Getting their final head-to-head matchup of the season out of the way early in the year, the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Colorado Avalanche take the ice at the Pepsi Center for an East-West showdown. The action will get started at 9 p.m. ET on Saturday, December 16 and it can be viewed live on Altitude Sports & Entertainment.
Tampa Bay Lightning at Colorado Avalanche Odds
Tampa Bay (-170) is currently favored over Colorado (+150), and the Over/Under (O/U) is set at 6 goals. The line for betting the total stands at -105 money on the over and -115 on the under.
Tampa Bay is 23-8 straight up (SU) and has earned 12.2 units for moneyline bettors this year. 18 of its outings have gone over the total, while 13 have gone under and none have pushed. As a road team this season, the Bolts are 10-5 SU.
Tampa Bay currently has the first-strongest power-play unit in the NHL, as it’s found the net on 27.8 percent of its extra-man advantages this season. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked 13th overall, and it has successfully killed off 82.3 percent of its penalties.
For the team as a whole, the Bolts have been penalized 3.9 times per game this season, and 3.2 per game over its past ten contests. The team has been forced to kill penalties just 7.2 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Averaging 30.2 saves per game with a .934 save percentage, Andrei Vasilevskiy (21-5-1) has been the best option in goal for Tampa Bay this year. If head coach Jon Cooper chooses to rest him, however, Tampa Bay may turn to Peter Budaj (2-3-1 record, .881 save percentage, 3.40 goals against average).
Nikita Kucherov and Steven Stamkos will both lead the offensive attack for the visiting Lightning. Kucherov (44 points) is up to 22 goals and 22 assists, and has recorded multiple points in 14 different games. Stamkos has 12 goals and 31 assists to his nameand has logged a point in 22 games.
Colorado is 15-16 straight up (SU) and has earned moneyline bettors 2.4 units this year. Through 31 regular season matches, 19 of its games have gone over the total, while 12 have gone under and none have pushed. It’s 9-6 SU at home this year.
The Avalanche have converted on just 17.3 percent of their power play opportunities this season, a mark that places them in the bottom 10 overall among NHL teams. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked 17th overall, and it’s successfully killed off 81.0 percent of all opponent power plays.
Avalanche players have been sent to the penalty box 4.3 times per game in total this season, and 2.8 per game over their last five games. The team has been forced to stave off opponent power plays just 7.8 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Semyon Varlamov (28.9 saves per game) has been the top selection in goal for the Avalanche. Varlamov has 10 wins, 10 losses, and one OT loss and has recorded a fairly-weak .906 save percentage and 3.08 goals against average this year.
Nathan MacKinnon (13 goals, 22 assists) will pace the attack for the Avalanche.
Tampa Bay Lightning at Colorado Avalanche Betting Predictions
Predictions: SU Winner – Avalanche, O/U – Under
Notes
Betting Notes
Tampa Bay is 1-1 in games decided by a shootout this season while Colorado is 1-1 in shootouts.
The total has gone over in three of Colorado’s last five outings.
Eight of Tampa Bay’s last ten games have been decided by two goals or more. The team is 6-2 in those games.
