TAMPA, Fla. -- Tampa Bay will officially turn over the starting goaltending reins to Andrei Vasilevskiy when the Lightning host the Ottawa Senators on Monday.
Vasilevskiy, the 19th overall pick in the 2012 draft, is expected to get the start after Tampa Bay dealt two-time Vezina Trophy finalist Ben Bishop to the Los Angeles Kings in a deal that also included veteran goaltender Peter Budaj, who leads the NHL with seven shutouts, coming to the Lightning.
The game starts an important stretch for Tampa Bay if there is any hope of making up ground in the Eastern Conference standings as 13 of the final 22 games come against Atlantic Division opponents.