After locking up the franchise's first playoff berth in four years, the Tampa Bay Lightning refused to let off the gas heading down the stretch into the postseason. Now winners of five straight, the suddenly hot Bolts have fought their way back into contention for home-ice advantage in the first round as they sit just one point behind 4th place Pittsburgh with three games remaining. Tonight the Bolts will head to upstate New York to do battle with the Buffalo Sabres, whom find themselves in a desperate battle to make the playoffs.
The Sabres have fallen into the eighth and final postseason spot and sit just three points above the ninth-place Carolina Hurricanes. If they hope to secure a seat in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Buffalo will need to do it without their reigning Vezina Trophy winning goaltender, as Ryan Miller continues to miss time with an upper-body injury. Backup Jhonas Enroth will start for the fourth straight game in net, where he has been solid in Millers abscence posting a 1.94 goals-against average with a 2-0-1 record.
Meanwhile, the Lightning backup goalie Mike Smith was outstanding in his last game, shutting out the Chicago Blackhawks and making 31 saves in the process during a 2-0 win for the Bolts Sunday night. Despite his efforts, expect to see veteran goaltender Dwayne Roloson going in net for Tampa Bay tonight as the Lightning will continue to ride Roloson the rest of the season and into the playoffs.
Captain Vincent Lecavalier, coming off a scare agasint Chicago where he was slashed in the eye by a high stick is day to day with a scratched cornea. Lecavalier told the media and his twitter followers that there was no structural damage to his eye but that he will wear a visor for the seasons final three games as well as try and adjust to a visor full time in the offseason. In the past, Lecavalier has expressed his dislike for visors and the effect they have on his vision on the ice.