Playing the most road games of any team this season hasn't fazed the Tampa Bay Lightning, who have the second-best record in the Eastern Conference.
They've handled the Atlanta Thrashers with ease for much longer.
The Lightning will try to win their 11th straight over the Thrashers and sweep the season series Sunday in the opener of a 12-game homestand.
Tampa Bay (29-15-5) leads the Southeast Division with 63 points, and has a good opportunity to add to that total. The Lightning, who are 14-4-2 at the St. Pete Times Forum, won't play a road game again until Feb. 27.
First, they'll begin the long home stretch against one of their favorite division rivals. Tampa Bay, which has won all five meetings with Atlanta (23-18-9) this season, hasn't lost to the Thrashers since Oct. 3, 2009.
They last met Thursday with the Lightning picking up a 3-2 shootout win. Steven Stamkos scored twice - his league-leading 36th and 37th goals - and Dominic Moore had the winner in the tiebreaker.
Both players came up big again in Friday's 2-1 shootout victory over Florida. Stamkos assisted on the tying goal and Moore had the only tally in the shootout.
Tampa Bay, which has won 10 of 15, has allowed its opponent to score first in each of its last three wins, all of which have gone beyond regulation.
"That's our team," first-year coach Guy Boucher said. "We always find different ways to make it happen. It makes me real proud."
Boucher's club also keeps finding ways to defeat the Thrashers. The last three games have gone beyond regulation.
Stamkos has a been a big reason for the success. He has eight goals and three assists against Atlanta this season, and 15 goals and 10 assists in 17 career games versus the Thrashers.
Overall, Stamkos has nine points in his last five games, including six goals.
Unlike the Lightning, the Thrashers haven't been so fortunate in close contests. After losing to the Lightning on Thursday, Atlanta fell 3-2 in a shootout to the New York Rangers on Saturday.
The Thrashers gave up the tying goal 14:41 into the third period and failed on all three shootout attempts.
"We got a point, but they have to understand the timing of this," coach Craig Ramsay said. "Playing well is a good thing. Winning is better. We have to be willing to pay the price in the third period to win."
Atlanta has given up 29 goals over the last six contests, losing five .
Dustin Byfuglien will try to help the Thrashers break out of the slump. Although he is the team's leader with 41 points, the defenseman has gone eight games without one. He has one goal and one assist in the five games against the Lightning this season, but has failed to record a point in four of them.
