y Matt Martins departure. Nikolay Kulemin has been skating with Cal Clutterbuck and Casey Cizikas sincy Matt Martins departure. Nikolay Kulemin has been skating with Cal Clutterbuck and Casey Cizikas sinc | Forum

TAMPA, Fla. Junior Seau Jersey . -- The San Jose Sharks are entering the third contest of a six-game road trip, and while theyre pleased to have two wins to open the trek, theres just as much urgency Saturday as they face the Tampa Bay Lightning.Its been a great start, but it starts all over again, defenseman Brent Burns said after a 4-2 win at the Florida Panthers on Thursday. Its just nice to win. It doesnt really matter (where). This league is all about just winning, getting the two points. Every night, it doesnt matter.The Lightning (8-5-1) have already had a six-game road trip this season, and they won their first two as well -- only to lose the next three en route to a split.Tampa Bay has been especially strong on its home ice with a 5-1-1 record at Amalie Arena, so the Lightning will try to make the most of their home dates before a busy road swing ahead.We had a monster six-gamer already, and after the San Jose game, we have 12 of our next 17 on the road, coach Jon Cooper said Friday. You really depend on your leaders to get you through those. Those guys have to be mentally ready for these.San Jose is 4-4-0 on the road this season, with the second-most road wins in the Western Conference. The Sharks leaned hard on goalie Martin Jones, who has a 2.30 goals-against average and stepped up as they rallied from a 2-0 deficit on Thursday against the Panthers.Tampa Bay has taken some of the load off starting goalie Ben Bishop, with backup Andrei Vasilevskiy now taking one game a week, including Thursdays 4-1 win against the New York Islanders.The Lightnings strong suit has been their power play, which ranks third in the NHL with a 26.3 percent success rate. They scored twice with the man advantage Thursday and built an early 3-0 lead in the first 25 minutes against the Islanders.San Jose is well-equipped to handle that, however, with a penalty kill that is fifth in the league, stopping opposing power plays 88.6 percent of the time.The first power-play goal Thursday for the Lightning came from center Steven Stamkos, who ranks third in the NHL in points with eight goals and nine assists, just ahead of teammate Nikita Kucherov. The Sharks have gotten five goals and nine assists from center Joe Pavelski, and Burns is the top scoring defenseman in the NHL so far, with six goals and seven assists on the season.The Lightning hope to scratch out one more home win before theyre the ones starting a road trip -- their next five are all on the road, including back-to-back games Monday and Tuesday against the Islanders and Red Wings. They went 0-2-0 in their only other back-to-back so far this season. Richard Seymour Jersey .J. -- New York Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz will miss the rest of the season after having surgery on his left knee. Jerry Rice Jersey .ca NHL Power Rankings for the second straight week, ahead of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Colorado Avalanche. http:///...y-large-2-1481f.html . PETERSBURG, Fla. EAST MEADOW, N.Y. -- The New York Islanders chemistry could be a work in progress at the start of the season.After missing the first half of training camp while helping Canada win the World Cup of Hockey, John Tavares has had just a week of practice and one preseason game with the Islanders. While the international tournament likely has the captain in good condition, he hasnt had much time with his new line, which added a new member days before the season opener.I dont think theres any formula to it, Tavares said after practice Tuesday. Sometimes things take a little longer, sometimes they just click first time you step on the ice.With Kyle Okposo and Frans Nielsen gone via free agency, Tavares was set to be joined on the top line by newcomers Andrew Ladd and PA Parenteau. That duo worked together in Tavares absence, and the trio teamed up during practice last week and in the preseason finale -- a 4-0 loss at Washington on Sunday. However, Parenteau was waived earlier this week in a surprising move.After a day off Monday, Tavares and Ladd skated with Jason Chimera, another free agent acquisition.It could be a good line combination, all veteran guys, coach Jack Capuano said. I liked what I saw today. I like the speed of that line.The trio has produced -- albeit separately -- in past years. Tavares has topped 66 points in five of the last six seasons, Ladd has scored at least 46 points in seven of the last eight campaigns and Chimera reached 39 points in three of the last five.Tavares has played against both players for years and thinks he knows their tendencies, which should help.I have a good sense of their game and their identity as a player and how they can fit into our team framework, he said. Developiing chemistry with linemates is just a lot of communication and trying to read off one another. Antowain Smith Jersey. Ladd, a two-time Stanley Cup champion, knows the teams success hinges on how quickly he adapts to playing with Tavares. To that end, hes keeping his approach simple.Just trying to get a feel for what Johnny wants to do offensively with the puck, Ladd said. Hes very skilled 1-on-1 so a lot of times maybe you can give him a little space to beat a guy and find some open space. Play give-and-go hockey, I think its probably a good start.Parenteaus departure allowed the Islanders to keep 19-year-old prospects Mathew Barzal and Anthony Beauvillier on the 23-man roster, at least to start the season. Shane Prince and Alan Quine, who both had key goals during the teams run to the Eastern Conference semifinals last spring, were also among the 14 forwards, six defensemen and three goalies who survived the final cuts ahead of the season opener at the crosstown-rival Rangers on Thursday night.While the top line adapts and Capuano sorts out other combinations, the coach believes hes found the solution to the void created on the Islanders vaunted fourth line by Matt Martins departure. Nikolay Kulemin has been skating with Cal Clutterbuck and Casey Cizikas since joining the team after the World Cup, and Capuano likes what hes seen from that trio.The energy that they bring in losing Martin on that line and adding (Kulemin) there, Capuano said, to me its tough to separate those three guys and so right now theyre going to stay intact for sure.---Follow Cherwoo at: www.twitter.com/VinCherwooAP ' ' '