Flyers vs. Lightning

Philadelphia -155 vs. Tampa Bay

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If anyone would be disappointed with coming home to sunny Florida, its the Tampa Bay Lightning. Tampa Bay concluded a five game road trip with a 3-2 record but is coming home to the St. Pete Times Forum, where they have had little success this season.

Tampa Bay (13-20-10) has only four regulation victories on home ice this season, compared to nine on the road. They have gone 2-5-4 in their last 11 home games and will attempt to avoid losing three straight there when they welcome in one-time rival Philadelphia on Thursday night.

The Lightnings trip ended with a thud against San Jose on Tuesday night, losing 7-1. Certainly Tampa Bay got their clocks cleaned by the NHL-leading Sharks, but when you consider the Sharks have yet to lose a home game in regulation this season, you can sort of understand it.

Tampa Bay actually hung close to San Jose into the second period. Steven Stamkos scored to make it a slim 2-1 Sharks advantage, but four penalties were taken by the Lightning in a 8:36 stretch and it resulted in three straight goals by the Sharks, two on the power play.

Penalties are nothing new for the Lightning, who are fourth in the league with 267. Fortunately for them, their opponent is third with 304.

Philadelphia (23-11-9) struggled early this season and that was seen when they dropped a home game to Tampa Bay back on November 8th. Since that game, the Flyers have gone 12-0-2 on home ice. They had won eight straight at the Wachovia Center until seeing that streak snapped by Pittsburgh, 4-2, on Tuesday.

Mike Richards was one of the reasons that Philly had been so good at home lately, but he was unable to score for just the second time in 11 home games against the Penguins. He also committed a mental error when he allowed Sidney Crosby to steal the puck and fire it in the net for the second of Pittsburghs four unanswered goals.

Philadelphia followed up their earlier home loss with a 4-3 road victory in the teams last matchup on December 2nd. Richards scored twice, including the overtime winner.
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