Lightning in the Capital. No, no, the other one... (Bolts vs. Ottawa preview)

WHERE:  Scotiabank Place, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
WHEN: 7:30 PM EDT
MEDIA:  Sun Sports TV (Cable), TSN (international - Cable), 620WDAE (Radio)

Mike Smith is back between the pipes tonight for the LIghtning and Kurtis Foster returns to the blue-line.  While Smith only missed two games after being knocked around (physically) versus the New Jersey Devils last week, Foster hasn't played since opening night when he sustained the ambiguously fantastic lower-body-injury.  He'll return to the point on the power play unit, where rookie Victor Hedman has served in his stead.

Smith is 80 for 90 on shots faced in his three games, giving him a .889 save percentage and a 3.16 GAA...  with that and his record of 0-1-2, Smith and the team in front of him must both raise their game versus Ottawa.

The sens boast the same point total as the Lightning )6 points in five games) but have coem about them through 3 wins on the season.  The Senators are coming off a loss to the Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins.  They're averaging 2.2 goals per game so far this season -- and staying in it by allowing 2.8 goals per game 

 In an odd twist, the Senators now have a 6.7% power play conversion -- I say odd because that is where the Panthers stood going into Monday's action against the Bolts.  They're a more-than-formidable 89% on the PK though...  meaning the Lightnng are goign to have to do their work at even strength.

Former Bolt Filip Kuba is out of the lineup tonight for the Senators.

For more on the Senators, check out SB Nation's Ottawa Senators Blog -- Silver Seven.

And behold!  The Official preview from the Tampa Bay Lightning.