road losing streak on Monday. The club
is just 4-11-0 as the visiting team in 2013 and hasn't won on the road since
beating Pittsburgh on Feb. 20.
Tampa Bay has also won two of its last three and is coming off Saturday's win
over visiting Carolina. Tyler Johnson and Ondrej Palat each scored their first
NHL goals to help the Lightning beat the Hurricanes, 4-1.
Teddy Purcell and Nate Thompson supplied the other goals for the Lightning,
who snapped a five-game losing streak at home with a third straight win over
their Southeast Division rivals. Tampa Bay improved its home record this
season to 7-7-1.
Tampa Bay goaltender Mathieu Garon made 21 saves and all three of his wins
this season (3-7-0) have come against the Hurricanes.
"That's what we need for the rest of (the season). We have to play a full 60
minutes every night," said Tampa Bay defenseman Victor Hedman.
The Lightning played their second straight game without forward Vincent
Lecavalier, who is on the injured reserve list with a lower-body injury.
The Sports Network