Tampa Bay Lightning

The Lightning might have been playing on borrowed time the past two-plus weeks.

Although Tampa Bay put together a string of seven consecutive games with a point (4-0-3), the formula for success has been to get great goaltending and score timely goals. And while goaltenders Mike Smith and Antero Niittymaki have been providing consistent goaltending, for the most part, the offense has not been able to chip in consistently enough.

Following a 3-1 loss to Carolina, the Lightning have not been outshot in 10 consecutive games and have failed to generate as many as 25 shots on goal in six times of the last seven games. And six times this season in 20 games, Tampa Bay has scored only one goal.

"We have to clean up a lot of areas on the ice and different zones in order for this team to continue to win and continue to have success. You can get by for a little while but sooner or later it's going to bite you," Smith said.

Heading into Sunday's game at Atlanta, the lack of offensive support might be starting to catch up with Tampa Bay.

"We are just not really pushing back that much, and it seems we are giving up a lot more than we are getting," Smith said. "From my standpoint that's frustrating. I still have to make saves and keep the team in the game when it's needed. But at the other end of the spectrum it's frustrating when the pucks don't go into the net."

HURRICANES 3, LIGHTNING 1: Tampa Bay looked slow and a step behind against a Carolina team that had one regulation victory all season before Saturday. Although the Lightning scored first, the Hurricanes scored three unanswered goals as Tampa Bay failed to find a way to build any kind of momentum.

• The team brought up two defenseman on Saturday, recalling Mike Lundin from Norfolk of the American Hockey League and bringing back Matt Smaby from a conditioning assignment. With the team banged up with the short-term loss of Mattias Ohlund and having to play on back-to-back nights, Lundin was brought up as insurance.

• Tampa Bay's run of seven consecutive games without a regulation loss came to an end with a 3-1 setback in Carolina. The Lightning's last regulation loss came in Philadelphia on Nov. 2.

• The Lightning are winless in their past eight games (0-6-2) at RBC Center. Tampa Bay's last victory at Carolina came Nov. 9, 2007.

• Tampa Bay had a run of five consecutive road games with a point (3-0-2) come to an end.

• The Lightning have scored fewer than two goals six times in 20 games this season.

Quote To Note:

"We're still a perimeter hockey club. A couple of our top guys didn't show up through the middle tonight. I'm disappointed in some of the top guys."

—Lightning coach Rick Tocchet following a 3-1 loss to Carolina in which Tampa Bay was outshot for the 10th consecutive game.

Goaltenders:

Mike Smith, Antero Niittymaki.

Defensemen:

Mattias Ohlund, Victor Hedman, Paul Ranger, Andrej Meszaros, Kurtis Foster, Matt Walker, Matt Smaby, David Hale, Lukas Krajicek, Mike Lundin.

First Line:

Alex Tanguay, Steven Stamkos, Marty St. Louis

Second Line:

Ryan Malone, Vinny Lecavalier, Paul Szczechura.

Third Line:

James Wright, Jeff Halpern, Steve Downie.

Fourth Line:

Todd Fedoruk, Zenon Konopka, Stephane Veilleux.

Player Notes:

• D Mattias Ohlund missed his third consecutive game with a lower body injury, believed to be with his right ankle, and he will not play on Sunday in Atlanta. "In a perfect world, I'll be able to play on Wednesday," Ohlund said.

• G Antero Niittymaki will make his first start on Sunday since Nov. 14. Niittymaki will face the Thrashers, against whom he holds a 13-0 record lifetime against with a 1.78 goals against average.

• LW Ryan Malone was credited with Tampa Bay's third goal in a recent overtime loss to Anaheim. The goal originally was given to Marty St. Louis, but the next day the league reviewed the tape and gave Malone credit for his 13th goal of the season. Malone's season-best five-game scoring streak came to an end the next game, however.

• D Kurtis Foster picked up his first point of the season with a power play assist. Foster was brought in with the idea of getting key power play time, but that has been sporadic when Foster has been in the lineup.

Medical Watch:

• D Mattias Ohlund suffered a lower-body injury during a shootout loss to Los Angeles on Nov. 14. The injury is not considered serious, but he is out on a day-to-day basis. Ohlund said he hopes to return Nov. 25 against Toronto.