Game 4: Ottawa Senators (3-0-0) At Tampa Bay Lightning (2-1-0)

Craig Anderson may very well be the MVP of the league for the first week of the season. In minding the net for the Senators he has compiled a 0.67 goals against average, 3-0 record, and a .976 save percentage. The Senators have allowed a mere two goals in three games this season, both of the goals allowed have been power play goals. That means the Senators have yet to allow an even strength goal this season. To make matters worse, as good as the Senators have been this season against other teams, history says they will play better against the Lightning. Since the beginning of the new millennium, 2000, the Senators and Lightning have played 45 times, Ottawa has won 33 of them. Ottawa swept the season series last year from the Lightning 4-0, and the aforementioned early MVP candidate Craig Anderson? He has shut out the Lightning the last two times hes faced them at the SPTF. So its all doom and gloom tonight right? Wrong! Thank the hockey gods or the schedule makers, but the Senators played last night and Anderson started, meaning theres a 80-90 percent chance Anderson wont play and backup Ben Bishop will start in place. Bishop has a career 7-11 record, and would be making his first start of the season.

On the Lightning side, Anders Lindback will be getting his third start of the season, looking to improve his 3.51 GAA and .902 save percentage. Both numbers which have startled some bolts fans. Heres something to chew on though: The Lightning are giving up 36.7 shots per game, 28th in the NHL. Its beating a broken record, but the defense is as much to blame for the Lightnings goals against woes over the past seven years as the goaltending. Its still hard not to be skeptical about Lindback though, the Lightning have had about 12 goalies since Khabibulin left, and at one point or another, all of them have given Bolts fans hope that this is the one who will finally bring them the success Khabibulin provided. They've all failed. Why should lindback be any different?  But then I think, Steve Yzerman himself hand selected this guy, so hes gotta be good. Lets just wait and see it play out, But I do think Lindback will end up being the best goalie in Lightning franchise history. Of course the last time I said that was when Marc Denis was brought in. Yikes. Moving on.

The Lightning will honor Captain Vincent Lecavalier for his 1,000th career game tonight. His 1,000th game happened on the road Monday in the loss to the Islanders, but he will be honored for it tonight. Its unfortunate Tuesday night wasnt hiis 1,000th game, as I think it was his best game in some time. Lecavalier will be a spark plug for the Lightning this season. They can certainly contend if he has an average season. But if he has a real productive year like he had in the game Tuesday? this team will be downright lethal.

Finally, Cory Conacher will look to continue his fast start. Hes already the first player in franchise history to record a point in his first three career games. Can he make it four?

Head to Head
Goals Per game: Ottawa: 3.7 (7th in NHL)  Tampa Bay: 4.3 (3rd in NHL)
Goals against per game: Ottawa: 0.67 (2nd in NHL) Tampa Bay: 2.67 (18th in NHL)
Power Play: Ottawa: 33.3 percent (6th in NHL) Tampa Bay: 25 percent  (11th in NHL)
Penalty Kill: Ottawa 85.7% (10th in NHL) Tampa Bay: 81.3% (15th in NHL)
Shots per game: Ottawa: 37 (2nd in NHL) Tampa Bay: 28.7 (20th in NHL)
Shots against per game: Ottawa 28.3 (10th in NHL)  Tampa Bay: 36.7 (28th in NHL)
Save percentage: Ottawa: .976 (2nd in NHL) Tampa Bay: .927 (8th in NHL)

Around the southeast: Panthers have off, Carolina travels to Buffalo, Caps still looking for first win (haha) against the Devils in Jersey, and Winnipeg returns home to face the Penguins.