NHL schedule: Five questions for Monday

Jamie Sabau

A daily feature which asks the five hardest-hitting questions imaginable about this day in the NHL. Will our quandaries be answered? (That doesn't count as one of the five questions.)

1. How will Evgeni Malkin fare in his return against the Tampa Bay Lightning?

Malkin was forced to miss four games after sustaining a concussion against the Florida Panthers on Feb. 24. This caused him to miss the Penguins game against Tampa Bay two nights later. Now, Malkin will have his chance to face the Lightning. Will he have an explosive performance in his return? Or will he be eased back into the lineup?

2. Will Tampa Bay end their four-game losing streak?

The slide began against the Penguins with a 5-3 loss at Consol Energy Center. Over the four-game span, Tampa Bay has been outscored 14-7. Can the Lightning bring the losing streak full circle by ending it in the place it started?

3. Will the New Jersey Devils end their four-game winless streak?

The Devils have failed to register a win in four-straight, which began with a 5-1 loss against the Washington Capitals on Feb. 23. Goaltender Martin Brodeur has missed all four games, as he sustained an injury during warmups for the Capitals game. With Brodeur ruled out for Monday night, we wanna know if the team can end the slide without him.

4. Can the Anaheim Ducks exact revenge on the Phoenix Coyotes?

The Pacific Division rivals met on Saturday night, which resulted in a 5-4 shootout victory for the Coyotes. The Ducks have proven to be one of the top teams in the Western Conference this season. Can they win the second game of this back-to-back?

5. Will Jonathan Bernier hold the Nashville Predators to one goal or less?

With the exception of his first appearance of the season, Bernier has held his opponents to one goal in his last four games. Nashville is averaging the fewest goals per game (2.00) of any team in the league this season. Will he go a fifth consecutive appearance with one goal against or less?