December Game 3 Tonight In Tampa Bay...

The Caps take on the Tampa Bay Lighting for the first time this season at St. Pete Times Forum tonight. Tampa Bay comes into the game in 8th place in the Eastern Conference and Third in the Southeastern Division with 30 standings points 3-5-2 in their last 10 games and with a record on home ice this season of 7-2-4, tonight's game will be Tampa Bay's fourth in six nights. The Caps play their third game in 5 nights tonight, they are in first place in the Conference and the Southeast Division with 42 standings points. The Caps are 6-2-2 in their last 10 games and have an overall record of 9-2-3 on the road so far this season.

The Caps come into the game averaging a league leading 3.72 goals for/game and 2.83 goals against/game, a +0.89/game goal differential over their opponents. The Lightning come into the game averaging 2.64 goals for/game and 2.93 goals against/game, a -0.29 /game goal differential. The Capitals have the longest current active winning streak in the NHL having won their last five games including scoring 14 goals in their last two games while allowing only 4 goals to be scored. The Lightning's last game was a 4-0 shutout of the Islanders in Saint Pete on Satuarday and they have at various times this season shown they have the ability to give any club in the NHL a run for their money.

Players to watch:

Tampa Bay: Martin Saint Louis, Victor Hedman, Mike Smith, Steve Stamkos, Jeff Halpern and Vincent Lecavalier.

Washington: After the last two games you could put just about anybody on the roster on this list, however, I'll take a shot, Semyon Valamov, Alexander Semin, Tom Poti, Mike Green, Matt Bradley, if he plays - Brian Pothier, and of course assuming he's back on the ice after his suspension Alexander Ovechkin.

Prediction: Washington 5 - Tampa Bay 2.

LETS GO CAPS!!!!