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Lightning Set to Face Penguins Looking for Second Straight Victory

April 11, 2013, 7:19 PM ET [60 Comments]
Michael Stuart
Ottawa Senators Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
Fresh off a solid performance against the Ottawa Senators, Ben Bishop is set to start his fifth consecutive game as the Tampa Bay Lightning look to slow down the Eastern Conference leading Pittsburgh Penguins. Even without Sidney Crosby, the Penguins have proven that they have the ability to grab victories and secure points in impressive fashion. When on their game, the Penguins are arguably the biggest beast in the entire National Hockey League. To sum up, it’s abundantly clear that the Lightning are going to have their hands full this evening.

Still mathematically alive in the Eastern Conference playoff race, the Lightning are looking to heat up at the right time. With eight points separating the Lightning from the Southeast Division lead and only a handful of games remaining on the schedule, it’s fair to say that time is running out. If the Bolts are to come up with some sort of miracle run, it has to start tonight. Regrettably, beating one of the league’s top teams is no easy feat.

For the Lightning, tonight’s contest provides yet another challenge in a season that has seen the team push through extreme circumstances. Victor Hedman remains out with injury, and head coach Jon Cooper is leaving veterans Benoit Pouliot, Tom Pyatt and Dana Tyrell out of the lineup. Given that the holes on the roster are being filled with relatively inexperienced players, it’s going to take a whole lot of heart and soul to bypass the Penguins this evening. Evgeni Malkin and company aren’t going to go easy on this mix-and-match Bolts group.

Unfortunately for the Lightning, recent history between these two clubs has been far from friendly to the guys from Florida. Winless in five straight games against the Penguins, the Lightning have struggled mightily against these guys over the last couple of seasons. With the Penguins boasting solid goaltending, a reasonably strong defense, and some of the league’s most potent offensive threats, that really shouldn’t come as much of a surprise.

If the Bolts are going to beat the Penguins tonight, it’s going to take more than a decent performance. Simply put – to grab two points, the Lightning will need a little bit of luck, a whole lot of skill, and one of their best efforts of the season. While the candle symbolizing the Lightning’s playoff hopes might be nearly burnt out, the team can’t afford to throw this tilt away. Given the team’s performances under Jon Cooper in the last couple of weeks, don’t expect anything less than a great effort this evening.

All in all, it’s hard to legitimately expect a Lightning victory in this one. While the Bolts might have Steven Stamkos, a healthy Ryan Malone, and a rejuvenated Vincent Lecavalier on their roster, it’s hard to bet against the always dangerous Penguins. That being said, a surprise win tonight might just be what this Lightning group needs to go on a great run down the stretch. In about three hours, we’ll know exactly where this team stands and what we have to look forward to in the weeks to come.

As always, thanks for reading. Predictions?
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