Today’s trade news around the National Hockey League has distracted from the fact that the Tampa Bay Lightning actually have a game to play tonight. Looking to finish off their four game road trip on a high note, the Bolts are in St. Louis for a tilt with one of the league’s best teams. The St. Louis Blues boast a wealth of quality forwards, a solid defense core, and one of the league’s top goaltenders in the form of newly acquired Ryan Miller. Simply put, Tampa is facing a tall task this evening.
It’s worth noting that the Blues and Bolts have already faced off once this season. That game, which took place at the Tampa Bay Times Forum back in early November, was won by the Lightning; Brett Connolly scored the game winning goal in the 4-2 decision.
Since early November, unfortunately, the Lightning have really fallen back to earth. No longer do the Bolts find themselves battling for the Atlantic Division’s top spot. Rather, the team finds itself battling for playoff positioning with the likes of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, and Detroit Red Wings, among others. The Blues, on the other hand, have only established themselves as the NHL’s team to beat.
Some good news for the Lightning is that Valtteri Filppula is scheduled to make his return to the lineup. Few teams are built to withstand the loss of two top centers, so getting Val back in the action should pay big dividends for the struggling Lightning. His calming veteran presence and defensive prowess should hopefully help to turn around what has been a very disappointing post-Olympic slide. Tyler Johnson is considered a game time decision.
I haven’t seen anything official from the team, but I have a hard time imagining that Ben Bishop won’t get the start tonight. Not only is the team facing a very tough opponent, but it is also in desperate need of points. Ben Bishop gives Tampa the best chance it has in what can only be described as a very key road game.
Last but not least, let’s talk about the trade deadline. While teams around the league have been wheeling and dealing all day, Steve Yzerman’s Lightning have been very quiet. I’ve said before that I don’t expect Marty St. Louis to be dealt pre-deadline, despite his trade request. With that said, I do expect that Yzerman will make a move of some kind before the deadline tomorrow. The team is likely looking to add some help on defense. We’ll see what comes about.
Until post game, thanks for reading.