The Tampa Bay Lightning will look to build on their four road game win streak this evening, as they enter the Scotiabank Saddledome for a date with the Calgary Flames. Tonight’s is the first of two meetings this season between the 2004 Stanley Cup finalists.
Unlike the Lightning, who are challenging for the Atlantic Division lead, the Flames sit right near the bottom of the Western Conference. They are just entering a much-needed rebuild. It would be easy to look at their record of 14-20-6 and suggest that Tampa is guaranteed a win tonight; that would be utterly foolish. Where the Flames lack talent, they boast one hell of a work ethic. Head coach Bob Hartley has his club playing hard nearly every night. There’s only one head coach in the province of Alberta who can say that with sincerity.
Calgary heads into tonight’s game, their first of 2014, looking to rebound from three straight losses. Included in that mini losing streak are two shutout decisions. Goal scoring has been an issue for the Flames all season, as evidenced by their paltry 2.32 goals per game average. Take a moment to compare that to the Lightning, who proudly display a 2.72 goals per game average. The contrast on the defensive side of things is even more striking. The Lightning allow 2.32 goals per game, while the Flames allow 3.10 (!). Tonight’s game has the potential to turn into one wild ride.
After defeating one of the hottest teams in the league, the Vancouver Canucks, on Wednesday, it comes as no surprise that Lightning coach Jon Cooper will ice the same lineup tonight against the Flames. That, for those of you who didn’t manage to catch the late game, means that Sami Salo, Tom Pyatt, and BJ Crombeen will all be out of the action.
For the Flames, the big lineup change of note is the return of defenseman Dennis Wideman. He’s missed 16 games with a hand injury, and is ‘chomping at the bit’ to get back into the fray according to Calgary’s website. A big piece of the Flames’ puzzle, Wideman will certainly make the Lightning’s challenge tonight much more difficult.
One final note I’ll make before signing off is that the Lightning’s offense is heating up right now. Marty St. Louis has tallied five points in his last five games. Filppula has eight in his last five. Johnson and Palat both have four each in their last four. Imagine what this team might look like when Steven Stamkos, a 50+ goal scorer, returns to the lineup.
Ben Bishop will get the start in net for the Lightning, while Karri Ramo will suit up in the Flames’ crease. Bishop has 21 wins on the year to go along with a 1.89 goals-against average and .935 save percentage. Ramo, for his part, has six wins in 2013-14 to coincide with a 2.79 GAA and .904 SV%.
As always, thanks for reading.