Lightning  4    Predators  7

Tampa Bay Lightning (11-12-9) at Nashville Predators (19-11-3), 8 p.m.

Sports Network | December 15, 2009

(Sports Network) - The Tampa Bay Lightning will try to avoid a fifth straight loss when they visit the Nashville Predators for tonight's interconference clash at Sommet Center.

The Lightning have tied a season-high with four consecutive losses and are in danger of losing five in a row for the first time since ending the 2008-09 campaign with nine straight setbacks.

Tampa, which is fourth in the Southeast Division with 31 points, is also 0-1-1 at the start of a season-high, six-game road trip. Overall, the Bolts have lost five straight as the guest and they're just 4-8-5 on the road this year.

After dropping a 2-1 shootout decision to kick off the trek Friday in Colorado, the Lightning were slammed Sunday evening by the Chicago Blackhawks, who notched a 4-0 victory behind a shutout from goaltender Antti Niemi.

Antero Niittymaki allowed all four goals on 29 shots for Tampa Bay, which has lost eight of its last nine games and has been shut out three times in that stretch.

The Lightning will continue their road trip with Thursday's test in Detroit.

The Predators have won three of their last four games and are coming off Monday's road triumph over divisional foe Columbus. Steve Sullivan registered his seventh career hat trick, as Nashville earned the 5-3 win over the Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena.

Patric Hornqvist and Ryan Jones also tallied for the Predators, who regrouped after dropping a 3-2 overtime decision to Detroit on Saturday. Dan Ellis stopped 28-of-31 shots.

"We had a lot of chances early on in the first period," Sullivan said. "I thought we had lot of momentum and a lot of puck possession time in their end. We felt positive and just built off the momentum we had in the first period and just continued on throughout the game."

In injury news, the Preds will be without forward Jordin Tootoo for the next three-to-four weeks. He suffered a broken bone in his right foot after getting hit by a slap shot from teammate Shea Weber in Saturday's loss to the Red Wings. Tootoo has two goals and seven assists in 19 games for Nashville this year.

Nashville is 11-6-1 as the host this year, but has dropped four of its last seven home games. Following tonight, the Preds will play three straight and six of their next seven on the road.

Tonight marks the lone scheduled meeting this year between Tampa and the Predators. The Lightning recorded a 4-1 home win over Nashville last year and have won their last four games in this series. The Bolts have also won their last two in the Music City and have taken five of the seven all-time meetings at Sommet Center.