One Streak Will End, Another Will Continue

FLORIDA
Tonight the Florida Panthers will host the Tampa Bay Lightning. This game will see one streak end while the other continues.

The Tampa Bay Lightning are thundering into town on an impressive 5 game winning streak and 7-3-0 in their last ten but except for an impressive win against the Sharks and Bruins (both not during the current 5 game winning streak but in the last 10) all victories have come against sub .500 teams that are currently not in a playoff spot. The Bolts winning streak has vaulted them into a tie for 6th place with the Flyers and Bruins. A win tonight against the Florida Panthers would make their winning streak a little sweeter as the Panthers are currently one of the hottest teams in the league.

The Florida Panthers have been going through a mid season surge. The Cats are currently on a modest 2 game winning streak but are 8-1-1 in their last 10 and have only lost twice in their last 15 going 12-2-1 but the same could be said about the Panthers streak as was said about the Lightnings. Most of the teams Florida has played in that time were against teams that are currently not playoff bound and "should" win games. A win tonight could move Florida past the idle Carolina Hurrincanes and into 2nd in the Wales Conference as well as extending their winning streak to three games.

The Lightning will be looking to even the season series with Florida who beat Tampa 4-2 in their earlier meeting this year way back in sim 27 which was the third game of the year for the Cats and second for the Bolts.

The one thing that is on Tampa Bays side is the fact that the game is in Florida where the Panthers have been less then stellar with a 9-14-2. The bad thing for the Lightning is that they are also in the Wales Conference with Florida and the Panthers are an impressive 18-7-3 against Conference rivals.

Which streak will continue.....Will it be the Lightnings as they try and continue up the standings to secure a playoff spot or will it be the Panthers as their dominance of the Wales Conference and their quest for a number one ranking continue.