Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Ottawa Senators Prediction, NHL Odds
Tuesday night in the NHL brings us an elite matchup between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Ottawa Senators. These Atlantic Division foes have a ton to play for with minimal games to go, so expect plenty of fireworks. Ottawa is looking to grab an all-important two points as they push for a playoff spot, while Tampa Bay needs to keep winning in their bid to secure the top seed in the Eastern Conference. Let’s break down this red-hot Lighting vs Senators matchup.
Lightning vs. Senators NHL Betting Odds
In the puckline markets, neither team has been other-worldly. Ottawa -1.5 is available at +185 odds, but has covered just 35 of 77 pucklines this season. As for Tampa Bay, they are +1.5 (-225) and hold a 39-37 puckline record on the year. Ottawa is -135 on the moneyline (40-37 on the year), while Tampa Bay is +115 (48-28).
The goal total is set at 6.5 on the NHL odds, with a slight lean towards the under (-120), while the over is available at +100. Both have seen lots of high-scoring affairs this season, as the Senators are 40-35-2 to the over, while the Lightning are 38-33-5.
Lightning star Nikita Kucherov (+165) has the shortest goal-scoring odds in this matchup. He has scored in three straight games, and has scored the fourth-most goals in the NHL this season (42). Senators captain Brady Tkachuk (+185) leads in odds for his team after a two-goal performance in their last game. Jake Guentzel (+190), Brayden Point (+195), and Tim Stutzle (+205) round out the top five.
Tampa Bay Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning (48-23-6) enter this game just one night after an absolute dogfight, in what was a 4-2 road loss to the Buffalo Sabres. They are now tied with the Sabres for the Atlantic Division lead with 102 points. While this is an important matchup with just five games left, don’t expect them to have an easy time.
The team could be facing some serious injury troubles in this game, with Victor Hedman on injured reserve, and Anthony Cirelli and Brandon Hagel in jeopardy of missing consecutive games for both. We will likely see their backup goaltender Jonas Johansson (3.21 GAA, .886 SV per cent), which could add even more adversity.
But with all of that being said, Tampa Bay is seen as a contender in this league for a reason, and they have shown to be a strong road team at 23-10-5. Regardless of the outcome, expect them to be in the thick of this battle throughout.
Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators (40-27-10) are in pure do-or-die mode. At 90 points and five games remaining, each game is a must-win. They currently hold the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference with a one-point cushion, and are within a group of seven teams in serious contention for the two wild card spots.
They have won two of their last three games, which includes two three-goal victories over teams who are already preparing for a confirmed playoff berth (Carolina Hurricanes and Buffalo Sabres). However, this was the requirement, and nobody should feel secure in Ottawa just yet. Expect the Senators’ fanbase to get loud in this game to energize the squad.
While stud defenceman Thomas Chabot remains out due to injury, Jake Sanderson has been back in the lineup for the last two games, which was extremely needed. This is the fourth time in the last five games the Senators will face a playoff-clinched team, and what better way to prove themselves than to earn a massive win on home ice.
NHL Prediction: Who Will Win Lightning vs. Senators?
Tampa Bay squeaked out a 4-2 win against Ottawa when they met almost two weeks ago, and I expect another tight battle. These teams bring a ton of firepower, and have hovered near the top of NHL scoring stats all season long, scoring well over 3.3 goals per game, accompanied by elite power plays succeeding over 21 per cent each. Regardless of the winner, this should be a high-scoring finish and could be the game of the night. I see Ottawa winning 5-3.
