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Goalie nods: Bolts hope Vasilevskiy can extend winning streak

Tampa Bay Lightning v Pittsburgh Penguins - Game Two

PITTSBURGH, PA - MAY 16: Andrei Vasilevskiy #88 of the Tampa Bay Lightning makes a glove save during the second period against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game Two of the Eastern Conference Final during the 2016 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Consol Energy Center on May 16, 2016 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)

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After Ben Bishop posted back-to-back wins -- with one shutout -- over the Ducks and Kings, Andrei Vasilevskiy will look to push Tampa Bay’s win streak to three tonight in Minnesota.

It’s a modest streak, sure, but vitally important for the Bolts.

The team will need to go one a major run over the final two months of the season to qualify for the playoffs, and it stands to reason goaltending will play a major role in that. Neither Bishop nor Vasilevskiy have been consistent this year, but the young Russian has really struggled -- heading into tonight, he has just a .909 save percentage and 2.84 GAA.

That said, there are signs he’s rounding into form.

Vasilevskiy only has one win in his last five appearances, but has posted a .924 save percentage, allowing just 10 goals on 132 shots. The hope is that he can continue that form into tonight against a streaking Wild team, who are 5-1-1 in their last seven.

For the Wild, Devan Dubnyk starts in goal.

Elsewhere...

-- Just one other game tonight, and it’s in Winnipeg. The Jets are going with Connor Hellebuyck as the injured Ondrej Pavelec is out for a week, while the ‘Hawks with go with Corey Crawford.