Two teams that’ve positioned themselves squarely in the playoff hunt, the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Winnipeg Jets take the ice at Bell MTS Place for an East-versus-West showdown. Fox Sports Sun will air the game, which gets underway at 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday, January 30.
Tampa Bay Lightning at Winnipeg Jets Odds
Tampa Bay is 34-15 straight up (SU) and has earned 11.2 units for moneyline bettors this season. 29 of its outings have gone over the total, while 20 have gone under and none have pushed. This 2017-18 Lightning team is 17-9 SU on the road.
Tampa Bay has converted on 23.8 percent of its power play opportunities this season, a mark that places them in the top-5 among NHL teams. Its penalty kill is ranked 23rd overall, and it has successfully killed off 79.1 percent of all penalties.
Tampa Bay, as a collective unit, has been sent to the penalty box 4.1 times per game this season, and 4.8 per game over its last five on the road. The team has been forced to kill penalties just 8.4 minutes per game over their last five outings.
Averaging 28.9 saves per game with a .931 save percentage, Andrei Vasilevskiy (29-12-2) has been the best option in goal for Tampa Bay this season. If head coach Jon Cooper decides to rest him, however, the team may go with Louis Domingue (2-7), who has a .875 save percentage and 3.89 goals against average this year.
The visiting Lightning have relied on Nikita Kucherov and Steven Stamkos this year. Kucherov has 64 points on 27 goals and 37 assists, and has recorded multiple points 20 times. Stamkos has 18 goals and 40 assists to his name, and has notched a point in 33 games.
On the other bench, Winnipeg is 29-21 straight up (SU) and has netted 7.3 units for moneyline bettors this year. Through 50 regular season contests, 25 of its games have gone over the total, while 23 have gone under and just two have pushed. This season, the team is 17-4 SU at home.
Winnipeg currently has the third-strongest power-play unit in the NHL, as the team has scored on 24.9 percent of its extra-man advantages this season. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked 12th overall, and it’s successfully killed off 82.2 percent of all opponent power plays.
Winnipeg players have been penalized 4.0 times per game in total this season, 3.8 per game over their past five contests total, and 3.4 per game over their last five at home. The team has been forced to stave off opponent power plays just 7.7 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Connor Hellebuyck has denied 28.0 shots per game as the primary choice in goal for Winnipeg. Hellebuyck has 26 wins, 15 losses, and seven OT losses to his name and has recorded a 2.35 goals against average and a .924 save percentage this year.
Blake Wheeler (14 goals, 40 assists) will lead the attack for Winnipeg.
Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Winnipeg Jets Free Picks
Pick: SU Winner – Lightning, O/U – Under
Notes
Betting Notes
The total has gone under in three of Winnipeg’s last five games.
Tampa Bay has managed 26.2 shot attempts per game over its last five road games while Winnipeg is averaging 34.2 shots per game over its last five at home.
Penalties and power plays may be even more key than usual in the outcome of this matchup. The Lightning are 19-8 in games where they serve fewer penalty minutes than their opponent and 19-8 when they’re in the penalty box for fewer than 10 minutes, total. The Jets are 14-6 when they serve fewer penalty minutes than the opposition and 17-13 when they’re in the box for less than 10 minutes.
Two of Winnipeg’s last ten games have gone to a shootout. The team is 1-1 in those games and 2-2 overall in shootouts this season.
Winnipeg skaters have created 9.2 takeaways per game over its last five home games, an improvement over its season average of 7.0 takeaways per game (ranked 20th overall).
Tampa Bay has allowed 2.6 goals per game overall this year, but is allowing only 1.3 per match up over their three-game winning streak.
Tampa Bay skaters have averaged 7.8 takeaways per game over its last five road games, its season average of 7.4 takeaways per game (ranked 15th in the NHL).
