The Tampa Bay Lightning are back home for tonight’s game against the Buffalo Sabres which will take place in the friendly confides of the Tampa Bay Times Forum. After a disastrous road trip that saw them drop three straight games, the Lightning will look to get back on the winning track on home ice.

It’s been a hectic few days for the Lightning community as Guy Boucher’s dismissal on Sunday has eaten up just about every ounce of news coverage surrounding the team. That being said, the guys on the ice have a job to do and that job is to grab two points tonight. As of right now, the Sabres sit three points up on the Lightning with an equal number of games having been played. Interestingly enough, the Lightning actually have four more regulation/overtime wins that the Sabres. Simply put – this is not David and Goliath like matchup; this is a game between equals.

Given the Lightning’s struggles in recent weeks, a game against the defensively porous Sabres could be just what the doctor ordered. The Lightning is the fourth highest scoring team in the league while the Sabres have allowed even more goals than the Bolts. It’s a match made in heaven.

This is the second meeting between the Lightning and Sabres this season with the first having taken place exactly one month ago. Steven Stamkos scored just over a minute into that game, but the Sabres rallied back and took the contest by a 2-1 margin. It was hardly the kind of game anyone expected from two teams that have struggled for the better part of this 2013 season. If you’re betting on tonight’s game, take the over.

Unlike the Lightning, the Sabres come into tonight’s game on one of their best streaks of the season. Having won three straights, the Sabres have pushed themselves up to twelfth place in the East and only three points out of a coveted playoff spot. Despite the fact that they have been unable to win games in regulation/overtime, the Sabres have remained right in the thick of the race. With Thomas Vanek, Cody Hodgson, Jason Pominville and Christian Ehrhoff on their roster, it’s a wonder that the Sabres have had so much trouble this season. Like the Lightning’s roster, the Sabres’ squad is a whole lot better than its place in the standings would indicate.

Mathieu Garon will get the start in net for the Lightning while Steve Thomas and Dan Lacroix will remain behind the bench as Jon Cooper continues to work on transitioning to the Lightning. Cooper, who was officially announced as Lightning head coach last night, will run practice tomorrow and will hopefully be behind the bench sooner rather than later. Given all the praise he has already received from so many players on the Lightning, expect a big effort tonight in an attempt to impress the new coach. Nobody is expecting the Lightning to make the playoffs this season, but under Cooper people can start to expect consistency and accountability. Everybody is going to have to buy in.

All in all, the Lightning are in for a real challenge tonight. The Sabres are fighting for their playoff lives, the Sabres are on a win streak, and the Sabres are going to come to play this evening. According to Sports Club Stats, the Lightning currently have a 10.2% chance of making the post-season. While that might indicate that the Lightning have a little bit of life, it would take a massive win streak to get the job done.

As always, thanks for reading. Predictions?

My thoughts are with the family and friends of Wayne Fleming, former assistant coach with the Lightning. After a long battle with cancer, Fleming passed away yesterday. He was a great coach, and a better human being. He'll be missed.

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