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You took the obvious positives from the Lightning’s finish on into the All-Star break; Wins in eight of their last nine games and a power play that’s scored in four of his last six games, and gone 5-for-24 over that stretch (20.8 percent). But it’s the continuation of that run that’ll prove key for
Jon Cooper’s group in search of returning to their status as the East’s elite.
In a three-way tie for second place in the Atlantic Division with the Boston Bruins and Detroit Red Wings, the Tampa Bay Lightning will finally look for separation -- even if it’s just a little bit -- from the rest of the pack with a Wednesday Night Rivalry showdown against the Wings at Amalie Arena.
A win of any style over Detroit tonight would put the Bolts within five points of the Florida Panthers, and out ahead of the idle Bruins by two points, and at least one point above the Wings, too.
It would be the perfect start to a February that comes with its share of challenges for Tampa Bay. After tonight, the surging Pittsburgh Penguins are in town, and the month continues with three different back-to-back sets along with a three-game run with showdowns against the Nashville Predators, St. Louis Blues, and San Jose Sharks at home. This is where the Bolts’ test truly begins.
“This is a team we’re tied with in the standings, and we play on Friday somebody that’s nipping at our heels, so these are the games you have to win,” Cooper said before tonight’s tilt. “You gotta win these games. You have to get points out of these games, or teams are going to start passing you.”
On a weird note, you have to love how this one is billed as a rivalry game. In a way, you understand it. One of the original perceived ‘benefits’ of realignment was the eventual creation of non-traditional rivalries based on playoff matchups. The Lightning and Red Wings started this with their absolutely fantastic seven-game war of a first-round series last spring, yes, but to call it a rivalry is… premature.
(How about just finding something else to call your Wednesday Night games ‘sides Rivalry Night?)
The Bolts are winless in two prior 2015-16 head-to-heads with the Wings this season.
In Net: Petr Mrazek vs. Ben Bishop
Detroit will give the start to
Petr Mrazek. The 23-year-old was on fire in January, winning seven of nine games, including two shutouts, by way of a 1.32 goals against average and .952 save percentage. Mrazek has wins in 18 of 33 games played this year, along with the second-best save percentage in the NHL (.932). The former fifth-round choice has one win and an .891 save percentage in three career games against the Lightning. This will be his first head-to-head against Tampa this year.
The Bolts counter with
Ben Bishop. The 6-foot-7 Bishop received an early hook in his last start, a 26-of-30 night in 40 minutes against the Panthers on Jan. 23, but enters tonight’s tilt with 19 wins in 37 games this year along with a .926 save percentage. Bishop took a hard luck loss -- a theme early on in his 2015-16 year -- behind a 27-of-29 night against Detroit back on Nov. 3. Although Bishop is winless in two starts against the Wings this year, he enters tonight’s contest with relatively strong career numbers against the Winged Wheel, with seven wins and a .934 save percentage in 11 games.
Stats of Note
- Tampa Bay forward
Nikita Kucherov has points in all but four of his last 23 games.
- Victor Hedman has one goal and five points in 10 career games against the Red Wings.
- The Lightning have power-play goals in three straight games.
- Detroit rookie
Dylan Larkin has six goals and 16 points in 22 road games this season.
- Pavel Datsyuk has seven goals and 15 points in 13 career games against Tampa Bay.
Other news and notes
Depth player Joel Vermin (hand) remains out of action for Tampa Bay. Forward
Jonathan Marchessault and d-man
Matt Carle are the expected scratches for Cooper’s group.
Johan Franzen (concussion),
Drew Miller (knee surgery),
Niklas Kronwall (knee), and
Riley Sheahan all are out of for Jeff Blashill’s Wings squad.
And here's a fun nugget for tonight's game, courtesy of Erik Erlendsson.
...And the Blues and Bolts continue to dance.
Ty Anderson has been covering the National Hockey League for HockeyBuzz.com since 2010, has been a member of the Pro Hockey Writers Association's Boston Chapter since 2013, and can be contacted on Twitter, or emailed at Ty.AndersonHB[at]gmail.com.
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