The Xcel Energy Center will play host to an East-West matchup as the Minnesota Wild welcome the visiting Tampa Bay Lightning. The match gets started at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday, October 20, and it is being televised live on Fox Sports North.
Tampa Bay Lightning at Minnesota Wild Odds
Tampa Bay is 4-1 straight up (SU) and has netted 1.1 units for moneyline bettors this season. That SU winning percentage, ranked second in the NHL so far in this young season, isn’t too far off from to what the team managed during the 2017-18 season (54-28). Four of its games have gone under the total, while one has gone over.
Tampa Bay has converted on 25.0 percent of its power play opportunities so far. That mark hasn’t moved a lot from last season, when it was ranked fourth in the NHL by scoring on 24.8 percent of its extra-man chances. Its penalty kill has gotten stronger since last year, as the team’s gone from successfully defending 75.9 percent of opponents’ power plays (ranked 28th overall last year) to 100.0 percent this year.
For the team as a whole, Tampa Bay has been penalized 4.6 times per game in the 2018-19 season. Last year, that figure was the fifth-highest mark in the league at 4.1 penalties per game. After serving an average of 9.6 penalty minutes per game a year ago, the team’s had to stave off opponent power plays for 10.0 minutes per matchup this season.
Averaging 31.3 saves per game with a .954 save percentage, Andrei Vasilevskiy (3-1) has been the best option in goal for Tampa Bay this year. If it chooses to give him a rest, however, Tampa Bay might turn to Louis Domingue (1-0 record, .950 save percentage, 2.00 goals against average).
Brayden Point and Yanni Gourde will both look to continue their strong seasons for the visiting Lightning. Point has five points on four goals and one assist this season while Gourde has two goals and three assists to his name through the early phase of the regular season.
Minnesota is 3-4 straight up (SU) and has lost 2.7 units for moneyline bettors this year. Three of its outings have gone under the total, while two have gone over and one has pushed. Thus far, the team is 2-2 SU as the home team.
Minnesota has killed off a remarkable 82.8 percent of all penalties, compared to 80.9 percent in 2017-18 (when it was ranked 12th in the NHL). It has scored on 15.0 percent of its power plays this year after converting on 20.6 percent (ranked 16th in league) last season.
Minnesota players have been called for penalties 5.1 times per game this season, a number that’s risen noticeably from the 3.8 penalties per game given up last year. After serving an average of 8.6 penalty minutes per game a season ago the team’s had to stave off opponent power plays for a taxing 11.1 minutes per matchup this year.
Devan Dubnyk has denied 36.7 shots per game as the top selection in goal for Minnesota. Dubnyk has three wins, three losses, and two overtime losses and has recorded a solid 2.11 goals against average and a .944 save percentage this year.
Zach Parise (two goals, seven assists) will lead the attack for Minnesota.
Tampa Bay Lightning at Minnesota Wild Betting Picks
Prediction: SU Winner – Wild, O/U – Over
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Notes
Betting Trends
The under has hit in four of Tampa Bay’s last five outings.
Tampa Bay has managed 0.0 shot attempts per game over its last five road games while Minnesota is averaging 31.8 shots per game over its last five at home.
The Lightning are 3-0 SU when they serve more penalty minutes than their opponent while the Wild are 3-2 SU in games where they serve more minutes than their opponent.
Tampa Bay has averaged 3.6 goals per game overall this year, but has upped it to 5.0 per contest over the team’s three-game winning streak.
Tampa Bay skaters ranked 15th last year with 7.2 takeaways per game, but the team appears to be applying heavier pressure on opposing offenses to begin this season. It’s currently ranked third in the league with 9.6 takeaways per contest.
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