The Coach's NHL ICE BREAKER
(NHL) Tampa Bay vs. Arizona,
Money Line: -177.00 Tampa Bay (Away)
Result: Win
The Tampa Bay Lightning will play their fourth game of a five game road trip in Arizona tonight. The Bolts have won two of three so far with victories over the Sharks in San Jose and the Ducks in Anaheim. The Coyotes are sitting near the cellar in the West, with nothing left to play for. This game has all the signs of a mismatch, and my money is on the visiting Lightning.

Here are my keys to the game:

1. Goaltending - Mike Smith has had a nightmare of a season for Arizona, and he's lost six in a row on home ice. He was pulled after surrendering six goals on 33 shots in his last meeting with Tampa Bay. He's 2-2 with a 4.12 GAA in four starts versus the Lightning.

2. Steven Stamkos - He leads the lightning with 31 goals, and he's found the net in three of his last four games. That's good news for Bolts, as the former Maurice Richard Trophy winner had been in a slump previous to that.

3. X-Factor - The Coyotes have one of the worst home records in the league (9-15-2), so it's not surprising that Tampa has won six of it's last eight visits to the desert.

Selection: This is a play on the Tampa Lightning (6*)