A couple of teams that are squarely in playoff contention, the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Winnipeg Jets meet at Bell MTS Place for an East-West matchup. Fox Sports Sun will broadcast the game, and the puck drops at 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday, January 30.
Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Winnipeg Jets Odds
Tampa Bay is 34-15 straight up (SU) and has netted moneyline bettors 11.2 units this year. 29 of its matches have gone over the total, while 20 have gone under and none have pushed. As the road team in 2017-18, the Bolts are 17-9 SU.
Tampa Bay has converted on 23.8 percent of its power play opportunities this year, a figure that places them in the top-5 among NHL teams. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked 23rd out of 31 teams, and the teams successfully killed off 79.1 percent of its penalties.
The Bolts, as a collective unit, have been penalized 4.1 times per game overall during the 2017-18 season, and 4.8 per game over its last five road outings. The teams been forced to stave off opponent power plays just 8.4 minutes per game over their last five outings.
With a .931 save percentage and 28.9 saves per game, Andrei Vasilevskiy (29-12-2) has been the best option in goal for Tampa Bay this season. If Tampa Bay chooses to rest him, however, head coach Jon Cooper might turn to Louis Domingue (2-7 record, .875 save percentage, 3.89 goals against average).
Nikita Kucherov and Steven Stamkos will both look to continue their strong seasons for the visiting Lightning. Kucherov has 64 points via 27 goals and 37 assists, and has recorded multiple points 20 times. Stamkos has 18 goals and 40 assists to his name (and has notched at least one point in 33 games).
Over on the other bench, Winnipeg is 29-21 straight up (SU) and has earned 7.3 units for moneyline bettors this season. Through 50 regular season contests, 25 of its games have gone over the total, while 23 have gone under and just two have pushed. It’s 17-4 SU as the home team this season.
The Jets currently have the third-strongest power-play unit in the NHL, as they’ve scored on 24.9 percent of their extra-man opportunities this year. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked 12th overall, and it’s successfully killed off 82.2 percent of all penalties.
Winnipeg skaters have been called for penalties 4.0 times per game in total this season, 3.8 per game over their last five outings total, and 3.4 per game over their last five at home. The team has been forced to kill penalties just 7.7 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Connor Hellebuyck has stopped 28.0 shots per game as the primary netminder in goal for the Jets. Hellebuyck has 26 wins, 15 losses, and seven OT losses and has recorded a 2.35 goals against average and a .924 save percentage this year.
Blake Wheeler (14 goals, 40 assists) will pace the attack for Winnipeg.
Tampa Bay Lightning at Winnipeg Jets Betting Picks
Pick: SU Winner – Lightning, O/U – Under
Betting Trends
- Tampa Bay has allowed 2.6 goals per game overall this season, but is giving up only 1.3 per contest over the teams three-game winning streak.
- Power plays and penalty kills could play a critical role in tonight’s matchup. The Lightning are 19-8 in games where they serve fewer penalty minutes than their opponent and 19-8 when they serve fewer than 10 total penalty minutes. The Jets are 14-6 when the team serves fewer penalty minutes than the opposition and 17-13 in games where their penalty minutes are in the single digits.
- Two of Winnipeg’s last ten games have been decided by a shootout. The team is 1-1 in those games and 2-2 overall in shootouts this season.
- The under has hit in three of Winnipeg’s last five outings.
- Winnipeg is ranked 18th this season with 9.6 giveaways per game. That figure has trended down, however, as the teams averaged 8.1 giveaways over its last 10 games and 7.8 giveaways over its last five.
- Tampa Bay has averaged 6.0 giveaways over its last five home games, an improvement from its season average of 8.3 giveaways per game (ranked 10th overall).
- The Jets this season have tallied the 12th-most hits in the league (21.8 per game).
