Stamkos, Lightning to host the Devils

New Jersey Devils (15-21-5, seventh in the Metropolitan) vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (28-10-5, second in the Atlantic)

Tampa, Florida; Thursday, 7 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Steven Stamkos and Tampa Bay square off against New Jersey. Stamkos currently ranks sixth in the league with 50 points, scoring 20 goals and recording 30 assists.

The Lightning are 17-8-3 against Eastern Conference opponents. Tampa Bay ranks seventh in the league recording 9.3 points per game, averaging 3.4 goals and 5.9 assists.

The Devils are 11-10-3 in Eastern Conference play. New Jersey ranks 10th in the Eastern Conference averaging 2.8 goals per game, led by Jesper Bratt with 14.

In their last meeting on Nov. 20, New Jersey won 5-3. Yegor Sharangovich scored a team-high two goals for the Devils in the victory.

TOP PERFORMERS: Stamkos leads the Lightning with 50 points, scoring 20 goals and registering 30 assists. Brayden Point has six goals and four assists over the last 10 games for Tampa Bay.

Bratt leads the Devils with 23 total assists and has 37 points. Nico Hischier has five goals over the last 10 games for New Jersey.

LAST 10 GAMES: Lightning: 7-3-0, averaging four goals, 7.2 assists, 4.2 penalties and 9.9 penalty minutes while giving up 2.4 goals per game with a .908 save percentage.

Devils: 4-6-0, averaging 3.2 goals, 5.8 assists, 2.8 penalties and 5.9 penalty minutes while giving up 3.6 goals per game with an .883 save percentage.

INJURIES: Lightning: Nikita Kucherov: out (health and safety protocols), Erik Cernak: day to day (undisclosed), Zach Bogosian: out (lower body), Ondrej Palat: day to day (lower body).

Devils: Michael McLeod: day to day (undisclosed).

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