Air Canada Centre will play host to an Atlantic Division showdown as the Toronto Maple Leafs take the ice against the visiting Tampa Bay Lightning. TVA Sports will broadcast the action, which gets going at 7 p.m. ET on Tuesday, January 2.
Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Toronto Maple Leafs Odds
Tampa Bay (+110) is currently the underdog to Tampa Bay (-130) and the oddsmakers have put the Over/Under (O/U) at 6 goals. The line for betting the total stands at -110 money on the over and -110 for the under.
Tampa Bay is 28-10 straight up (SU) and has earned moneyline bettors 13.6 units this year. 22 of its matches have gone over the total, while 16 have gone under and none have pushed. As a road team this season, the Bolts are 12-6 SU.
Tampa Bay currently has the second-best power-play unit in the NHL, as it’s scored on 25.9 percent of its extra-man advantages this season. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked 23rd out of 31 teams, and it has successfully killed off 79.1 percent of its penalties.
Tampa Bay, as a collective unit, has been penalized 4.2 times per game overall this season, and 5.2 per game over its last five road outings. The team’s had to stave off opponent power plays 11.6 minutes per contest over their last five road games.
With a .935 save percentage and 28.5 saves per game, Andrei Vasilevskiy (25-7-1) has been the primary option in goal for Tampa Bay this season. If Tampa Bay decides to rest him, however, head coach Jon Cooper could go with Peter Budaj (3-4-1), who has a .878 save percentage and 3.80 goals against average this year.
Nikita Kucherov and Steven Stamkos will both look to continue their strong seasons for the visiting Lightning. Kucherov (56 points) has tallied 25 goals and 31 assists, and has recorded multiple points in 19 different games. Stamkos has 17 goals and 32 assists to his name, and has logged a point in 26 games.
On the other side of the rink, Toronto is 23-17 straight up (SU) and has earned moneyline bettors 1.6 units this season. 21 of its contests have gone over the total, while 16 have gone under and just three have pushed. It’s 11-5 SU at home this year.
Toronto has converted on 21.9 percent of its power play opportunities this season, a mark that places it in the top-10 among NHL teams. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked 10th overall, and it’s successfully killed off 82.7 percent of all penalties.
Toronto skaters have been sent to the penalty box 3.7 times per game in total this season, and 4.6 per game over their last five outings. The team has had to stave off opponent power plays just 8.3 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Frederik Andersen (31.3 saves per game) has been the primary choice in goal for Toronto. Andersen has 20 wins, 12 losses, and one overtime loss and has recorded a .920 save percentage and 2.71 goals against average this season.
The Leafs offense will be led by Auston Matthews (17 goals, 14 assists).
Tampa Bay Lightning at Toronto Maple Leafs Betting Predictions
Predictions: SU Winner – Lightning, O/U – Under
Notes
Betting Trends
Tampa Bay is 2-1 in games decided by a shootout this season while Toronto is 2-1 in shootouts.
The over has hit in four of Toronto’s last five outings.
Six of Tampa Bay’s last ten games have been decided by two goals or more. The team is 5-1 in those games.
