Leafs Notes: Home Cooking

The Toronto Maple Leafs are off to a hot start, thanks to its balanced lineup and speed. The Maple Leafs will be at home this week facing the Los Angeles Kings, Pittsburgh Penguins and St. Louis Blues.

Monday, 10.15.18 vs. Los Angeles Kings-7:30 p.m.

The first test of the week for the Maple Leafs will be the Los Angeles Kings, who are without starting goaltender, Jonathan Quick. There is no doubt that the Maple Leafs need to be better defensively to help out their goaltender. They should get plenty of pucks to the net to test the Kings goalie early and often. Toronto will want to get off to a fast start and put some pucks in the back of the net to get going and keep the home crowd in the game. The Maple Leafs should take advantage of their power play opportunities since they have one of the best power plays in the League, while the Kings have one of the worst penalty kills.

Matchup of the Game

The goalies will be the players of this game to keep an eye on. Frederik Andersen is injured for the Leafs so Garret Sparks get the start between the pipes. It will likely be Jack Campbell, who has started the majority of the games while Jonathan Quick has been out, but it could also be Petr Budaj for the Kings. The Kings are going to need a spectacular showing from whichever goalie gets the start because the Maple Leafs have one of the best offenses in the League. Sparks is going to need to be sharp as well since the team tends to play wide open and gives up a lot in front of him. 

Thursday, 10.18.18 vs. Pittsburgh Penguins- 7 p.m. 

The Maple Leafs have a few days off between games but then the Penguins come to town. The Maple Leafs are going to need to make sure that they play with discipline since the Penguins have deadly power play. Toronto needs to play a strong game at even strength and keep the top six of the Penguins in-check. They want to get plenty of pucks to the net since Matt Murray has had a rough start to the season, while Casey DeSmith has been better, but can be beat. The Leafs will want to have the lead entering the final period of play since they can finish out games when leading.

Matchup of the Game

There will be two big matchups to watch in this game, and that will be how each team handle the opposition's top two lines. Who does Mike Babcock matchup against Sidney Crosby? Does he go with Nazem Kadri's line or does he go with Matthews' line for power against power? Who gets the job of trying to defend the Malkin line? Is it Tavares' line or does he save Tavares for the Crosby line and matchup Kadri's line against Malkin and company?

Saturday, 10.20.18 vs. St. Louis Blues- 7 p.m.

The St. Louis Blues are off to a slow start after the hype of the offseason and acquiring some offensive help. The Maple Leafs will need to get the first goal of the game to keep the home crowd in the game. Toronto will want to play a discipline game since the Blues power play is operating over 30% on the season. They should try to get in on the forecheck to force turnovers and get some pucks toward the net. The Leafs want to play a smart hockey game and use their speed to draw some penalties.

Matchup of the Game

The power play units for both teams are ranked in the top 10 in the League. The Maple Leafs are ranked 2nd , while the Blues have a 6th ranked power play. The Blues have two balanced units, while the Leafs have depended on the first unit to get the power play scoring.

Weekly Prediction

The Maple Leafs will finish the week at 1-2-0 in their three games. They will win against the Kings, but then lose back-to-back games to the Penguins and Blues. The Penguins will be a good challenge for the Leafs to see if they can beat a perennial playoff team, or if they are not quite there yet. If the Leafs want to steal some points, then they are going to need to play better on the defensive side of the puck and be aware of what is going on around them on the ice. 

Shooting Stars: Weekly Preview 3/11/18-3/17/18

The Dallas Stars will look to position themselves in a good spot for playoff contention with only four weeks left in the regular season. It won't be an easy week even though they will face some teams that will not make the playoffs, but will try to play the role of spoiler.

If the Stars want to gain some valuable points this week then they will have to do it on the road where they haven't play well this season. Dallas is currently in the first wild card position, but there are four teams that are not far behind them including the Avalanche, who are only two points behind them for that first wild card spot.

The Stars will start the week off facing the Penguins, who played in Toronto last night and lost. On Tuesday, they will face the Canadiens, who are looking to play the role of spoilers, so the Stars better be ready to play from puck drop. Dallas then will face the Maple Leafs on Wednesday night, and finish the week off in Ottawa on Friday night.

The Stars want to take advantage of the fact that the Penguins are coming off of playing a game last night and had to travel after the game. Dallas needs to get off to a solid start by spending some time in the offensive zone and getting the forecheck and cycle game established early. The Stars will need to stay out of the penalty box with the Pens having the best power play in the League. Dallas will want to get a solid game from the goaltending since the Penguins will get their chances to score. The Stars should keep an eye on when and where Sidney Crosby and Evegeni Malkin are on the ice since they have good career numbers against the Stars.

Pittsburgh needs to get off to a fast start themselves and make sure that they have the legs early in the game and feed of the energy of the crowd. The Penguins will need to find a way to stop the balanced lineup of the Stars. They should also try to have the lead entering the second period since they are only 5-19-2 when trailing after two periods, while Dallas is only 2-18-2 when trailing after two periods. The Pens need to keep an eye on Tyler Seguin and Jason Spezza since they have a combined 62 points in their careers against the Penguins.

On Tuesday night, the Stars will visit the Canadiens, who have underachieved this year. Dallas should try to get the first goal of the game to take the home crowd out of the game. The Stars need to get off to a fast start and make sure they have some energy to start the game. Dallas should try to put a ton of pressure on the puck carrier and outnumber in board battles since the Habs will turn the puck over. The Stars need to be aware of when Brendan Gallagher and Alex Galchenyuk are on the ice since they've done most of the damage for the Habs this year offensively.

Montreal needs to get the first goal of the game to get them off to a fast start. The Canadiens want to establish the forecheck early along with their cycle game since that is one way to stop the balanced lineup of the Stars. The goaltending will need to step up in a big way in this game to give the Habs a chance at stealing two points. The Canadiens need to keep an eye on Jason Spezza when he is on the ice since he has 69 points in 61 games played against them in his career.

The Stars will have a tough game on Wednesday night with it being the second game of a back-to-back situation and the opposition being the Toronto Maple Leafs. Dallas  will need to contain the speed of the Maple Leafs since they have plenty of it. The Stars want to play a good game in the neutral zone by limiting mistakes and turnovers. Dallas needs the goaltending to be very good in this game and not allow any soft goals. The Stars should watch Patrick Marleau since he has 65 career points in 101 games played against the Stars.

Toronto will want to use their speed in transition to create odd man rushes and draw penalties. The Leafs should try to get involved early in this game and create chances. The Maple Leafs need a good game from the goaltender with no soft goals and not allowing everything to get past him. Toronto should try to win the battle at even strength since this game could very well come down to even strength goals.

Dallas finishes their week on Friday against the Senators, who have been a big disappointment this year. The Stars need to win the special teams battle since the Senators are not good at special teams. Dallas should try to get the first goal of the game and take the home crowd out of the game. The Stars want to be patient with the puck, but not overly patient, because the Sens tend to black a lot of shots. Dallas will want to establish the forecheck and cycle game, and they'll also need to keep an eye on Mark Stone, since he is the leading point producer on the team.

The Senators should try to play a solid team defense with the gaps between the defense and forwards not too big. They'll need to avoid turnovers since the Stars have plenty of offensive fire power to score off those mistakes. Ottawa should stay out of the penalty box since the penalty kill has been awful this year. The Sens need to be better  all around and make sure that they are staying focused during the game. Ottawa will want to keep an eye on Tyler Seguin since he leads the Stars in points and goal.

3 Things: Pittsburgh Penguins @ Philadelphia Flyers (1/2/18)

The Philadelphia Flyers are looking to gain some points in the Metropolitan Division, and what better way to start then with a win against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Penguins will take on the Flyers at the Wells Fargo Center tonight, and the game will be aired on NBCSN with the puck dropping around 7:00 p.m. ET.

Here are three things to watch for in tonight's game:

1.) Even Strength Play 
The Penguins and the Flyers are both going to need to play a sound game at even strength since both teams have had their struggles while playing 5-on-5 hockey this year. The Orange and Black have only scored 65 goals while playing at even strength, while giving up only 56 goals. The Flyers have struggled to score goals at even strength, but aren't giving the opposition much while playing 5-on-5 hockey. The Penguins have only scored 53 goals while playing at even strength and they have given up 91 goals against. The two teams are going to need to be the better team while playing at even strength in order to win this game.

2.) Special Teams

It is no secret that the Flyers have had one of the worst penalty kills for the last few years, and this year, it hasn't been any better. The Orange and Black are only killing off 76.8% of their penalties taken, and are only 72.7% on the penalty kill at home. Philly's power play is in the middle of the pack, but they have converted on some opportunities of late, but the second unit needs to start pitching in for more balance. Pittsburgh has the third best power play in the NHL at 25%, and it can be dangerous so the Flyers want to stay out of the penalty box. The Pens penalty kill has been okay so far this year, and is ranked 15th in the NHL at 81%.

3.) Start

These two teams have struggled to start games well this season. The Flyers usually have dreadful starts to games coming off of long breaks, and they haven't played since Friday night in Tampa Bay. The Penguins are getting outscored 41-29 in opening periods of games so far this year. This is a rivalry game so I wouldn't be surprised if these two teams come onto the ice ready to play. These teams need to be ready to go from puck drop and not be sluggish or that could wind up costing them the game early.

Flying Forward: Weekly Preview 12/31/17-1/6/18

The Philadelphia Flyers will finally start to see some teams in their own conference and division. Philadelphia will have two chances to gain some ground on Metropolitan Division opponents this week.

The Orange and Black will take on divisional rival, the Pittsburgh Penguins, on Tuesday night on national television as the game will be aired on NBCSN at 7:00 p.m. The Islanders will then visit Philly on Thursday night in another big divisional game. The Flyers will end their week with a  visit form Brayden Schenn and the St. Louis Blues, who have been struggling lately.

The Flyers are going to need to find a way to stop Evgeni Malkin and Phil Kessel since they are the two top point producers on the Pens. Philadelphia needs to play with discipline because the Penguins have the third best power play in the NHL. The Orange and Black want to win the even strength battle since the penalty kill is a weak one. The Flyers need to have a better start to this game since the first period has been a problem for Philly all season. They have been outscored in the first period 33-25 so far. Philly will need to play with energy from the drop of the puck and established the tone of the game early.

The Penguins will want to take advantage of a weak Flyers penalty kill that is ranked 29th in the League. Pittsburgh also needs to get off to a better start since they have been outscored 41-29 in first periods of game. The Pens need to have the better of the even strength play. Pittsburgh needs to have the lead entering the final period of the game since they only have four wins when trailing after two periods, but don't have a loss when leading after two periods. The Pens want to get good goaltending since the Flyers can put the puck in the net, if they are at the top of their game. The Penguins are going to need to get shots on goal and traffic in front of the opposing goaltender.

The Isles will visit the Wells Fargo Center on Thursday night for another big divisional game. The Flyers need to find a way to stop Josh Bailey, John Tavares, Anders Lee and company. One way to do that is to get a good forecheck established early, spend some time in the offensive zone, and get plenty of shots on net since the goaltending hasn't been great for New York this year. Philly needs to stay out of the penalty box since the Isles have a dangerous power play that can put the puck in the net. The Orange and Black want to get the first goal of the game, and build from there. The Flyers need to establish a forecheck and cycle game early and often.

New York needs to stay out of the penalty box since the Flyers have a good power play in their own right. The Islanders need to get good goaltending in this game, which is something that has been lacking at times this year. The Isles should try to get an early goal, and make the Flyers play from behind. New York needs to have a better start to this game since they have struggled in first periods of games this year. The Islanders will want to be aware of when Sean Couturier and Claude Giroux on the ice since they have had some good chemistry this year, and can put up some points when on the ice together.

Brayden Schenn makes his return to Philly with this new team, the St. Louis Blues. The Flyers need to make sure that they keep the duo of Schenn and Vladimir Tarasenko in-check when they are on the ice. The Orange and Black need to get off to a fast start and have some jump right from the drop of the puck. Philadelphia wants to avoid mistakes and turnovers in this game since the Blues have a decent transition game. The Flyers need to have a solid defensive effort and cash in on their chances when they have them.

The Blues need to get good goaltending in this game whether it should be Jake Allen or Carter Hutton. St. Louis wants to play a full 60 minute game, and not have lapses throughout the game. The Blues should try to get their power play going against the Flyers, who have one of the worst penalty kills in the NHL. St. Louis will need to keep an eye on Wayne Simmonds and Shayne Gostisbehere, who can lead the Flyers offense in different ways. Brayden Schenn should be playing in another gear since he plays against his former team. 

Sabres Slashes: Weekly Preview 11/12/17-11/18/17

The Buffalo Sabres will look to get back on track, and gain some points in the standings since they are in seventh place in the Atlantic Division, one point ahead of the Florida Panthers.

The Sabres will take on the defending champions, Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday night. They will then travel to Detroit for a divisional matchup against the Red Wings. Buffalo will end the week at home to take on the Carolina Hurricanes.

Buffalo will have a tough task in trying to beat the Penguins even though they are struggling early in the season. The Sabres will need to slow down Phil Kessel and Evengy Malkin, who are both off to hot starts for the Pens. Kessel and Malkin are the offensive leaders in goals, assists and points for Pittsburgh. The Sabres will need to play the type of game that they played against the Capitals last week and be solid on the defensive end of the puck. Buffalo will need to eliminate turnovers and mistakes to have a shot at getting two points and the win. They should try to get pucks on net with traffic in front for rebounds or deflections. Robin Lehner or Chad Johnson is going to need to have a solid game in net for the Sabres.

Pittsburgh will need to get the first goal of the game since they play better when getting the first goal rather than being scored against first. The Pens need to have the lead entering the final frame since they have only forced overtime twice when trailing entering the third and don't have a win yet. They need to attack the defense of Buffalo and force turnovers since some key blue liners are out of the Sabres lineup. The Penguins will need to be aware of Evander Kane and Jack Eichel since they have been producing on a line together this year.

On Friday, the Sabres will have its first leg of a back-to-back situation. Buffalo will need to make sure that they are smart with and without the puck because the Red Wings can burn you with their speed in transition. The Sabres will need to make sure that the forwards help out and have decent gap control especially if they are still missing Marco Scandella and Rasmus Ristolainen on the back end. The Sabres need to get off to a better start then they have been because they've been outscored 17-10 in first periods of games. Buffalo needs to watch out for Dylan Larkin and Anthony Mantha, who are first and second on the team in scoring.

The Red Wings will need to score the first goal of the game, and get the home crowd involved early in the game. Detroit will need to have a good start against a team who doesn't start games very well by putting the pressure on early in the offensive zone. The Red Wings will need to be aware of Ryan O'Reilly since he is tied for third on the team in scoring and can defend. Detroit should establish a forecheck and cycle game early so they can have some sustained offensive pressure and make the Sabres defend, which they haven't been very good at this year.

Buffalo will end their week at home against the Hurricanes. The Sabres will need to keep an eye on Teuvo Teravainen and Jeff Skinner, who can put the puck in the net. Buffalo will need to have speed through the neutral zone and get in behind the Hurricanes defense. The Sabres need to limit their mistakes and turnovers since Carolina is a team that will capitalize on its opponents mistakes. Buffalo needs to get the lead and keep attacking, don't go into holding the lead mode because they will get burned.

The Hurricanes will need to get the first goal of the game since they are 5-1-1 when doing so. Caroline will need to be really good at even strength since the power play and penalty kill numbers haven't been through the roof good this year. The Canes will need to get the power play going against a team that can give up some goals. Carolina should expect a good game from its goalies since they should see plenty of rubber in this game. The Hurricanes need to get more offense from the defensemen this year since they haven't contributed much in the offensive zone so far.

Preds Prey: Weekly Preview 11/5/17-11/11/17

The Nashville Predators will look to get its focus back on the games, and not on the trade market. The Predators were part of a three-way trade where they acquired Kyle Turris from the Ottawa Senators.

The Preds will visit the Columbus Blue Jackets and Seth Jones on Tuesday night. The Predators will then have off three days before they take on the defending champions, Pittsburgh Penguins, at home.

Nashville's schedule seems to be more spread out this week, as does the rest of the NHL. They play a game and then have off a few days before playing its next game.


Nashville needs to get off to a good start, and then play a complete road game since the Blue Jackets have been very good on home ice this season. The Predators will need to find a way to stop the balanced lineup of the Blue Jackets, who can score in bunches or win a tight game. The Preds will need to be aware of when Seth Jones and Zach Werenski are on the ice since they have combined for 22 points on the top pairing for Columbus so far. Nashville will need to make sure that they get the first goal of the game, and have the period going into the third period since they are 5-1-0 with the lead versus 2-3-1 when trailing entering the third period. The Predators are going to need to get plenty of traffic in front of the opposition's net especially if Sergei Bobrovsky is there because if he can see the puck then he will make the save.

The Blue Jackets need to stay out of the penalty box since Nashville has a decent overall power play. Columbus will also need to get the first goal of the game since the Predators are 4-0-2 when getting the first goal, while only 3-5-0 when allowing the first goal. The Blue Jackets will need to continue their dominance at even strength this season, to have a chance at beating the Predators. Columbus needs to be aware of the puck-moving defensemen of Nashville, and also needs to find a way to stop Filip Forsberg, who leads the Preds with 14 points on the year.

The Penguins come to Nashville for a rematch of the last season's Stanley Cup Final. The Predators will need to find way to stop Sidney Crosby, Evgeny Malkin and Phil Kessel. Nashville needs to get the first goal of the game to keep the home crowd loud and in the game. The Preds will want to have the lead entering the third period since the Penguins aren't the best come-from-behind team in the third period this year. Nashville needs to get some pucks on net since the goaltending has been stellar for the Pens this year so far. The Preds also may want to stay out of the penalty box since the Pens have some guys that can flat out produce on the power play.

The Penguins will need to stay out of the penalty box since the Preds have a decent power play, and they have been mediocre on the penalty kill. Pittsburgh needs to play a better first period than they have been since they are getting outscored 22-11 in first periods this year. The Pens must play a good, solid game when even strength since they have been absolutely dominated at 5-on-5 this year. Pittsburgh should find a way to get some pucks on the net, and get some traffic in front of the Nashville goal.

Lightning Strikes: Weekly Preview 10/15/17-10/21/17

The Tampa Bay Lightning look to continue their winning ways this week as they face Eastern Conference opponents.

On Monday night, the Bolts visit the Detroit Red Wings for an Atlantic Division matchup. The Bolts then visit the Prudential Center to take on the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday night. On Thursday night, they'll visit the Columbus Blue Jackets, and then finish up their week on Saturday night when they take on the Pittsburgh Penguins. 

The Bolts need to get off to a fast start because the Red Wings seem to get stronger as the game goes on. The Lightning will need to get traffic in front of the net especially if Jimmy Howard is in net because he has been so good. Tampa Bay needs to bring its balanced attack and not just have one or two lines doing all the scoring. The Bolts will need to keep an eye on Martin Frk, who has three goals this year and has some speed. Tampa Bay will also need to stay out of the penalty box and play a disciplined game since the Red Wings have a decent power play. 

The Red Wings need to get the first goal of the game since the Lightning have a decent record when scoring first. Detroit needs to keep playing its game even if they get down early because they seem to get better as the game goes on. The Red Wings are going to have to win the special teams battle since they aren't exactly the best team at even strength. Detroit needs to be better at even strength since nine of the 12 goals against them this year have come at 5-on-5. The Red Wings will also need to elevate the puck if Andrei Vasilevskiy is in net since he covers the bottom part of the net pretty well.

The Lightning need to be smart with and without the puck when they face the Devils on Tuesday night. The Devils have more takeaways than giveaway so far on the season. The Bolts will need to get traffic and deflections in front of the goaltender. The Bolts will need to keep an eye on the rookies, Will Butcher and Jesper Bratt, since they both have contributed during the early going. Tampa Bay needs to cash in on its power play opportunities, but they also need to be careful with the puck since the Devils have scored three shorthanded goals this year.

The Devils need to have better special team play especially on the penalty kill. They will need to stay out of the penalty box because they haven't been great killing penalties and the  Lightning have a great power play. New Jersey will need to keep an eye on the defense of the Bolts since they can and will going the play in the offensive zone. The Devils need to keep an eye on Steven Stamkos, Brayden Point and Nikita Kucherov since they've been going good to start the season.

Tampa Bay will take on the Columbus Blue Jackets and they will need to get some traffic and deflections because if Sergei Bobrovsky can see a puck then he is likely going to stop it. The Bolts need to score first since, and not sit back but keep attacking once they get the lead. The Lightning need all four lines to contribute if they want to steal a win from the Blue Jackets. Tampa Bay will need to keep an eye on defensemen Zach Werenski and Seth Jones since they aren't afraid to join the play or shoot the puck from the point. They will also need to keep Sonny Milano and Artemi Panarin in-check.

The Blue Jackets will need to score first and keep the home crowd in the game. They will also need to be good defensively since the Lightning can attack with speed and be creative with the puck. The Blue Jackets do have good home special team numbers, but not good overall special teams numbers, so that is something that they can work on in this game. Columbus  need to stop the balanced attack of the Bolts and one way to do that is to spend a ton of time in the offensive zone.

The Bolts end their week against the defending Stanley Cup Champions, the Pittsburgh Penguins. Tampa Bay need to get off to a fast start and establish the forecheck early in the game. The Bolts will need to make smart decisions with and without the puck. The Lightning will need to make the bottom six forwards of the Penguins beat them and do their best to keep the top six off the score sheet. 

The Penguins need to get the first goal of the game, and have a good forecheck game early. They will need to get better goaltending especially from Antti Niemi, who has really struggled in his two games. The Pens should pressure the puck carrier to force some turnovers and use its speed in transition. Pittsburgh will also need to find a way to slow down the balanced attack of the Lightning, and that means spend a ton of time in the offensive zone peppering Vasilveskiy or Budaj with shots. 

Lightning Strikes: Weekly Preview 10/8/17-10/14/17

The Tampa Bay Lightning picked a bad time to be struggling defensively with the likes of Alex Ovechkin, Sidney Crosby and Vladimir Tarasenko coming to town. 

The Bolts will look to use the home crowd to is advantage this week. They'll take on the Washington Capitals, Pittsburgh Penguins and St. Louis Blues. 

The Lightning will try to slow down the red hot Alex Ovechkin, who has seven goals in two games to start the season. Evgeny Kuznetsov has assisted on all seven of Ovechkin's goals, so Tampa Bay is going to need to keep a close eye on the duo. They'll need to get traffic in front of the net because if a goalie can't see a puck then he can't stop it. They need to be better defensively, avoid sloppy play in their own end and  not cough up the lead, if they get it. The Bolts need to get the lead, establish a forecheck and spend as much time as they can in the offensive zone since that's the best way to slow down the Caps offense. The goalie, whether it be Andrei Vasilevskiy or Peter Budaj, needs to steal this game. Tampa Bay is also going to want to keep an eye on Nicklas Backstroke and T.J.Oshie since they both have decent career numbers against the Lightning.

The Caps need to bring its balanced attack and have all four lines and the defense involved in the game. They'll need to stay out of the penalty box since the Bolts have a pretty decent power play. The top line of Vladislav Namestnikov-Steven Stamkos-Nikita Kucherov has been off to a good start for the Bolts so the Capitals need to keep them in-check. Washington will also need to have a solid road effort and keep the mistakes to a minimum.

On Thursday night, the defending Stanley Cup Champions, Pittsburgh Penguins visit the Bolts. Tampa Bay needs to stay out of the penalty box and play a discipline game since the Pens have a really good power play. The Lightning need to get plenty of shots on goal and just attack the Penguins since they have struggled to start the season. The Bolts should try to establish an early forechecking game and cycling game to spend as much time as they can in the offensive zone. Tampa Bay needs to get the defensive involved in the offense and keep the top six of the Penguins off the scoreboard. The Lightning will also need to keep an eye on Kris Letang since he has good career numbers again them and likes to join the play in the offensive zone. 

The Penguins haven't had the best start to its season and have given up 15 goals against in three games. Pittsburgh needs to get shots on goal, and make Vasilevskiy or Budaj work since either have particularly good career numbers in limited time against the. They'll want to attack the defense and keep attacking since the Bolts are having some defensive problems early in the year. The Penguins need to get its big guns going like Evgeni Malkin and Phil Kessel. If the Pens can have a solid road effort and limits its mistakes then they'll have a chance on stealing a win on the road.

The week ends with a visit from the St. Louis Blues on Saturday night. The Bolts are going to have to watch the Blues' defensemen since they have contributed to the offense early on. Tampa Bay will need to keep the top six forwards to a minimum amount of damage. The team will also need to get a ton of traffic in front of Jake Allen or Carter Hutton. The Bolts need to keep the turnovers to a minimum and not make this game as wide open as a game of pond hockey.

The Blues will need to keep an eye on Brayden Point, who has five points in two games. St. Louis should try to establish a good forechecking and cycling game from the start of the game. The Blues will also want to pressure the Lightning puck carrier to force some turnovers. The Blues will need to stay out of the penalty box since they've had a rough go of it on the penalty kill. St. Louis has given up some goals and chances in the third period through two games and they need to be better defensively in the final period.