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Preview: Canucks (51-22) at Lightning (38-36)
Analysis  ·  BT Movements  ·  Line Movements
Date: February 09, 2010 7:30 PM EDT
  

With four games upcoming in a six-day span, the Tampa Bay Lightning and Vancouver Canucks are both looking at this week like it's the stretch run.

The Lightning look for their first four-game win streak in over two seasons Tuesday night when they host the Canucks, who are continuing the longest road stretch in NHL history.

Tampa Bay (25-21-11) and Vancouver (35-20-2) are playing well heading into the final week before the Olympic break. The Lightning, buoyed by a point spree by Steven Stamkos, are 6-1-1 in their last eight while the Canucks have won eight of 10.

"Our mandate and I probably say to them this every day they probably get tired of me but we're going to have two and a half, three weeks off, you've got to empty the tank," Tampa Bay coach Rick Tocchet said. "We have guys emptying the tank, we'll have plenty of time to rest."

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Tampa Bay hasn't won four straight since a five-game run Nov. 7-16, 2007.

The Canucks are in the midst of 14 straight road games with the Olympics in Vancouver, and have split the first four with four more before the break.

"We want to make sure we are better than .500 ... on the road trip," goalie Roberto Luongo said. "Our road record is not where we want it to be (12-13-1) and we have to find ways to be better on the road."

Luongo, 6-2 with a 2.47 goals against average in his last eight starts against Tampa Bay, should be tested by Stamkos. The second-year center, who celebrated his 20th birthday Sunday, has seven goals and 14 points during a career-high nine-game point streak.

Stamkos has 61 points - 15 more than he amassed in his entire rookie season.

"I think the biggest difference between this season and last is my confidence level," he told the Lightning's official Web site.

He's been aided by playing with Martin St. Louis, who saw his five-game goal streak end in Saturday's 2-1 overtime win over Calgary. St. Louis, though, assisted on Stamkos' tying goal in the third period to push his point streak to six.

Luongo, meanwhile, made 41 saves as Vancouver avoided a third straight loss with Saturday's 3-2 shootout win at Boston. The Canucks rallied from a 2-0 deficit after one period.

"Tonight, we came in here in Boston and they outplayed us badly and they met a goaltender that was on top of his game and permitted us to come back in the game and squeeze out a shootout win," coach Alain Vigneault said. "Sometimes, those things can happen."

Western Conference points leader Henrik Sedin (78 points) has gone three straight games without one for the second time this season. Brother Daniel Sedin has one assist in the same span with no points in the last two games.

The Sedins will try to get untracked against Antero Niittymaki, 6-0-1 with a 1.10 GAA in his last seven starts. Niittymaki hasn't faced Vancouver since Dec. 15, 2005.

"We've got four more games before the break and we'd love to take eight points out of those games," Niittymaki said.

AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service

Copyright 2012
The Associated Press
All Rights Reserved

 CURRENT LAS VEGAS LINE
 Team  ML   PUC   O/U 
 VAN  -145   PK   5.5 
 TAM  +125   PK   
LAS VEGAS LINE MOVEMENTS

 CURRENT SPORTSBOOK LINE
 Team  ML   PUC   O/U 
 VAN  -145      5.5 
 TAM  +125      
OFFSHORE LINE MOVEMENTS

 BETTING TRENDS
 Team  ML   PUC   O/U 
 VAN  48%   83%   44% 
 TAM  52%   17%   56% 
BT MOVEMENTS

 NHL PREVIEWS
 Tuesday, Feb 9
 
  •  Predators at Islanders
7:05 PM EDT
  •  Bruins at Sabres
7:05 PM EDT
  •  Panthers at Hurricanes
7:05 PM EDT
  •  Canucks at Lightning
7:35 PM EDT
  •  Flames at Senators
7:35 PM EDT
  •  Red Wings at Blues
8:05 PM EDT
  •  Stars at Blackhawks
8:35 PM EDT
 
 
 
  
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