Bodog Beat

Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin kick off the NHL Preseason tonight. (AP Images)

Hockey is back and excitement is once again high in many cities with Stanley Cup dreams. Two such cities have to be Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay, both for very different reasons. The Pens were oh so close to winning the NHL's top prize in June, and enter this year as one of the heavy faves to hoist the Cup.

Tampa Bay has a new head coach in Barry Melrose, a new superstar in the making in Steve Stamkos, and a renewed sense that they can return to their championship form of a few years ago.

The Penguins and Lightning, who square off tonight, both have some of the best young players in the game. The difference? The Pens have Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, who are already proven All Stars and on the rise, while Tampa's No. 1 draft pick Stamkos is for now just a lot of hype and potential. Based on the shootout winner that Stamkos scored on Saturday to beat the Pens 5-4, the hype is already starting to pan out.

Considering the Bolts won on Saturday without many of its top veterans, most notably new captain Vincent Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis, one would have to think preseason wins are more valuable to the Lightning than the Pens. Get all your NHL Hockey Odds in the Bodog Sportsbook today!