Got a busy day with various stuff on my palette… The news came out yesterday that Marc Denis went on waivers… He’s likely Norfolk bound…

All that being said, who decided to schedule this game versus the Flyers at one in the afternoon?!

I gotta get on a jet plane in the morning and travel ou twest. That being said, rumors of my return to Boltsmag and blogging my discontent about the Lightning at the moment have been greatly exaggerated :p. I’ll be back around Sunday though.

We got a few games between then and now - including tonight versus Florida. Matt Smaby has been recalled, Dan Boyle is back on IR and Absolute Hockey’s purchase of the Bolts couldn’t come soon enough.

A casual October has left the Lightning in 2nd place in the Southeast division but trailing the Carolina Hurricanes with thanks to that casual-October. Today and tomorrow will be the biggest test — endurance wise — the Lightning have yet to face this season as they play back to back games.

Is Jason Ward a better fit on the 2nd line than Michel Ouellet? He’s not a natural goal scorer but… well, Michel Ouellet isn’t proving to be much of one either. The difference is there is more click-age between Bradmaster and Jason Ward than with Ouellet.

On the blue line, the question is which D-man stays and which one goes when Dan Boyle comes off Injured Reserve? Matt Smaby seems like the most likely suspect at this time — and I feel sorry for him knowing that things in Norfolk are complicated defensively right now.

At any rate, Jaspers Rink has a rundown on tonights matchup (with complimentary quotes from me and RJ to boot).

The game is not a brush-off campaign that the Lightning can fart around with - it’s another must Southeast Division matchup. Yeah, it’s a long season, but with the team ending slow the previous two, winning now will likely prove vitally important if they end the season lackluster once again this season.

So where do we go from here?

The Tampa Bay Lightning have had two consecutive seasons of up-and-down play where they start off ok, trail off for November and December, then go into overdrive for January and February… Only to start playing half-heartedly by the end of March and into April.

Lack of heart and desperation helped the Bolts to lower seed placement in the playoffs in ‘05-06 and cost them the Southeast Division crown in ‘06-07.

But that’s the last two seasons. Point in fact is Vinny Lecavalier and Brad Richards are hitting their prime, the team has added a few tools here and there — nothing major — to shore up the 2nd and 3rd lines. This you know from the off-season moves. This you know from pre-season ponderings. Will Ouellet shed his cement hands reputation? Will Chris Gratton enable the 3rd line as a threat on both offense and defense (and I have no doubt it’s a possibility. Between Gratton and Ward, there is potential there)? Will the kids — former collegiate’s Mike Lundin and Matt Smaby prove they belong in the NHL?

And of course, will Johan Holmqvist or Marc Denis stand up and prove they are #1 goaltenders?

Yeah, questions are around. Pondering the future, the St. Petersburg Times painted this as a possible last-dance for the Lightning’s top 4 players (Lecavalier, Richards, Boyle and St. Louis — the Lightning’s own Entourage)

Questions, questions… but to hell with the questions right now. Tonight is the (NON) Trap versus the Fly. Tonight is Brodeur vs. Holmqvist — a whole new round of fun. Tonight is not a night of worry - it’s a night of hope as once again, hockey is upon us.

Tonight’s the first step. That’s not questionable. The key word isn’t question though, it’s quest. A quest to regain stature in the Southeast Division as it’s champion and vie for the glorious Cup again. And on that quest, there will be ups and downs, ins and outs, worries and aggravations.

And a lot of fun along the way.

(Note — down and out lately. Didn’t know recovery was supposed to have downs to go with ups)

Marc Denis starts tonight at the Forum. Denis has been having a stellar time during camp during intra-squad scrimmages but it’s a bit different now.

I don’t expect a heavy turnout tonight but guess what? That’s our loss, the fans. Why? Players — every one of them at camp — are signing Autographs tonight. Those who were playing were available for autographs early on this afternoon (4:30 or so). Those who are not playing (including Martin St. Louis, Dan Boyle and Vincent Lecavalier) would be available throughout the game tonight on the concourses at Times Palace.

One more time, with Feeling!

Well, after the I told you so of game #4….

The pressure is on to put another nail in the coffin — but when the pressure has been on for the Bolts to perform, they’ve faultered.

…I’m wondering if Marty is being pompous?:

Still, he was the 2004 regular-season MVP, so it was notable when St. Louis said, “I agree,” when someone mentioned they believed his overall game is better than his Hart Trophy season.

“I have more experience, more maturity,” St. Louis, 31, said. “I know the level I have to go to in the playoffs to help the team win.”

He backs it up on ice but still — these aren’t always the types of stories you want to hear going into a clutch game.

…and if the Lightning will continue their in-season trend and drop another crucial game when things still are open season? We find out tonight…

Would you characterize this as the Lightning’s game to lose? Not I.

Martin Brodeur has been challenged. He either must raise his game or get out of the way. Vincent Lecavalier getitng into Brodeur’s head may or may not be the truth. Tonights game will prove or disprove the notion if Brodeur rises or falls to the occasion.

The Lightning need another complete roster effort and that will be tltimate deciding factor. For the New Jersey fans out there — this is where I hold my doubts. The Lightning have had several situations this season where they have seemed to be on a roll and then — crashed, burned and looked nothing like they are capable. The pressure is on to put another nail in the coffin — but when the pressure has been on for the Bolts to perform, they’ve faultered.

Here’s hoping for the Lightning to beat that trend and head back to jersey with a commanding 3-1 advantage in this best-of-seven series.

Jibber Jabber and all that jazz related to the game.

Thursday’s loss was heartbreaking but it was not a total schooling of the Lightning that should leave fans disenchanted like last seasons drubbing (repeated drubbings at that) fo the Bolts by the hands of the Ottawa Senators…

Yet at the same time we saw the difference between the two opponents. Ottawa flat out outplayed Tampa Bay (as they always do) while the New Jersey Devils played there system of offensive-squelching hockey while feeding off Tampa Bay’s mistakes.

And while Safe is Death, so is stupid…

Fans of both teams are welcome to comment, but keep it civil. Flaming, trolling or other disruptive behavior will not be tolerated.