The first of six -- Tampa Bay hosts Washington (preview)

by John Fontana on Dec 7, 2009 12:27 PM EST in Game Previews

WHERE: St. Pete Times Forum, Tampa,. Florida
WHEN: 7:30 PM EST
MEDIA: Sun Sports (cable), 620 WDAE (radio)

First place, Southeast Division. First Place, Eastern conference. 29 games, 42 points.

The Washington Capitals are the mountain to climb for any team looking to show they are due some respect. They're the mountain to climb is you want to show the world you are legit. That's exactly how the Lightning should be approaching this game - as outsiders in the NHL standings, trying to prove something to themselves and the world.

The popular memo in Tampa is that Alex Ovechkin is back. And angry... I'll skip that, thanks. Yes, Ovechkin is one of the premiere players in the world but he's not the entirety of the Washington Capitals threat. Mike Green on defense, Alexander Semin Nicklas Backstrom, Brooks Laich... They're all a threat in one way another (as is the rest of their roster), and all contributing to the Capitals this season.

But even the Capitals are behind someone in the President's Trophy race this season: The San Jose Sharks.

And who beat the San Jose Sharks? Oh yeah, that's right, the Tampa Bay Lightning did.

From our side of things, the question really is the message that Rick Tocchet will be sending the team with who starts in net tonight. Is it Jekyll-and-Hyde Mike Smith, who is coming off his shutout win against the Islanders and has a habit of falling flat coming off victories? Or is it Antero Niittymaki, the more steady-hand in net who has a 29-6-4 record against the Southeast division all-time? Smith's spectacular inconsistency is not what the Bolts should be hoping for in net if coach Rick Tocchet decides to go with him as starting goalie.

[Note by John Fontana, 12/07/09 1:12 PM EST ] It will be Mike Smith in net tonight.

And will the Lightning's defense, regardless of who starts in net, stand up in front of their own goal or hang their netminder out to dry?

The Capitals boast the #1 power play unit int he league, with a near-quarter conversion rate (24.6%). Their penalty kill rate is a lot lower but still sound enough at 79%. The team is averaging nearly 32 shots on goal a night (31.7) and allowing nearly 31 (30.5).

Odds are Semyon Varlamov starts in goal for the Capitals tonight. He's 11-1-2 on the season with a .920 save percentage and a 2.36 GAA.

This is the first of ~~eight~~ six meetings between the teams. The question is, will the Lightning approach this game as playoff-caliber, or just another one of 82?

Other Previews

Tampa Bay Lightning official team preview

TSN

Japers' Rink

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Comments

Facts in this blog post....

Who beat the Sharks? Capitals did (too).

Also, the Capitals are on pace for more points than the Sharks.

Get your facts right and good luck tonight!

by 2forbeinglazy on Dec 7, 2009 1:15 PM EST reply actions

The standings still have the Sharks in front of you

Go to NHL.com and look at the League wide standings.

It’s not “facts” that are the problem, it’s how you see them.

To strive, to seek, to find, and to forever keep it Raw. Raw Charge.

by John Fontana on Dec 7, 2009 1:22 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs

More facts you need to get straight...

Teams play their division rivals only 6 times a year. Not 8.

GOOD LUCK!

by 2forbeinglazy on Dec 7, 2009 1:17 PM EST reply actions

Now this is a legit mistake

Which has been corrected.

To strive, to seek, to find, and to forever keep it Raw. Raw Charge.

by John Fontana on Dec 7, 2009 1:26 PM EST up reply actions

Hi Bolts fans. Let’s have a good game and show Flyers’ fans how classy people support their teams.

There's always more to learn about Hockey.

by WordsOnIce on Dec 7, 2009 1:21 PM EST reply actions

It's Philly we're talking about here...

…everyone knows how to be classier than Philly fans.

To strive, to seek, to find, and to forever keep it Raw. Raw Charge.

by John Fontana on Dec 7, 2009 1:27 PM EST up reply actions

yeah well, maybe I’m overly optimistic, but perhaps one or two will see the light and move.

There's always more to learn about Hockey.

by WordsOnIce on Dec 7, 2009 1:31 PM EST up reply actions

we see your St.Louis...

…and raise you one Matthieu Perreault. That’s right, Bolt patrol: we’ve got a nuclear-powered franco-micro-dynamo of our own.

by redlineblue on Dec 7, 2009 1:39 PM EST reply actions

Good luck tonight. Interesting game on tap.

Do you have a open Game Day Thread?

"You're gonna eat that g**d**n Koho, three!"

by fat_daddyo on Dec 7, 2009 1:45 PM EST reply actions

P.S. I don’t get the decision to start Smith. Nitty’s numbers against the Caps are very good, if I recall correctly?

"You're gonna eat that g**d**n Koho, three!"

by fat_daddyo on Dec 7, 2009 1:47 PM EST up reply actions

Neither do I. Niittymaki was the author of that hideous debacle last Christmas against the Flyers.

by gotsparkly on Dec 7, 2009 1:50 PM EST up reply actions

Agh, I knew I remembered him with a distinct lack of fondness.

"You're gonna eat that g**d**n Koho, three!"

by fat_daddyo on Dec 7, 2009 1:53 PM EST up reply actions

As I said, if they want to start Smith, I’ll take it and cheerfully run – except that I anticipate seeing Niittymaki at some point during the night anyway.

by gotsparkly on Dec 7, 2009 2:19 PM EST up reply actions

Looking forward to a good tilt tonight.

I agree that Niittymaki would have been a better choice from the Bolts’ perspective, but being a Caps fan, I’ll not say no to Smith :-) Of course, the Caps see more than one netminder a night a decent percentage of the time, too, so the point could be moot.

I’m looking to see whether the Caps try to feed Ovechkin the whole game or if they balance things out and tie him into the lineup.

by gotsparkly on Dec 7, 2009 1:50 PM EST reply actions