Boston at Tampa Bay

Tampa Bay has plenty of talent and balance, 16th in goals scored and 12th in goals allowed. Those stats will improve, but right now they're on a three-game slide, two of them on the road. Part of it has been the schedule, playing seven of the last 10 on the road. The Lightning scored a league-high 262 goals last season on the way to the Stanley Cup Finals. Tampa Bay is on a 38-16 run at home as well as 5-1 against the Eastern Conference. The red-hot Bruins are in town, but this is a tough scheduling situation, the second of a back to back road spot after a 3-1 win at Florida last night. It's also the fifth road game in the last seven contests. Boston is also weak on defense at 28th in goals allowed, and the Bruins are 5-13 playing on no days rest. Tampa Bay had no problem scoring in its first meeting with the Bruins, a 6-3 road victory Oct. 12th. Ben Bishop is 3-0-0 with a 2.59 GAA in his last three against Boston. And when these teams battle, the home team is 36-17-2 in the last 55 meetings. Play Tampa Bay as my NHL Game of the Month.