Two of the very best teams in the Eastern Conference will clash tonight as the third placed Tampa Bay Lightning are hosting the second placed Detroit Red Wings. The visitors are off six straight wins but lost the first meeting 4-3 after a shootout in Detroit, and I think they'll suffer another defeat here as the hosts look to bounce back after an upset loss at Carolina.

Here are my keys to the game:

1. The Lightning's Offense - Tampa Bay is leading the league with their 3.18 goals per game which rises to a 3.33 average in their own building. The offense was nowhere to be found in a 4-2 loss at Carolina Tuesday, but tonight could be a good spot to get going again facing a Red Wings team that has allowed 12 goals over a three game span. While Detroit has impressed offensively of late as well, I can see them struggling here as Tampa is very defensively sound and has given up only nine goals over their last four games.

2. Home Cookin' - The Lightning are tied with the Nashville Predators for the league lead with their 19 wins on home ice this season. They've been stellar of late, looking for a ninth win on the bounce in Tampa while Detroit has struggled on the road against skilled competition over recent games, dropping four of its last five against teams with a winning percentage above .600.

3. X-Factor - Ben Bishop is 5-1-0 over his career against the Red Wings.

Selection: This is a play on the Tampa Bay Lightning (8*)