Tonight: Lightning vs. Penguins

WHEN/WHERE: 7:30; St. Pete Times Forum, 401 Channelside Drive, Tampa.

TV/RADIO: Sunshine; WDAE-AM 620.

THE LOWDOWN: Pittsburgh's Mario Lemieux (groin) is not expected to play. ... Penguins G Sebastien Caron won his first two NHL starts -- 2-1 over the Bruins and 2-0 over the Hurricanes -- by stopping 75 of 76 shots. ... RW Alexei Kovalev has gone 12 games without a goal. ... Pittsburgh has won four of its past seven. It is 3-2-0 in its past five on the road. ... Tampa Bay G Nikolai Khabibulin has an .878 save percentage in his past seven starts. ... Look for G John Grahame to start tonight or Saturday at Philadelphia. ... Entering Thursday, the Penguins had the league's No. 1 power play overall at 25.4 percent and on the road at 27.4. ... Pittsburgh is 8-10-2-3 on the road. Tampa Bay is 12-5-2-2 at home. ... The Penguins are 17-13-2-4 against the East. The Lightning is 14-11-4-3. ... This is the last of four meetings (1-1-1). ... Tampa Bay trails the series 13-22-5 but is 10-8-2 at home (6-0-1 in the past seven).

-- Compiled by Damian Cristodero.