PROBABLE STARTERS: Atlanta - Pasi Nurminen (3-0-2, 1.55, .942); Lightning - Nikolai Khabibulin (3-0, 1.33, .951).
THE SERIES: This is the first of six meetings. The series is tied 8-8-4.
KEY INJURIES: Atlanta: Right wing Dany Heatley (41 goals, 48 assists in 2002-03) is out indefinitely after surgery to repair two tears in his right knee. Heatley was hurt in the Sept. 29 car accident that killed teammate Dan Snyder. Lightning center Tim Taylor sat out practice Monday for "body maintenance" but is expected to play.
THE LOWDOWN: The Thrashers lead the Southeast Division with eight points and a 3-0-2-0 record. The Lightning is in second with six points and a 3-0-0-0 record. ... The teams went 2-2-1 against each other last year, with Tampa Bay winning two of three at the Forum. ... Atlanta's Ilya Kovalchuk co-led the NHL (before Monday) with five goals, and with two assists was second in points. Marc Savard and Ron Petrovicky have scored twice each for Atlanta. ... Martin St. Louis and Cory Stillman co-lead the Lightning with two goals and nine others have scored once. ... Both No. 1 goaltenders have played every minute. While Nurminen is a definite, it has not been announced whether John Grahame will get his first start. ... The Lightning signed left wing Dwayne Hay to a three-way contract and assigned him to Pensacola of the East Coast Hockey League.
