Mike Smith will start on Monday against the Phoenix Coyotes.
Antero Niittymaki replaced Smith midway through November 2nd's game against Philadelphia and Smith hasn't played since. Niittymaki has been on a roll with a 1.72 GAA and .946 save percentage in six November games, so it's a bit of a surprise that the Lightning are going back to Smith now. "You always want to keep a hot goaltender, obviously. But you also have to look at long-term things too," coach Rick Tocchet said. "It's not like we have a minor league goalie going in the lineup. We have a goalie who has played really well for us last year and at home this year, so to me, we shouldn't miss a beat." Smith need to perform well in Monday's game or it could be a while before he gets another chance to win back the starting job. Source: St. Petersburg Times
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