As the Detroit Red Wings drift to the bottom of the league, the Lightning are emerging as a top Stanley Cup contender. After losing 3-2 in Tampa last Saturday, the Wings look to avenge that loss tonight on home ice.
The Tampa Bay Lightning are very good, and that is an understatement. They have ten more wins (53) than the next closest team, and sixteen more points (110). They have an astounding goal differential (a telling statistic) of +89, almost doubling that of Calgary in second place. With twelve games left, they are the only team in the league to clinch a playoff spot.