Canadiens  0    Lightning  3

Montreal Canadiens (25-24-5) at Tampa Bay Lightning (21-20-10), 7 p.m.

Sports Network | January 27, 2010

(Sports Network) - The Tampa Bay Lightning will shoot for their first three- game winning streak in a year when they welcome the Montreal Canadiens for tonight's clash at St. Pete Times Forum.

The Lightning are coming off back-to-back victories, marking the sixth time this year they have notched consecutive wins. Tampa Bay last won three in a row from January 19-27 of last season.

Tampa Bay is 2-0 so far on a four-game homestand and both of those wins came past regulation. The Lightning edged Toronto, 3-2, in overtime last Thursday and then posted a 2-1 win over Atlanta on Saturday.

Jeff Halpern scored the game-winner in the fifth round of the shootout to lift the Lightning to their most recent win.

Steven Stamkos scored in regulation for the Lightning, who are 13th in the East with 52 points, but have won three of their last four games. Antero Niittymaki made 37 saves for Tampa Bay

"It's good for our goalie to keep us in it the whole game and give us a chance to win," Halpern said. "It's a credit to him. We obviously have to play a lot better to win consistently."

Niittymaki has started the last six games for Tampa Bay with Mike Smith sidelined with a strained neck, but Smith is now ready to rejoin the team. Smith, who hasn't played since January 12, will at least serve as the backup tonight with Dustin Tokarski sent back to Tampa's AHL affiliate in Norfolk.

The Lightning, who will close out this residency Friday against Anaheim, are 13-6-5 at home this season and 6-1-1 over their last eight outings at St. Pete Times Forum.

Meanwhile, Montreal was denied a third straight win on Tuesday night as it began a three-game road trip with a 2-1 regulation loss against Florida. Shawn Matthias scored both Florida goals, including one on a penalty shot, to lift the Panthers to the win at BankAtlantic Center.

Tomas Plekanec scored for the Canadiens, who are locked in a four-way tie for the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference. Jaroslav Halak stopped 27 shots in the loss.

Habs defenseman Paul Mara sat out his second straight game with an upper-body injury on Tuesday and is questionable for tonight's test.

The Canadiens, who will cap this swing Saturday in Ottawa, have lost three of their last four games. Montreal has a 13-13-1 record as the guest this season.

Montreal and the Lightning have split two meetings this year with each team winning on the road. The Canadiens have taken two of three and three of the last five overall encounters in this series. The Habs also have six wins in their last nine trips to Tampa.