SUNRISE, Fla. – The Tampa Bay Lightning will be represented this weekend at the NHL All-Star Weekend, hosted this year by the rival Florida Panthers.
Tampa Bay goalkeeper Andrei Vasilevskiy and forward Nikita Kucherov will participate in the skills events and game this weekend.
The players head to the break with the Lightning enjoying a 12-game home ice winning streak, which has the team third in the Eastern Conference behind Boston and Toronto.
In addition to Saturday’s All-Star Game at 3 p.m., both Lightning players will compete in the skills competition Friday.
Kucherov (who leads the Bolts with 72 points this season on 19 goals and 53 assists) will put his shooting prowess on display during the Skills Accuracy competition.
The Lightning right winger is making his fourth All-Star appearance.
Meanwhile, Vasilevskiy is making his fifth All-Star Game trip. And he’ll do so with something new this year: goaltenders showing off offensive skills.
Vasilevskiy will be among eight goaltenders taking part in the Tendy Tandem, with one goalie from each division designated as a shooting goalie and the other in-net goalie.
The Lightning will remain in South Florida after the All-Star break to kick off the season’s second half, facing the Panthers Monday night. The Bolts will be back at Amalie Arena Tuesday to host San Jose.