Colorado Avalanche vs. Tampa Bay Lightning Prediction, NHL Odds
Thursday night’s NHL action features a Stanley cup Final rematch when the Colorado Avalanche visit Amelie Arena to face the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Both squads are looking for their first win after the All-Star break after each suffered overtime losses in their last contest. Sitting third in the Atlantic Division, the Lightning are -129 favourites to win on the NHL odds with the total set at 6.0.
Avalanche vs. Lightning NHL Betting Odds
Last year’s Stanley Cup Final lasted six games; and if you include the regular season, the Avs and Bolts faced off eight times last season. In that stretch, Colorado won six matchups but only covered the spread once, while they played the total 4-3-1 to the Under. In the Cup final, Mikko Rantanen lead the Avalanche with eight points and on the other side it was Victor Hedman with five points for the Bolts.
The Avalanche are 24-25 ATS so far this season after covering in seven of their past nine. Seven of their past 10 games have played the Under despite one of their best stretches of offence this season, scoring 3.5 goals per game. Their defensive game has been stellar this entire season, giving up only 2.7 goals per game, good for ninth in the league.
Tampa Bay has been one of the highest-scoring teams in the league all season, averaging 3.6 goals per game (4th in NHL). The goal scoring has helped them to a 23-19-8 record on the Over/Under through 50 games. They are riding a two-game losing skid since the All-Star break, where they have not covered the spread either. Like most playoff teams in the East, they have not done well versus the spread so far this season, sitting at 23-27.
Colorado Avalanche
The Avalanche have had trouble closing out games in the third period all season long and their first game back from the All-Star break was no different. After a Nathan MacKinnon goal at the midway mark of the game, the Avs controlled most of the play until the dreaded last 15 minutes. The Penguins scored with under five minutes to go to tie things up and send it to the extra frame. Despite outshooting the Pens 42-38 the Avs would only muster one goal as they would fall in overtime 2-1.
Colorado fans got a scare in the second period as top defenceman Cale Makar was pulled from the game for concussion protocol, but he did return after being medically cleared to play. As for the rest of the injury list, defenceman Josh Manson did not travel with the team on this road trip, but captain Gabriel Landeskog (knee) is on track to start skating soon and return at some point before the end of the regular-season.
Tampa Bay Lightning
Looking to bounce back after an embarrassing 7-1 loss to their state rivals in Florida, Tampa came out flying in the first period at home versus the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday night. Ross Colton (11) opened the scoring and Brayden Point would score his 30th and 31st of the season, giving the Lightning a healthy 3-1 after the first period. The good news ended there for Tampa as they would outshoot the Sharks 37-22, only to fall 4-3 in overtime.
Nikita Kucherov picked up two assists in the game, pushing his point streak to eight games (3G-10A-13P). The 29-year-old from Russia is leading the team with 75 points (20G-55A) through 50 games and is on pace for 123 points this season, his best since 2018-19 when he scored 128 points.
Tampa has an immaculate home record of 20-4-2 so far this season and they have scored three or more goals in seven consecutive games on home ice.
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