Tampa Bay takes home win streak into matchup with Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh Penguins (33-14-8, second in the Metropolitan) vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (35-11-6, first in the Atlantic)

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

LINE: Lightning -177, Penguins +143

BOTTOM LINE: Tampa Bay hosts Pittsburgh looking to continue its three-game home winning streak.

The Lightning are 20-8-3 in conference matchups. Tampa Bay ranks seventh in the league averaging 5.8 assists per game, led by Nikita Kucherov with 0.9.

The Penguins are 20-9-3 in Eastern Conference play. Pittsburgh is 10th in the league recording 8.8 points per game, averaging 3.2 goals and 5.6 assists.

In their last meeting on Oct. 26, Tampa Bay won 5-1.

TOP PERFORMERS: Steven Stamkos leads the Lightning with 60 points, scoring 26 goals and registering 34 assists. Brayden Point has six goals and seven assists over the last 10 games for Tampa Bay.

Jake Guentzel leads the Penguins with 53 points, scoring 25 goals and adding 28 assists. Bryan Rust has six goals and six assists over the last 10 games for Pittsburgh.

LAST 10 GAMES: Lightning: 8-1-1, averaging four goals, 6.4 assists, 3.8 penalties and 9.6 penalty minutes while giving up 2.3 goals per game with a .919 save percentage.

Penguins: 6-3-1, averaging 2.7 goals, 4.7 assists, 2.9 penalties and six penalty minutes while allowing 2.8 goals per game with a .912 save percentage.

INJURIES: Lightning: Zach Bogosian: out (lower body).

Penguins: Teddy Blueger: out (upper-body).

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