All eyes — including those of Chris Higgins (left) — will be on Lightning sniper Steven Stamkos when the Vancouver Canucks visit Tampa Bay tonight. Photograph by: Mike Carlson , Getty Images

TAMPA, Fla. — It's a big ask, but the Vancouver Canucks could turn what has been a good road trip into an excellent one tonight (4:30 p.m. Pacific, on Sportsnet Pacific, TSN 1040) with a win over the Tampa Bay Lightning.

It doesn't figure to be easy. The Lightning are second in the Eastern Conference and have had the better of the Canucks in recent years.

The Lightning are 5-0-1 in their last six games versus Vancouver. Sniper Steven Stamkos is a big reason for that. Stamkos has eight goals in six lifetime games against the Canucks.

"He's one of the most gifted goal-scorers in the game," Vancouver winger Jannik Hansen said today. "He can do it a lot of different ways. Everybody knows about the one-timer on the power play, but he works hard, he is good on a breakaways, he is a dangerous player.

"They are a talented team right now. They have a lot of guys that are chipping in. It is not a matter of just watching one guy."

The Canucks are 3-1-0 through the first four games of this five-game trip. Earning a point or two tonight would be like adding icing to the cake before the team begins a week-long all-star break.

"We knew this was going to be a very important trip and going into the break you want to end on a good note," Hansen said.

Stamkos said he doesn't take much from the fact he has had good success against the Canucks.

"I think it's just a coincidence sometimes when you have success against certain teams," he said. "This is a team we don't see very much. Obviously, we'd like to keep our winning ways, but they are on a roll right now. They are playing extremely well defensively and have a hot goaltender. We have to be prepared."

Stamkos knows all about Ryan Miller, Vancouver's hot goaltender, who has given up just one goal in his last three starts. Stamkos saw lots of Miller when Miller was with the Buffalo Sabres and scored his first NHL goal against him on Oct. 31, 2008.

"He has been a roll lately," Stamkos said. "He played last night and I am sure he wants to play again tonight and I think he is … You want to try and get as many shots as possible, get some traffic in front. It's the old cliches. We have relied on our goaltender a little too much the last couple of games, we have got to get back to controlling the play and having the puck and making some plays and utilizing our skill."

Stamkos enters tonight's game third in the NHL with 26 goals.

"We have to play smart for sure," Vancouver coach Willie Desjardins said of containing Stamkos. "We can't be chasing because if you are chasing him you are going to have a long night. They have proved it. They are just a real good team at home. We have to have good puck placements and we probably need a couple of breaks."

Desjardins would not name his starter, but said Miller would probably start his fourth straight game if he's healthy.

Centre Brad Richardson, who missed Monday night's game against the Florida Panthers with a foot injury, skated this morning but said he will not play tonight.

• INJURIES:

Vancouver C Brad Richardson (foot) is day to day.

The Lightning are missing D Matt Carle (abdomen) and D Radko Gudas (knee).

ICE CHIPS: The Lightning are 18-4-2 at home this season … Centre Tyler Johnson leads the Lightning with 48 points … Dan O'Halloran and Paul Devorski are tonight's referees … The Canucks don't play again until next Tuesday, when the Anaheim Ducks visit Rogers Arena. That is the first game of a six-game homestand.

bziemer@vancouversun.com

Twitter.com/bradziemer