The Tampa Bay Lightning, led by Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point, are ready to take the ice against Johnny Gaudreau, Matthew Tkachuk, and the Calgary Flames at the Scotiabank Saddledome for a cross-continent showdown. The opening face-off is at 9 p.m. ET on Thursday, December 20, and it will be broadcasted live on Sportsnet West.
Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Calgary Flames Odds
The Lightning (-120) are the favorite over the Flames (+100) and the Over/Under (O/U) has been set at 7 goals. The odds for betting the total sit at -130 for the over and +110 for the under.
Tampa Bay is 26-9 straight up (SU) and has netted 10.3 units for moneyline bettors this season. Through 35 regular season outings, 19 of its games have gone over the total, while 14 have gone under and just two have pushed. This 2018-19 Lightning team is 11-5 SU on the road.
Tampa Bay currently touts the third-strongest power-play unit in the NHL, as it’s found the net on 29.5 percent of its extra-man opportunities this season. Its penalty kill is ranked fourth overall, and it has successfully killed off 84.0 percent of its penalties..
Averaging 28.1 saves per game with a .905 save percentage, Louis Domingue (14-4) has been the primary option in goal for Tampa Bay this year. If it chooses to rest him, however, Tampa Bay might go with Andrei Vasilevskiy (11-5-2 record, .930 save percentage, 2.35 goals against average).
Over on the other bench, Calgary is 22-13 straight up (SU) and has earned moneyline bettors 7.0 units this year. 17 of its outings have gone over the total, while another 17 have gone under and just one has pushed. It’s 11-5 SU as the home team this year.
The Flames have converted on just 22.0 percent of their power play opportunities this season, a figure that’s right around league average. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked 14th overall, and it’s successfully killed off 80.4 percent of all opponent power plays.
Mike Smith (21.9 saves per game) has been the primary option in goal for the Flames. Smith has 12 wins, eight losses, and one overtime loss and has registered a pedestrian 2.99 goals against average and a fairly-weak .888 save percentage this season.
Tampa Bay Lightning at Calgary Flames Free Picks
Free NHL Tip: SU Winner – Lightning, O/U – Over
Betting Trends
- The total has gone over in four of Tampa Bay’s last five outings.
- Five of Tampa Bay’s last ten games have been decided by two goals or more. The team is 5-0 in those games.
- Tampa Bay skaters have dished out the eighth-most hits in the league (24.7 per game), but that number’s down to just 21.0 hits over their last five away games.
