Buffalo, NY (My Sportsbook) - The Tampa Bay Lightning hope to have the Southeast Division lead all to themselves after visiting the Buffalo Sabres at HSBC Arena tonight.

With 78 points the Bolts trail first-place Washington by one in the standings and hold a game in hand. The Capitals will host Los Angeles this evening.

If, however, the Lightning are to move into the penthouse, they'll have to end a lengthy streak tonight. They are 0-6-3 in the last nine meetings with the Sabres, including an 0-1-2 mark this season. Tampa Bay is 0-6-1 in its last seven trips to Buffalo.

Tampa is coming off an unbeaten three-game homestand (2-0-1) and is 6-1-1 in the last eight overall. On Wednesday the Lightning managed a 4-2 win over the Kings, as Ruslan Fedotenko broke a 2-2 deadlock with 2:49 remaining. Cory Sarich and Vaclav Prospal also scored, and Vincent Lecavalier sealed things with an empty netter.

Nikolai Khabibulin finished with 26 saves and hasn't lost in 10 consecutive starts (8-0-2). The Bulin Wall has allowed a mere 14 goals during his tear.

Brad Richards chipped in an assist on Prospal's second-period marker and extended his points streak to five games (1g, 5a). Richards is tied for seventh in the NHL with Ottawa's Daniel Alfredsson at 48.

Tampa Bay currently sits sixth in the East -- two ahead of Boston and five behind Toronto. The Bolts, 2-1-2 in their last five road contests, will visit Montreal on Saturday.

Buffalo, meanwhile, is 3-1-1-2 in its last seven tries, including Wednesday's 3-2 overtime loss to Carolina. Adam Mair and Tim Connolly scored first-period goals to provide a 2-0 lead, but the Hurricanes rallied to tie before winning on Craig Adams' marker 3:41 into the extra session. Martin Biron made 31 saves in defeat.

The Sabres, with 58 points, enter the day's play 29th in the NHL's overall standings -- two ahead of the Atlanta Thrashers. Buffalo, which has split its last eight home games, will visit the Thrashers on Saturday.