The Tampa Bay Lightning will take their three game winning streak on the road for three games, beginning wtih a Saturday Matinee with the Minnesota Wild at 2pm from the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Having secured its first playoff berth since 2007, the Bolts will hope to continue gaining momentum as they head towards a potential first round matchup with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The Lightning are currently in fifth place in the Eastern conference, but just 3 points behind Pittsburgh for fourth place and home-ice advantage for that first round. The Southeastern Division leaders the Washington Capitals lead the Lightning by only five points. If the Bolts hope to gain ground on either team they will need to do it away from the St. Petersburg Times Forum, as 4 of their last 5 will be on the road.
Minnesota, like Tampa Bay, had a rough March as a eight game winless streak dropped them out of playoff contention. Goalie Niklas Backstrom just snapped a six game winless streak on Thursday as the Wild won two in a row for the first time in a month. Dwayne Roloson will get the start in net for the Lightning as they will go with the same lineup that earned them the victory over the Penguins Thursday night.
The Lightning are 1-4 in their last five against the Wild, and Roloson is winless against Minnesota in eight tries.