Steven Stamkos couldn’t ask for two better opponents to close out the season as his quest to score 60 nears an end. Tonight, the Lightning are in Toronto, Saturday they’re in Winnipeg.
Stamkos only needs two more goals to get to 60 – a number that hasn’t been reached since 2007-08 when Alex Ovechkin managed 65 – and he should get plenty of scoring chances against the Leafs and Jets. The former ranks 29th in goals allowed (3.16 GA/G), the latter 26th (2.91 GA/G).
The Leafs are also dreadful at killing penalties, as are the Jets. And we all know how dangerous No. 91 is on the power play.
Of course, with the Leafs’ playoff hopes still making their way through the sewer system after being flushed in February and March, coach Randy Carlyle would love nothing more than to shut down Stamkos and get at least something out of tonight’s game.
“Everybody knows he’s got the 58 goals and you know where he likes to be,” Carlyle said, as per Sportsnet. “The one thing he doesn’t shy away from is the work ethic and being first on pucks. You’ve got to know where he is on the ice, and that’s going to be a task for us to keep him silenced in our building.”
