Matching up for the fourth and final time this year, the Ottawa Senators and the Tampa Bay Lightning face off at Amalie Arena in an Atlantic Division showdown. The matchup will get started at 7:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday, March 13, and you can catch it live on Fox Sports Sun.
Ottawa Senators at Tampa Bay Lightning Odds
Tampa Bay heads into the game as the heavy favorite with a -300 moneyline. The line for Ottawa sits at +250 and the oddsmakers have put the Over/Under (O/U) at an even 6 goals (-120 for the over, +100 for the under).
Earning 14.7 units for moneyline bettors, Tampa Bay is 48-21 straight up (SU) overall this year. That winning percentage, ranked first in the league so far in the early season, is a solid improvement compared to what the team did during last year’s regular season (42-40). Through 69 regular season contests, 44 of the team’s games have gone over the total, while 24 have gone under and just one has pushed. The team’s 25-8 SU at home this year.
The Lightning currently have the third-best power-play unit in the NHL, as the team has scored on 23.9 percent of their extra-man chances this year. On the other hand, their penalty kill is rated 25th overall, and they’ve successfully killed off 77.5 percent of all penalties.
The Lightning, as a collective unit, have been penalized 4.0 times per game overall this season, 4.0 per game over their last five outings total, and 4.4 per game over their last five home outings. The team has been forced to stave off opponent power plays for 11.6 minutes per game over their last five home outings.
Averaging 29.7 saves per game with a .925 save percentage, Andrei Vasilevskiy (40-16-3) has been the best option in goal for the Bolts this year. If Tampa Bay decides to give him a breather, however, the team could roll with Louis Domingue (5-10-10 record, .884 save percentage, 3.67 goals against average).
Nikita Kucherov and Steven Stamkos will both be focal points for the Lightning. Kucherov (88 points) is up to 34 goals and 54 assists and has recorded multiple points in 28 different games this year. Stamkos has 27 goals and 52 assists to his name and has notched at least one point in 47 contests.
On the other side of the rink, Ottawa is 24-44 straight up (SU) and has lost 20.0 units for bettors taking the moneyline this year. Through 68 regular season contests, 35 of its games have gone over the total, while 32 have gone under and none have pushed. As the road team, the Senators are 10-24 SU.
The Senators have converted on just 16.1 percent of their power play chances this season, a mark that places them in the bottom-five overall among NHL teams. On the other hand, its penalty kill unit is ranked 27th overall and it’s successfully defended 76.3 percent of all opponent power plays.
Ottawa’s skaters have been penalized 3.5 times per game this season, and 2.8 per game over their last five on the road. The team has had to stave off opponent power plays just 5.7 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Craig Anderson (27.7 saves per game) has been the primary choice in the net for Ottawa. Anderson has 21 wins, 29 losses, and six overtime losses to his credit, and has registered a .902 save percentage and 3.24 goals against average this year.
For the visiting Senators, the offense will be facilitated by Mark Stone, who’s got 42 assists and 20 goals this year.
Ottawa Senators vs. Tampa Bay Lightning Betting Predictions
NHL Prediction: SU Winner – Lightning, O/U – Over
Betting Trends
- Four of Tampa Bay’s last ten games have gone to a shootout. The team is 4-0 in those games and 6-2 overall in shootouts this season.
- The over has hit in four of Tampa Bay’s last five outings.
- Ottawa has managed 29.4 shot attempts per game over its last five road games while Tampa Bay has been attempting 33.8 shots per game over its last five at home.
- Tampa Bay has averaged 3.7 goals per game overall this season, but is averaging 5.0 per contest in its past five games (the team’s a perfect 1-0 SU during that span).
- The majority (56.3 percent) of Tampa Bay’s wins have come by two or more goals and the team’s 27-12 overall in such games. 9 of Ottawa’s 24 wins (37.5 percent) have been decided by two or more goals.
- Ottawa skaters have accounted for the league’s ninth-most hits per game (23.9).
