Description: Lightning center Steven Stamkos finished second in goals to Alex Ovechkin and points to teammate Martin St. Louis this season.
Insight: Stamkos racked up 29 goals and 57 points in 48 games and has produced 185 goals and 340 points in 294 games over the last four seasons. He should be a top-two pick in fantasy drafts again next year.
Description: Lightning right wing Martin St. Louis became the oldest player to win an NHL scoring title with 60 points in 48 games this season.
Insight: Sidney Crosby would have ran away with the scoring title if he didn't get injured at the end of March, but that shouldn't take away St. Louis' huge season. The 37-year-old averaged a career-high 1.25 ppg.
Description: Lightning right wing Martin St. Louis' hat trick Wednesday against the Maple Leafs helped him overtake Sidney Crosby for the NHL points lead.
Insight: Crosby hasn't played since the end of March, so that should tell you just how big his lead was. St. Louis has 16 goals and 58 points in 46 games. Teammate Steven Stamkos, who had a goal and an assist Wednesday night, is right behind him with 56 points.
Description: Lightning right wing Martin St. Louis netted a pair of goals Saturday against Washington.
Insight: That's his fourth game in a row with at least one point. St. Louis is tied with his teammate Steven Stamkos for second in the NHL in scoring. Both have registered 52 points this season.
Description: Tampa Bay right wing Teddy Purcell had a pair of goal Thursday against the Penguins.
Insight: Purcell averaged 0.95 ppg over the first two months but had just seven points in 14 games last month. He has six points in six games in April.
Description: Lightning netminder Ben Bishop had another nice turn Tuesday against the Ottawa Senators, his former team. He saved 31 of 33 shots in a 3-2 win.
Insight: Bishop is 2-2 with one shutout and a .944 SV% since joining Tampa Bay. Anders Lindback is reportedly getting close to a return, but it would surprise us if Bishop didn't start the majority of the remaining games.
Description: Lightning center Vincent Lecavalier missed nine games with a foot injury but he has produced two goals and five points in four games since returning to action.
Insight: Lecavalier didn't have a point in his first game back but he has put together a three-game scoring streak. He has nine goals and 27 points in 30 games.
Description: The Lightning have called up defenseman Mark Barberio and he could make his debut on Tuesday.
Insight: The 23-year-old has some solid offensive credentials with eight goals and 32 assists in 70 AHL games this season, ranking him fifth among AHL defenseman. Last season Barberio won the Eddie Shore Award as the AHL’s top defenseman.
Description: Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman (lower body) is questionable for Saturday's game against the New York Islanders.
Insight: Hedman left Thursday's game with the injury. He has provided solid blue-line production this season with four goals and 16 points through 36 games.
Description: Tampa Bay right wing Martin St. Louis had a goal and two assists Thursday against the Hurricanes.
Insight: After some trade rumors, St. Louis ended up staying with the organization he has played for since 2000. He has nine goals and 37 assists in 36 games this season. A +3 Thursday brings him to the positive side on the season (+1).
Description: Lightning netminder Ben Bishop made 45 saves to shut out Carolina in his first start with the team.
Insight: Bishop's Tampa Bay tenure couldn't have started any better. The goaltender was acquired from Ottawa Wednesday for rookie Cory Conacher and likely will be the starter for the rest of the season.
Description: Ben Bishop is starting in net for the Lightning Thursday versus Carolina.
Insight: Bishop was acquired Wednesday from the Senators in exchange for Cory Conacher. He had a .922 SV% in 13 games with the Sens this season and likely will get an audition as the starting goal over the final few weeks of the season.
Description: Lightning center Vincent Lecavalier (foot) skated with the team on Tuesday for the first time since suffering a left foot injury on March 12. SOURCE: Tampa Tribune.
Insight: He is headed for testing to see how the bone has healed and could return for Thursday's game in Carolina. "It feels pretty good and it's progressing every day, and we'll see what the results look like,'' Lecavalier said. "It's not 100 percent. It's more lateral movements that are the issue. When I skate forward it feels really good. It's more in tight turns, stops, little things like that where you don't want to push it too much before you see where the healing is at.''
Description: The Senators have traded Ben Bishop to Tampa Bay for Cory Conacher and a fourth-round pick.
Insight: Craig Anderson (ankle) is nearing a return to action, and 21-year-old Robin Lehner has outplayed Bishop recently. The acquisition of Bishop for talented rookie forward Cory Conacher could be a sign that the Lightning aren't sold on Anders Lindback, who is currently out with an ankle injury, as the long-term answer in the crease.
Description: Tampa Bay winger B.J. Crombeen is questionable for Tuesday's game against Florida with a lower body injury.
Insight: The hard-nosed winger doesn't provide enough offense for fantasy teams even on the highest scoring team in the league. He's got just seven points in 30 games, but does provide penalty minutes with 86 this season.
Description: Tampa Bay winger B.J. Crombeen is questionable for Tuesday's game against Buffalo with a lower body injury.
Insight: The hard-nosed winger doesn't provide enough offense for fantasy teams even on the highest scoring team in the league. He's got just seven points in 30 games, but does provide penalty minutes with 86 this season.
Description: Lightning rookie Tyler Johnson scored two goals Saturday against the Senators.
Insight: Johnson was called up to replace the injured Vincent Lecavalier and has three goals and six points in his first five NHL games. He was second in the AHL in scoring with 58 points
(32 G, 26 A) in 59 games at the time of his callup on March 14.
Description: Tampa Bay right wing Teddy Purcell scored one of his team's three goals Saturday against Ottawa, giving him three goals over the last four games.
Insight: Purcell is more of a distributor (18 A) than goal scorer (7 G). He averaged 1.7 SOG per game.
Description: Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman (upper body) was active for Wednesday's game.
Insight: Hedman left Monday's game with the injury but it doesn't appear to be a major issue. Hedman has provided solid blue-line production this season with four goals and 14 points through 29 games.
Description: Lightning goaltender Mathieu Garon will start Wednesday against Toronto.
Insight: Garon won his first start back after missing nearly two weeks with a lower-body injury and Anders Lindback followed that up with a win of his own two days later. We could be looking at a hot-hand situation with Tampa Bay's netminders and an even split when both are playing well.
Description: Lightning left wing Benoit Pouliot is skating, but is still not doing anything involving contact. He's been out with a sprained right shoulder.
Insight: Pouliot has six goals and eight assists with a +7 rating this season and is a viable fantasy winger. With Vincent LeCavalie and Ryan Malone also sidelined, the Lightning scoring ability rests with the Steve Stamkos line.
Description: Lightning center Vincent Lecavalier is not with the team on their three-game road trip and is out indefinitely with a lower-body injury.
Insight: He has not yet begun to skate. General manager Steve Yzerman said it was "reasonable" for Lecavalier to be out three weeks. The veteran has seven goals and 22 points in 26 games in what has been a resurgent campaign.
Description: Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman left Monday's contest in the second period with an upper-body injury and is questionable for Wednesday's contest with Toronto.
Insight: Hedman has been good this season with four goals, 10 assists and a +10 rating in 29 contests to put him on pace for a career-best points-per-game production.
Description: Tampa Bay Lightning winger Tom Pyatt is questionable for Saturday's game against Carolina with an upper body injury. he skated on Friday, but with no contact.
Insight: Pyatt has five goals and five assists in 26 games this season, but is primarily known as a checker.
Description: Lightning goaltender Mathieu Garon will get the start Saturday against Carolina.
Insight: Garon hasn't played since suffering a lower-body injury on March 4 at Pittsburgh. Anders Lindback posted a 1.97 GAA in his absence and should get most of the starts going forward unless he starts struggling again.
Description: Lightning center Vincent Lecavalier is out indefinitely with a lower-body injury. He has been placed on injured reserve. SOURCE: Tampa Tribune
Insight: Tampa Bay GM Steve Yzerman said that Lecavalier will be out more than a week. He was knocked down late in Tuesday's game and went to the bench hunched over. The veteran has seven goals and 22 points in 26 games in what has been a resurgent campaign. However, only six of those points have come over the last 11 games.
Description: Tampa Bay winger Ryan Malone has two points in two games since returning from a lower-body injury.
Insight: Malone missed a month with the injury but he had an assist in his first game back and put one in the net Satuday against the Canadiens. He's a mid-level fantasy forward in 12-team leagues when healthy.
Description: Tampa Bay defenseman Sami Salo scored a goal on his lone shot Saturday against Montreal. He finished with a plus-2.
Insight: Salo got off to a hot start with five points and a plus-10 rating through his first six games but he only has five points and a plus-2 over his last 17.
Description: Lightning goaltender Mathieu Garon had a lower-body MRI on Wednesday that came back clear, according to TampaBay.com. He is questionable for Saturday's game against Montreal.
Insight: Garon has been starting over Anders Lindback lately, but Lindback has played well in his last two games, and could continue to start.
Description: Tampa Bay winger Ryan Malone (lower body) will return to action Thursday against the Jets after missing 13 games, according to TampaBay.com.
Insight: Malone (4 goals, 1 assist in 10 games) hasn't played since Feb. 10 due to an undisclosed lower body injury. He should return to a top-six role.
Description: Lightning goaltender Mathieu Garon had a lower-body MRI on Wednesday that came back clear, according to TampaBay.com. He'll skate Friday before being reevaluated.
Insight: Garon has been starting over Anders Lindback lately but Lindback had a strong start on Tuesday and could find himself back in the driver's seat.
Description: Lightning rookie Cory Conacher logged a pair of assists Tuesday against the Devils
Insight: Conacher has had two big stretches this season -- 5 goals and 12 points in the first seven games and one point in six straight games from Feb. 16-26. We'll see if he can build another one after Tuesday.
Description: Tampa Bay right wing Martin St. Louis scored his sixth goal of the season Tuesday against the Devils.
Insight: He also added an assist giving him 24, one shy of Sidney Crosby for the NHL lead. St. Louis is playing closer to his pace of 99 points in 82 games in 2010-11 than 74 in 77 last season.
Description: Lightning goaltender Mathieu Garon's lower-body injury is not considered serious, according to TBO.com.
Insight: Garon has been starting over Anders Lindback recently but he suffered the injury Monday against Pittsburgh. The team recalled Cedrick Desjardins from Syracuse to back up Lindback. Garon's current injury is unrelated to the torn groin muscle that caused him to miss the final month of the 2011-12 season. "It's not major; I'm day-to-day and I feel better today and hopefully I'm OK,'' Garon said. "I'll need to test it on the ice and, in a couple of days, hopefully I'll be good.''
Description: Tampa Bay defenseman Sami Salo, who has missed two games with a lower body injury, is probable for Monday's game against Pittsburgh.
Insight: Salo only has one goal this season, but has contributed seven assists and has a solid +11 rating. Except for an injury-filled 2010 season, Salo has posted at least 25 points in each of the last nine seasons.
Description: Lightning left wing Benoit Pouliot is expected to miss Monday's game against Pittsburgh with a sprained right shoulder.
Insight: Pouliot has six goals and eight assists with a +7 rating this season, though he had not scored a point in his last four games. Linemate Vincent LeCavalier is also scoreless over that span.
Description: Tampa Bay blueliner Sami Salo is still questionable for Saturday's game against Boston with a lower body injury.
Insight: Salo only has one goal this season, but has contributed seven assists and has a solid +11 rating. Except for an injury-filled 2010 season, Salo has posted at least 25 points in each of the last nine seasons.
Description: Tampa Bay goaltender Mathieu Garon will get another start Thursday against the Rangers after his tough-luck loss to Buffalo on Tuesday.
Insight: Anders Lindback gave up three goals in the first period Sunday and was replaced by Garon, who has played the last five periods for Tampa Bay and will go for three more Thursday.
Description: Tampa Bay blueliner Sami Salo is questionable for Thursday's game against the New York Rangers with a lower body injury.
Insight: Salo only has one goal this season, but has contributed seven assists and has a solid +11 rating. Except for an injury-filled 2010 season, Salo has posted at least 25 points in each of the last nine seasons.
Description: Tampa Bay backup goaltender Mathieu Garon will start Tuesday against Buffalo.
Insight: Lindback gave up three goals in the first period Sunday and was replaced by Garon. This will be a situation to watch going forward, as the Lightning have offered plenty of offensive support to their goaltenders this season.
Description: Tampa Bay center Steven Stamkos has scored five goals over his last four games to move into the NHL lead in points with 26.
Insight: Stamkos has nine points over his last five games and is tied for the league lead in goals with 12. The 23-year-old forward actually has more assists than goals this season after posting 60 goals with 37 assists in 2011-12. Fantasy owners who made the choice of Stamkos over Evgeni Malkin have to be happy with the decision so far.
Description: Tampa Bay backup goaltender Mathieu Garon has been confirmed to start Saturday's game against the Hurricanes.
Insight: The Lightning are starting a back-to-back so Anders Lindback will rest up for Sunday's game. With a 1-3 record and a 3.19 GAA in four starts, Garon hasn't been a serviceable backup this season.
Description: Lightning rookie Cory Conacher scored his first goal since Feb. 1 Thursday against the Bruins.
Insight: Conacher had five goals and 12 points through his first seven NHL games but he went six straight games without a point before picking up one in each of his last three.
Description: Lightning center Vincent Lecavalier extended his point streak to five games with one goal on two shots Tuesday against the Maple Leafs.
Insight: Lecavalier has two goals and three assists over his last five games and six goals and 10 assists on the season. He hasn't played at this type of level in five seasons.
Description: Tampa Bay right wing Teddy Purcell tallied a goal and two assists Saturday in an overtime win over Florida.
Insight: The win snaps a six-game losing streak for the Lightning. Purcell has now scored in back-to-back games. The last time he did that was in March of 2012.
Description: Tampa Bay center Steven Stamkos registered two goals and an assist Saturday against Florida.
Insight: That snaps a five-game goal-less streak for Stamkos. The 23-year-old is now at 21 points for the season. That ties Stamkos with Sidney Crosby and Patrick Kane for second in the league in scoring.
Description: Lightning left wing Benoit Pouliot netted two goals Saturday against the Panthers including the game-winner with 1:19 remaining in overtime.
Insight: Pouliot is now on a three-game point streak. The 16 minutes and 52 seconds of ice time Pouliot saw on Saturday was four and a half minutes more than his season average (12:19).
Description: Tampa Bay backup goaltender Mathieu Garon will make a start Thursday against the Capitals. Starter Anders Lindback is under the weather.
Insight: Garon allowed three goals in his last two starts, both against the Rangers. Washington comes in hot with two wins and 11 goals over the last two contests.
Description: Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman scored two goals late in the third period of Tuesday's game against the Canadiens.
Insight: Hedman has four goals and four assists with 21 SOG through 12 games. Like his teammate Sami Salo, Hedman is a plus-10 for the season. The only area he has been lacking this season is PIM, but he had two Tuesday.
Description: Tampa Bay blueliner Sami Salo had two points -- one goal, one assists -- Tuesday against the Canadiens. He took three shots, had two PIM and a plus-1 in the game.
Insight: Salo hadn't scored a goal on just 10 SOG through 11 games, but he did have five assists. His best asset for fantasy owners right now is a plus-10 rating.
Description: Pro Hockey Talk's Mike Halford is reporting that Tampa Bay winger Ryan Malone will miss 3-4 weeks with a lower body injury.
Insight: Malone is off to a decent start with four goals and an assist in 10 games. He'd be much more valuable if he could get his rating onto the plus side of the ledger.
Description: Tampa Bay winger Ryan Malone is questionable for Tuesday's game against Montreal with a lower body injury.
Insight: Malone is off to a decent start with four goals and an assist in 10 games. He'd be much more valuable if he could get his rating onto the plus side of the ledger.
Description: Tampa Bay winger B.J. Crombeen left Tuesday's game against Philadelphia with dizziness and has been sidelined for the past two games.
Insight: The hard-nosed winger doesn't provide enough offense for fantasy teams even on the highest scoring team in the league. He's got just two assists in nine games, but does provide penalty minutes with 30 this season.
Description: Tampa Bay winger B.J. Crombeen left Tuesday's game against Philadelphia with dizziness.
Insight: The hard-nosed winger doesn't provide enough offense for fantasy teams even on the highest scoring team in the league. He's got just two assists in nine games, but does provide penalty minutes with 30 this season.
Description: Lightning center Vincent Lecavalier (foot) was able to play 18 minutes Tuesday against the Flyers. He took three shots on goal and fought with Max Talbot but also finished with a minus-1.
Insight: Lecavalier took a puck off the back of his foot in the final seconds of regulation Saturday and was questionable for Tuesday's game but he appears to be healthy. Tampa Bay was held to one goal on 22 SOG (0-4 PP) by Philadelphia, with Benoit Pouliot scoring the only goal.
Description: Lightning center Vincent Lecavalier injured his foot late in Saturday's game against the Rangers and is questionable for Tuesday's game against Philadelphia.
Insight: He took a puck off the back of his foot in the final seconds of regulation. Lecavalier is off to a hot start with four goals and seven assist in the team's first eight games. He's a must start whenever he's in uniform.
Description: Lightning center Vincent Lecavalier injured his leg late in Saturday's game against the Rangers.
Insight: He took a puck off the back of his leg in the final seconds of regulation. We should have an update on Lecavalier's condition soon, though the team doesn't believe it's anything serious.
Description: Lightning center Steven Stamkos found the net twice Saturday in a loss to the Rangers.
Insight: Stamkos has scored at least one goal in each of his last five games. He's registered a point in every game this season and has now built a 10-game point streak dating back to April.
Description: Tampa Bay winger Teddy Purcell has two goals and seven assists through seven games.
Insight: All of Tampa Bay's top-six forwards are playing great right now as the Lightning are leading the NHL in goals early in this 2012-2013 campaign.
Description: Tampa Bay center Vincent Lecavalier had a goal and two assists Friday night against the Jets.
Insight: There were a lot of assists to be had Friday with Tampa Bay scoring eight goals. Lecavalier has four goals and seven assists through seven games for the high-flying Lightning.
Description: Tampa Bay forward Steven Stamkos had a goal and two assists with three shots Friday against Winnipeg.
Insight: Stamkos has picked up where he left off last season in the goal-scoring department with five in seven games but he has also put up nine assists in that span. Stamkos has at least one point in every game this season.
Description: Lightning rookie forward Cory Conacher scored twice and added an assist Friday against the Jets.
Insight: The 5-foot-8 Conacher had 80 points in 75 games with the Norfolk Admirals of the AHL last season and he's off to a fast start. In seven games, Conacher has five goals, seven assists, 11 shots on goal, six penalty minutes and a plus-8 differential. The goal-scoring pace is obviously unsustainable as long as he continues to take just 1.6 SOG per game, but he's still a must-own.
Description: Lightning rookie forward Cory Conacher had three goals and six assists in his first six NHL games.
Insight: The 5-foot-8 Conacher had 80 points in 75 games with the Norfolk Admirals of the AHL last season. He has been getting time with all of the Lightning's top forwards, including Vincent Lecavalier, Steven Stamkos and Martin St. Louis.
Description: Tampa Bay center Vincent Lecavalier had a goal and an assist Tuesday to help the Lightning improve to 5-1.
Insight: Lecavalier's points dipped to 49 in 64 games last season but he has three goals and five assists in six games for the top-scoring team in the NHL.
Description: Tampa Bay right wing Martin St. Louis racked up four assists Sunday in a 5-1 win over Philadelphia.
Insight: St. Louis has been on a roll lately. He now has six assists in his last two outings. Even at 37, St. Louis is still one of fantasy's top scorers.
Description: Avalanche winger Steve Downie left Tuesday's game with an apparent right knee injury and did not return.
Insight: Downie totaled 14 goals and 27 assists in his first season with Colorado. He has just one point in the first two games while playing on a line with John Mitchell and Milan Hejduk.
Description: Tampa Bay will start backup Mathieu Garon in net on Tuesday against the Hurricanes.
Insight: Garon will replace Anders Lindback, who has started off with one win and a 3.51 GAA in two games. Lindback has upside in deeper fantasy leagues but Garon shouldn't be on any rosters.
