Surging Lightning take aim at Sharks

Even without major contributors in their lineup, the Tampa Bay Lightning have surged to the top of the Atlantic Division standings.

After a successful five-game road trip (4-0-1), the Lightning will play a home game Tuesday night against the San Jose Sharks before hitting the road for contests vs. the Chicago Blackhawks and Columbus Blue Jackets.

Despite the absence of star center Brayden Point (knee), plus defensemen Victor Hedman (elbow) and Ryan McDonagh (undisclosed), the points have come to the club in twos just about every night.

With Sunday's 4-1 win at the Dallas Stars, Tampa Bay has earned points in 13 straight games (12-0-1), the fourth-longest point streak in franchise history. It is five games shy of the franchise record, set in 2003-04.

"I just think we had the whole team going, we had four lines going," said Dominic James, who collected a goal and an assist against the Stars. "That's usually the recipe for success for us these past couple of games and that 12-game stretch."

In Dallas, Nikita Kucherov reached the 70-point mark and has 23 points (nine goals, 14 assists) in the past 10 games.

Brandon Hagel recorded his team-leading sixth game-winning tally. He has 43 points (23 goals, 20 assists) overall, with 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in his past nine outings.

On Tuesday, San Jose will finish the second set of back-to-back games over a six-day span.

The Sharks split their first contests last week, winning 3-2 against the host Washington Capitals on Thursday before losing the following night 4-2 in Detroit.

In Sunrise, Fla., in a start moved up an hour Monday because of the nearby College Football Playoff national championship game, the Sharks easily handled the Florida Panthers 4-1 in a fight-filled match. San Jose received a goal from Will Smith, Barclay Goodrow and defensemen Vincent Desharnais and Mario Ferraro to sweep the season series from the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions.

The Sharks improved to 8-3-0 in the past 11 road games.

With the NHL's schedule an unaccommodating part of every club at some point due to the Olympics' three-week break next month, San Jose coach Ryan Warsofsky said the effects were evident in the Motor City on Friday.

"I mean, everyone's dealing with the schedule - back-to-backs," Warsofsky said. "We've got to find ways to be better on back-to-back nights. ... Tonight our legs wouldn't follow our brains. Hopefully, it's a learning moment."

One player Warsofsky said "did some good things" in the setback was Smith, who scored in his return after missing 13 games due to an upper-body injury.

Smith said his club's togetherness is the biggest reason for their playoff push.

"We're really close off the ice, and it shows on the ice," said the 20-year-old Smith, who has 14 goals and 17 assists in 35 games.

Former top overall draft pick Macklin Celebrini has team-leading totals in goals (24), assists (48) and points (72) in 48 games for San Jose.