Lightning Look to Close Homestand With Win Over Canucks

The Lightning return to home ice Saturday afternoon to host the Vancouver Canucks after picking up an overtime win against the Seattle Kraken on Thursday. Captain Victor Hedman scored the game-winner.

For Hedman, the goal comes after a difficult season that saw him score just once in 33 games. Injuries limited his availability, and he stepped away from the team in March to address his mental health while dealing with performance anxiety.

Thursday’s goal felt symbolic as the 35-year old continues to build his game and put last season behind him.

"We have so much care for our captain in this dressing room,” Brandon Hagel said after the game. “He's a big leader, he's a big part of this team. He's had his ups and downs. I know what it's all about and to have a guy do that and win for your team, it's only going to give him confidence, and it gives this team confidence.”

The Lightning will look to pick up another win Saturday before heading out West for a three-game road trip.

One area they’ll want to get going is on the power play. Tampa Bay ranks 32nd in the league just seven game into the season and went 0-for-3 against Seattle on Thursday. Vancouver could give the Lightning a good opportunity to turn things around, with the Canucks’ penalty kill currently ranking 31st in the NHL.

Charle-Edouard D’Astous and Gage Goncalves were both healthy scratches last game. D’Astous could draw back into the lineup Saturday as the Lightning continue to rotate their eight defensemen. Jon Cooper can also opt for a 12-forward, six-defenseman lineup, but sticking with 11 forwards and seven defensemen gives him more flexibility to manage minutes on the blue line. That approach has worked well for Tampa Bay so far this season.

Puck drop is set for 4 p.m. ET at Benchmark International Arena.