(My Sportsbook) - The Tampa Bay Lightning have had more bad months than good since entering the National Hockey League in 1992.

That's why the team-record 7-1-2 mark this October is so special. With 16 points it is a five-point improvement over the previous standard to start a season. In October 1996, Tampa Bay was 5-4-1 for 11 points.

The Bolts will attempt to carry their momentum into November on Friday when they seek their third consecutive victory, against the Washington Capitals at the MCI Center.

"We're just on a roll right now, and who knows how far it can take us? We're playing good hockey, and that's what we're trying to keep on doing. We're not looking ahead in any way," winger Fredrik Modin told the Tampa Tribune.

Head coach John Tortorella said that this early spurt might come in handy down the road if his team encounters some tough times.

"It's always good to get the points, because as you go through you get nicked up, you get banged up, and it gets to be a grind," he said. "I look at after Christmas, after the holidays -- those are the dog days. Maybe sometime when you are struggling you may be able to fall back on getting some early points."

The Lightning closed out their October slate with a 3-0 blanking of the New York Rangers on Wednesday at the St. Pete Times Forum. Nikolai Khabibulin made 24 saves for his 29th shutout and remained undefeated on the season. He also improved to 27-4-4-3 in games when the Lightning have scored three or more goals in front of him.

The Bulin Wall is 7-0-2 with a 2.06 goals-against average and .914 save- percentage. Tampa's lone defeat, a 5-1 loss to New Jersey last Saturday, came with backup Kevin Hodson in net. The Russian netminder has equaled Darren Puppa's team record for an unbeaten streak, which was set from February 19 - March 13, 1996 (7-0-2).

Tim Taylor, Modin and Vincent Lecavalier provided Khabibulin with the goals he needed Wednesday. Taylor made it 1-0 in the first period, while Modin and Lecavalier (empty-netter) sealed things late in the third.

Captain Dave Andreychuk was held off the scoresheet and remains on the cusp of a significant achievement. Andreychuk trails Phil Esposito's NHL record of 249 power-play goals by one entering Friday's action. He is also three tallies shy of the 600 mark.

Tampa Bay has opened the season 5-0 inside the Southeast Division, tied for the franchise's longest winning streak against divisional foes. The mark was originally set from February 15 - March 4, 1997 when the Lightning were members of the Atlantic Division.

UP NEXT

The Bolts begin a three-game road trip Friday, and will visit Pittsburgh on Saturday. The swing concludes next Tuesday in Toronto.