Carolina Hurricanes play host to Tampa Bay Lightning in the fifth of six encounters between them this season
Carolina Hurricanes will be host Tampa Bay Lightning at the RBC Center in one of the important games of Saturday when it comes to the play-offs.
This will be fifth out of the six scheduled meetings between the two teams during the course of the season. The four games that have taken place so far have seen both teams winning two games each.
Lightning are looking in a strong position to make their way into the play-off cut unless something drastic happens and they lose all of their remaining games.
On the other hand, Hurricanes are one of the hot teams in the league currently as they have won their last three consecutive games which has put them just three points behind the final play-off spot which is occupied Buffalo Sabres.
Lightning has been struggling in the month of March as they come up with just two regulation time wins out of the 12 games but their point-tally of 89 points makes them a strong contender for a play-off spot.
Lightning in their last game on Friday against Hurricanes saw a great start as they scored the opening goal.
But Hurricanes bounced back to dominated quite a few minutes that saw them scoring. In the end, it was Hurricanes who bounced back from the deficit to win 4-3 in the end and levelling the series.
Lightning faced quit a lot of problems in the offence as they came up with just three shots in the second period and piled up a total of 21 shots on goal during the game which was disappointing.
"When you don't shoot, you don't create momentum, and you don't create chaos in the offensive zone," Lightning coach Guy Boucher said. "We can't sustain any pressure, and that's what they did. They shot from everywhere."
Lightning has played 74 games during the course of the season so far out of which they have won 39 games in regulation time, 11 games in overtime to score a total of 89 points.
Hurricanes have played 74 games too out of which they have won 35 games in regulation time, 10 games in overtime to score a total of 80 points.
Lightning occupies the fifth spot in the Eastern Conference while Hurricanes are ninth in the same Conference.
Hurricanes in their last game on Friday against the Lighting saw Erik Cole scoring twice that saw them winning the game 4-3 in the end. Jeff Skinner and Captain Eric Staal also joined with a goal apiece showing that every player in Hurricanes roster in capable
of scoring.
"We were able to buckle down and get two big points," said Cole, who has 3 goals in the last three games.
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