Rogers Arena is playing host a cross-continent showdown as the Tampa Bay Lightning take on the Vancouver Canucks. CBC Sports will broadcast the action, which gets underway at 10 p.m. ET on Saturday, February 3.
Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Vancouver Canucks Odds
Tampa Bay (-160) is currently the favorite over Vancouver (+140), and the oddsmakers have put the Over/Under (O/U) at 6 goals (-110 for the over, -110 for the under).
Tampa Bay is 35-16 straight up (SU) and has netted moneyline bettors 10.9 units this year. 30 of its games have gone over the total, while 21 have gone under and none have pushed. This 2017-18 Lightning team is 18-10 SU on the road.
Tampa Bay has converted on 23.3 percent of its power play opportunities this year, a figure that’s good enough for fourth-best in the NHL. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked 23rd in the league, and it has successfully killed off 78.7 percent of its penalties.
For the team as a whole, the Bolts have been penalized 4.1 times per game this season, 4.2 per game over its last five matchups total, and 4.2 per game over its last five road outings. The team’s had to kill penalties 9.6 minutes per game over their last five road outings.
Boasting a .930 save percentage and 29.2 saves per game, Andrei Vasilevskiy (30-12-2) has been the top option in goal for Tampa Bay this year. If Tampa Bay chooses to rest him, however, head coach Jon Cooper could turn to Louis Domingue (2-8), who has a .880 save percentage and 3.81 goals against average this year.
Nikita Kucherov and Steven Stamkos will both lead the way for the visiting Lightning. Kucherov (64 points) is up to 27 goals and 37 assists, and has recorded two or more points in 21 different games. Stamkos has 19 goals and 40 assists to his credit, and has notched at least one point in 34 games.
Vancouver is 21-30 straight up (SU) and has lost 3.5 units for moneyline bettors this year. Through 51 regular season matches, 29 of its games have gone over the total, while 22 have gone under and none have pushed. The team’s 10-16 SU at home this year.
The Canucks have converted on 21.9 percent of their power play chances this year, a mark that’s good enough for seventh-best in the NHL. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked 25th overall, and it’s successfully killed off 78.2 percent of all opponent power plays.
Canucks players have been penalized 3.8 times per game in total this season, and 3.2 per game over their last ten outings. The team has been forced to kill penalties just 6.7 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Jacob Markstrom (26.3 saves per game) has been the top choice in goal for the Canucks. Markstrom has 15 wins, 23 losses, and five overtime losses to his credit and has registered a mediocre 2.73 goals against average and a fairly-weak .908 save percentage this year.
The home team offense will be led by Brock Boeser (24 goals, 20 assists).
Tampa Bay Lightning at Vancouver Canucks Betting Predictions
Pick: SU Winner – Lightning, O/U – Under
Notes
Betting Notes
The Lightning are 20-8 in games where they serve fewer penalty minutes than their opponent and 19-9 when they’re in the penalty box for fewer than 10 total minutes.
Tampa Bay is 2-2 in games decided by a shootout this season while Vancouver is 0-3 in shootouts.
Tampa Bay might have an advantage if this one comes down to the wire. The team’s an impressive 13-6 in games decided by one goal, while Vancouver is 7-10 in such games.
The total has gone over in three of Vancouver’s last five outings.
Vancouver is ranked 11th this season with 8.8 giveaways per game. That figure has improved, however, as it’s averaged 7.8 giveaways over its last 10 games and 6.8 giveaways over its last five.
Tampa Bay is ranked 10th this season with 8.3 giveaways per game. That figure has trended lower recently, however, as it’s averaged 7.4 giveaways over its last 10 games and 6.8 giveaways over its last five.
