Two squads that’ve started the season off strongly, the New Jersey Devils and the Tampa Bay Lightning clash at Amalie Arena in an Eastern Conference tilt. The action will get underway at 7:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday, October 30 and it’ll be televised live on MSG Network.
New Jersey Devils at Tampa Bay Lightning Odds
New Jersey (+135) is currently the underdog to Tampa Bay (-155), and the oddsmakers have set the Over/Under (O/U) at 6 goals (-125 to bet the over, +105 for the under).
Netting 1.6 units for moneyline bettors, the Lightning are 7-3 straight up (SU) overall this year. That win percentage, second-best in the league so far in this young season, is right in line with what the team managed during the 2017-18 season (54-28). Of its 10 regular season matches, six have gone under the total, while four have gone over and none have pushed. The team’s 4-1 SU at home so far this year.
Tampa Bay’s converted on 26.3 percent of its power play chances this year, a figure that’s right around league average. On the other hand, its penalty kill is rated first overall, and it’s successfully killed off 95.1 percent of all penalties.
Tampa Bay, as a collective unit, has been penalized 4.4 times per game this season. Last year, the club posted the fifth-highest mark in the league with 4.1 penalties per game. After serving an average of 9.6 penalty minutes per game a year ago, the team has been forced to stave off opponent power plays for 9.5 minutes per matchup this season.
With a .940 save percentage and 29.3 saves per game, Andrei Vasilevskiy (5-2-1) has been the best option in goal for the Lightning this year. If they decide to give him the night off, however, head coach Jon Cooper may turn to Louis Domingue (2-1-1 record, .887 save percentage, 4.00 goals against average).
Brayden Point and J.T. Miller will both lead the offensive attack for the Lightning. Point (nine points) has tallied six goals and three assists and has recorded multiple points on two different occasions this year. Miller has three goals and six assists to his credit and has notched a point in five contests.
Over on the other bench, New Jersey is 5-3 straight up (SU) and has earned moneyline bettors 1.6 units this season. A total of four of its outings have gone over the total, while an additional four have gone under the total and none have pushed.
New Jersey’s scored on 25.7 percent of its power play chances this year after converting on 21.0 percent of its extra-man opportunities last season (a figure that was right in line with the league average). The team’s gone from killing off 81.2 percent of opponents’ power plays (ranked 10th overall last season) to 87.9 percent in 2018-19.
New Jersey’s skaters have been penalized 5.1 times per game this season, a number that’s climbed noticeably from the 3.8 penalties per game given up last year. After serving an average of 9.1 penalty minutes per game a year ago, the team’s been forced to kill penalties for 11.0 minutes per matchup this season.
Keith Kinkaid (.925 save percentage and 2.12 goals against average) has been the main option in goal for New Jersey. Kinkaid is averaging 26.4 saves per game and owns a 5-3-1 record.
Kyle Palmieri (eight goals, five assists) and Taylor Hall (two goals, nine assists) have been the top playmakers for New Jersey and will lead the offensive counter for the visiting Devils.
New Jersey Devils vs. Tampa Bay Lightning Betting Predictions
Pick: SU Winner – Lightning, O/U – Under
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Notes
Betting Trends
After going 6-2 in games decided by a shootout last year, Tampa Bay is off to a 1-0 start in shootouts this season. New Jersey was 5-4 in shootouts last year and has yet to participate in one this time around.
The total has gone over in three of Tampa Bay’s last five games.
New Jersey has managed only 21.0 shot attempts per game over its last five road games while Tampa Bay is averaging 30.4 shots per game over its last five home outings.
New Jersey skaters recorded 22.6 hits per game last season, while the Lightning logged 22.6 hits per matchup.
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