Ottawa Senators vs. Tampa Bay Lightning Prediction, NHL Odds
The Lightning return home after extending their current surge with Saturday’s 3-2 win in Nashville, and have also claimed victory in five of their past six home contests. The Senators open a five-game road trip in Tampa Bay looking to rekindle their sagging offence after dropping a 2-1 decision to the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night.
Tampa is a heavy -394 favourite to win on the NHL odds, with a total of 6.0.
Senators vs. Lightning NHL Betting Odds
After opening as lengthy +295 underdogs, the Senators made gains in early wagering on Saturday’s clash. But with 94 per cent of sports bettors backing the Lightning, Ottawa has since dipped to a +312 bet while Tampa Bay has improved to a heavy -394 favourite. The Lightning have also emerged as a strong -147 bet on the puck line to cover as 1.5-goal chalk. However, total has held steady at 6.0, with -115 odds favouring the UNDER.
Monday night’s matchup at Amalie Arena marks the fourth and final regular season game between these division rivals. The Lightning skated to victory in two of their three previous meetings this season, capped by a slender 2-1 home victory back on Dec. 16. Overall, the Lightning have topped the Sens in eight of their past 10 clashes, including wins in each of their past three dates on home ice. However, each of their past two home wins over Ottawa have come by just a single goal. Tampa Bay has also mustered just two total goals in their past two dates with the Senators, fuelling a 2-0 run for the UNDER after the OVER had paid out in 12 of their previous 15 matchups.
The Lightning have produced steady offence during their current surge, averaging 4.50 goals per game. Overall, Tampa Bay enjoys a 13-3-1 run that has lifted them to within one point of division-leading Florida, and have allowed more than two goals just six times over that stretch. The Senators have mustered just 1.88 goals per game during a middling 3-5-1. But they have also allowed just 2.33 goals per game over that stretch, and have held opponents to just a single goal in each of their three wins during their current 3-1-0 run on the road.
Ottawa Senators
While the Senators have benefited from stingy defensive play, injuries remain a concern. The club was without rearguards Thomas Chabot and Nikita Zaitsev versus the Canadiens due to illness. And while the duo are both expected to see action on Monday, questions linger over Chabot’s fitness following reports that he lost 13 pounds while battling the non-COVID related bug.
Tampa Bay Lightning
Conversely, the Lightning are currently enjoying good health. However, slow starts have forced them to overcome early deficits in two of their four recent wins, and in five of their past eight overall. Steven Stamkos has maintained the pace that has lifted him atop the team’s scoring stats. The Lightning captain scored the game winner and added two assists in Saturday’s win over the Predators, and has racked up five goals and seven points during his current four-game points streak.
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