Game 6: Florida Panthers (1-4-0) At Tampa Bay Lightning (4-1-0)

The Florida Panthers are the defending southeast division champions, but you wouldnt know it the way they are playing to start this season. The Panthers have lost four in a row, including a 7-1 thrashing at the hands of the Flyers in their last game, the same team the Lightning just thrashed 5-1. The Bolts on the other hand with a win tonight would be off to their best six game start since the 03-04 season, otherwise known as the Stanley cup season. This meeting will be the first of five Bolts-Panthers game this season, and first of three at the Tampa Times forum, with the other two at the litter box. The Panthers are the only team in the league to visit the forum more than twice this year.

Part of the problem for the Panthers on their losing streak has been offensive inpetitude. Since scoring four goals in the opening period of the season, they have scored four goals in their last fourteen periods. They hope that the return of Versteeg tonight, who has been out with a groin injury, will help get some of that offensive spark back.

the Panthers top line this season has combined for four points, the Bolts top line has combined for 27 points. That is probably the most telling stat as to how the season has gone for these two teams this far.

Head to Head
Goals per game: Panthers: 1.6 (30th in NHL) Lightning: 4.8 (1st in NHL)
Goals against per game: Panthers: 3.8 (29th in NHL) Lightning: 2.6 (10th in NHL)
Shots per game: Panthers: 28.2 (23rd in NHL) Lightning: 28.6 (21st in NHL)
Shots against per game: Panthers: 35.0 (29th in NHL) Lightning: 34.2 (27th in NHL)
Save Percentage: Panthers: .891 (21st in NHL) Lightning: .924 (6th in NHL)
Power Play: Panthers: 19.2% (17th in NHL) Lightning 28% (5th in NHL)
Penalty Kill: Panthers: 76.9% (20th in NHL) Lightning 84.6% (11th in NHL)

Around the southeast: The Jets travel to Montreal to take on the Canadians, and the Caps are north of the border as well to battle the Senators. The Canes have the day off to recover from their tough loss last night.