Without further adieu (or snappy graphics this year)…

The floor is yours.

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

(Sidenote: for those who prefer the format, we’re running a game night thread on the forum as well)

Thrashers won today…

I’m game-threading on the forum. Consider registering and joining in.

I’m wagering that tonights game in Raleigh will be the make-or-break game of the Lightning’s 2006-07 season. With a loss, you can register John Tortorella’s guarantee as bullshit through and through (no offense to John. It won’t be your mistakes or miscues that result in a loss). The race in the east is too tight to figure the Lightning will slink into the playoffs someway, and somehow.

With a win, though…. With a win….?

On a personal note, I apologize once again for being MIA so much. There have been several stories that should have been blogged but my focus has been elsewhere.

On ANOTHER personal note, if Boltsmag suffers downtime — please do not mistake it for me shutting down this site. It’s only hosting/server issues.

OK, someone tell me directly that I shoved my foot in my mouth… Or better yet, the Lightning shoved my foot in my mouth.

In a quick reversal of fortune — that can quickly change again if the Lightning let up — they go into tonights home game versus the Ottawa Senators with a shot at first place in the Southeast Division and the #3 seed in the east. The Thrashers hath fallen to the Pittsburgh Penguins this afternoon (2-1 final) and that puts pressure on the Lightning to perform.

Packed house at the arena expected tonight, as the Lightning box office was selling standing room only tickets as of this morning. Times Palace will be rocking if not for playoff calibre hockey (or so we hope) but also with people wanting to see Vincenzo tally #50 on his scoring belt for the year.

March Madness ain’t shit compared to playoff push hockey.

Better late than never…

Speaking of which… Hellooooooo Eric Perrin!

Marc Denis is likely to start in goal again for the Lightning. I’m not expecting any major lineup changes from Saturday’s game versus the Leafs (no defensivemen will be rotated out so Shane-Oh can play).

The question really is, once again, which team we will see tonight? The Lightning from this western conference sojourn or the Dolts who got smacked around by the Kitties at the start of this trek?

Oh well, a game night open thread shouldn’t be all doom and gloom… I’ll let The Instigator send us off to comments:

So I leave it open for people to discuss — which team shows up? The carbon copy of 2003-04 with strong goaltending and dynamic play?

Of the chumps that can’t even put up a fight against the bottom feeders of the Southeastern Division?

not locking the comments up on this one.

I’m breaking protocol tonight and probably going to piss some people off by doing it but I’m participating in a Game Day Thread on a certain message board. I encourage everyone to join the conversation.

So the Stars have tweaked, the Lightning have tweaked… Which group will burn brighter on ice? Versus night in Tampa Bay!