Lightning (7-4-1 15P) at Panthers (5-6-1 11P)
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- WHEN: 7:30 p.m. ET – LBC GameThread right here at 7ish
- WHERE: BB&T Center – Sunrise, FL
- ON THE TUBE: FOX Sports Florida, SUN Sports
- ON THE DIAL: 560 WQAM, 640 WMEN
- SOCIALS: #FlaPanthers, #TBLightning, #TBLvsFLA, @LitterBoxCats, LBC FaceBook
- ENEMY INTEL: Raw Charge
- SB NATION: Story Hub
- FLA IN SEASON SERIES: Game 2 of 4 (0-0-1)
- ALL-TIME vs TB (REG): 62W-38L-10T 5OTL 8SOL 380GF 334GA
- ALL-TIME vs TB at FLA (REG): 35W-12L-4T 4OTL 5SOL 194GF 156GA
- LAST FIVE vs TB (REG): 3-1-1 15GF 11GA
- LAST MEETING: TB 4 – FLA 3 (SO) (Todd’s Recap) – 10/18/2016
- NEXT MEETING: 01/26/2017 in Sunrise
- PROJECTED STARTERS: Luongo (3-5-0 .908/2.52), Bishop (5-3-0 .904/3.01)
- JAGR WATCH: All-time vs TB (reg season): 77GP 35G-47A 82P +34 6GWG
- PLAYER STATS: Florida / Tampa Bay/
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Yahoo! Sports Preview:
Right winger Jaromir Jagr, who at 44 is the grand old man of Florida Panthers hockey, has a groin injury and is questionable to play Monday night against the visiting Tampa Bay Lightning.
“He had a little bit of cramp in his groin,” Panthers coach Gerard Gallant told the media on Sunday. “I don’t think it’s anything too serious. But he is sore. He’s day to day.”
Another issue for the Panthers is goalie Roberto Luongo, who has lost four games in a row. He has allowed 12 goals in those four losses.
The Panthers say they are not concerned about Luongo’s play. But you have to wonder if the 37-year-old is starting to lose a bit off his proverbial fastball in his 18th NHL season.
Florida, which won the Atlantic Division last season, is off to a poor start with a 5-6-1 record. They are last in the Atlantic, already 10 points behind the first-place Montreal Canadiens. (more)
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Last game for the Cats: 4-2 loss in D.C. on Saturday. Past five: 2-3-0 (streak: 1L)
Last game for the Bolts: 4-1 home victory over New Jersey Saturday. Past five: 2-3-0 (streak: 1W)
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Monday in the Atlantic Division (Standings / Panthers Playoff Chances):
- BUFFALO (5-4-2 12P) at BOSTON (6-5-0 12P), 7:00
- Idle: MON (21P), OTW (14P), DET (13P), TOR (13P)/
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