Lightning Stumble Back Home to Face Detriot

By Jake Ricker

Overview

Tonight it’s the Tampa Bay Lightning (38-16-3) taking on the Detroit Red Wings (23-23-9). The Bolts will look to bounce back after losing their last 2, while the Wings will look get their 3rd win in a row. This will be the 4th time these two teams face off with the first three meetings ending in Lightning victory (3-2, 3-2, 5-2). The Bolts will look to grab the series sweep while the Wings will look to avoid the sweep and at least get 1. Let’s take a look at the game plan for these two teams as they get set to square off.

 

Tampa’s Outlook and Past

The Bolts have won 2 of their last 5 games scoring 17 goals over that span. The Bolts are coming off a loss to the Sabers in which the Bolts really struggled in. Over the past two game, the Bolts have played sloppy in all aspects of the game and will need to turn it around soon. The Bolts are back home tonight and will need to feed off the home crowd to try and get some energy back in their game. They will look to maintain their top spot in the league with another win tonight.

Three Keys To The Game

1. Compete Level

The game against Buffalo seemed to drag on. Bolts had no passion and Vladdy seemed almost mad when he scored a goal. Up the level of intensity now at home.

2. Defensive Woes

Back-checks and coverage have eaten us alive the past month.

3. Deadline Dilemma

So many rumors about whwho going to acquire who you would think some guys would step up their game in order to prove their worth.

Projected Lines

Offense 

Kunitz – Stamkos – Namestnikov

Johnson – Point – Kucherov

Gourde – Peca – Killorn

Erne – Paquette – Callahan

Defense

Hedman – Dotchin

Sergachev – Stralman

Coburn – Girardi

Goalies

Andrei Vasilevskiy:  33-10-2   GAA: 2.29   SV%: .929 (Likely)

Injuries

Ondrej Palat (2-4 Weeks)

 

Detroit’s Outlook and Past

The Wings have been hot as of late but are having a rough season. The Wings are on a 2 game winning streak scoring 7 goals over those two games. The Past 5 games for the Wings have ended in one-goal contest every goal will count if this trend continues. This will be the start of a two-game road trip for the Wings before returning back home. They will look to try and jump past the Panthers in the wild-card standings with a win tonight.

Three Keys To The Game

1. Avoid the Broom

The Wings could get swept tonight in the regular season series, use this as momentum to avoid the sweep and get a game back.

2. Defence

The Last 5 games have ended by a margin of only 1 goal, the Wings defense will need to step up if they want to have a better chance of winning.

3.  Dylan Larkin

Larkin has been really good in his last 4 games and he continues to roll with a 4 game point streak. Look for him to have the puck at all times as he looks to extend that point streak.

Projected Lines

Offense

Nyquist – Zetterberg – Mantha

Tatar – Larkin – Athanasiou

Helm – Nielsen – Abdelkader

Frk – Glendenning – Bertuzzi

 

Defense

Kronwall – Green

Ericsson – Daley

DeKeyser – Jensen

 

Goalies

Jimmy Howard:  16-17-6  GAA: 2.80   SV%: .911 (Confirmed)

 

Injuries

Johan Franzen (Day to Day)

 

PLEASE NOTE THAT LINES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE BEFORE GAME TIME AND MAY NOT BE AS SHOWN.