Today is a day every hockey fan has been waiting for for a long time, opening night of the hockey season. After a four month long lockout that featured non stop twists and turns, its finally here, and I couldnt be more excited to see the puck drop.
The Lightning open the 2013 season with a home tilt against the rival Washington Capitals. The Capitals are once again favorites to take home the division crown, but the division is much more wide open this year than in years past. In fact the southeast division is the only division in the NHL this year where four out of the five teams in it can be looked on as legitimate threats to win the division. Only the Jets are looked on as a team that cant win it. The Panthers division title last year ended a run that saw the Captials win it four straight seasons. The Lightning have the longest division title drought in the division, not winning it since their stanley cup campaign in 2004.
The Capitals and Lightning have distinct advantages for a shortened, cramped schedule, in that they both boast two legitimate goalies who can shoulder large loads. For the Lightning, they brought in Anders Lindback from Nashville, a young star on the rise who is expected to be the Lightning best goalie since Nikolai Khabibulin. Backing him up will be returning goalie Mathieu Garon, who was thrusts into the starting position last year after Roloson struggled. Garon played very well down the stretch, helping the Lightning back in the playoff picture, before getting injured and lost for the seaso in march. The Capitals have Braden Holtby and Michael Neuvirth, the former stood out with a 1.95 GAA in 14 playoff games last season.
The matchup with the Capitals is highlighted by two of the best scoring threats in the NHL today, but possibly heading two different directions in their career. Alex Ovechkin for the Caps has seen his point total decrease each of the last three seasons, while Steven Stamkos is coming off a sixty goal season and is just entering the prime of his career.
The Lightning went 3-1-2 against the Capitals last season, and I expect a similarly exciting series between them this year. Im not Picking against my guys in the home opener here, Bolts win 4-2. Here are my picks in the other opening day games:
Penguins at Flyers: Pick: Penguins
Blackhawks at Kings: Pick: Kings
Senators at Jets: Pick: Jets
Rangers at Bruins: Pick: Rangers
Maple Leafs at Canadians: Pick: Candians
Devils at Islanders: Pick: Devils
Hurricanes at Panthers: Pick: Panthers
Red Wings at Blues: Pick: Red Wings
Blue Jackets at Predators: Pick: Predators
Coyotes at Stars: Pick: Stars
Avalanche at Wild: Pick: Wild
Ducks at Canucks: Pick: Canucks
Go Bolts!
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