Tampa Bay could not have asked for a better situation as they sat back and watched several games unfold Thursday night, especially in Philadelphia.

And if the Lightning have their white unicorn in Toronto this year, then Atlanta has theirs with Philadelphia, which swept the season series from the Thrashers, a sweep that was completed with a 3-2 Flyers win. Sure, it didn’t put Tampa Bay into first place in the division, but it gives them a game in hand coming down the stretch and allows them to continue to hold their own destiny. Keep pace with the Thrashers and that season-ender in Atlanta determines the division winner. Got to watch most of that game and Marty Biron was the difference for the Flyers - he made some great saves in this game and outplayed Kari Lehtonen for sure. This had to hurt the Thrashers, just as much as Tuesday’s loss in Toronto hurt Tampa Bay. Now it’s incumbent upon the Lightning to take advantage of the opportunity Atlanta just presented to them. Had the Thrashers won Thursday and followed that up with a win Friday against the Rangers at home - and Tampa Bay lost to Buffalo - it could have been a six-point deficit by the end of Friday night.

In other action Thursday, Ottawa beat the Islanders and New Jersey held on despite letting up 23 third-period shots to beat Carolina, keeping both the Islanders and the Hurricanes four points back in the Eastern Conference. On Friday, Montreal, Toronto and the Rangers (who are in Atlanta) are all in action and all face off before Tampa Bay’s late faceoff against Buffalo.

Tampa Bay has another division title dangling in front of them, it’s up to them to grab it, especially with eight games at home in the final 11 and a stretch of six out of seven on home ice.