Carolina Hurricanes (1-0-0) at Tampa Bay Lightning (0-2-0), 7:30 p.m.
By Sports Network
The Sports Network
After getting swept in their two-game European swing, the Tampa Bay Lightning begin a five-game homestand tonight at St. Pete Times Forum against the Carolina Hurricanes.
The Lightning dropped back-to-back 2-1 games to the New York Rangers in Prague last weekend. Adam Hall scored the lone goal in Sunday's loss in the Czech Republic, while Olaf Kolzig made his Tampa Bay debut with 37 saves. Kolzig had been with Washington since it drafted him in the first round of the 1989 draft.
Netminder Mike Smith made 39 saves the previous day's game. He is 0-2 with a 5.50 goals against average in two career starts versus Carolina, while Kolzig is 26-14-1 with eight ties and a 2.35 GAA in 49 career games against the Hurricanes, 48 of those starts.
Tampa Bay, which has yet to win under new head coach Barry Melrose, made a roster move on Monday following the trek, acquiring defenseman Lukas Krajicek and forward Juraj Simek from the Vancouver Canucks for defenseman Shane O'Brien and forward Michel Ouellet. It is unknown if Krajicek will make his debut tonight for the Lightning, who host the New York Islanders on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Carolina used balanced scoring to win its season opener on Friday, getting goals from six different players in a 6-4 win over Florida. Joni Pitkanen and Dan LaCouture scored in their Hurricane debuts, while Tuomo Ruutu, Ray Whitney and Rod Brind'Amour also lit the lamp. Matt Cullen added an empty-net tally in the win.
Brind'Amour played despite undergoing surgery on his left knee just over three weeks ago. Carolina was without Justin Williams and Scott Walker, however. Williams is expected to miss four-to-six weeks due to a torn right Achilles, while Walker could miss up to six weeks due to left hand surgery.
Cam Ward halted 29-of-33 shots to get the win while Tim Gleason notched a pair of assists. Brandon Sutter got his first NHL point with an assist in his debut for Carolina.
Ward is 7-7-1 with a 3.00 GAA in 16 career games versus the Lightning, all but one of those starts.
These two teams split eight meetings last year, though the Lightning have won eight of the last 12 in the series. That includes wins in four of the last five as the host.
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