In a game that features two of the league’s top penalty-kill units, the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Anaheim Ducks face off at the Honda Center in an East-versus-West showdown. Fox Sports Sun will broadcast the matchup, and the action gets underway at 8 p.m. ET on Sunday, November 12.
Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Anaheim Ducks Odds
Tampa Bay is 13-4 straight up (SU) and has earned moneyline bettors 7.8 units this season. Through 17 regular season outings, 11 of its games have gone over the total, while six have gone under and none have pushed. The Bolts are 6-2 SU on the road in 2017-18.
Tampa Bay currently touts the third-best power-play unit in the NHL, as it’s converted on 27.9 percent of its extra-man advantages this season. Its penalty kill is ranked seventh overall, and it has successfully killed off 83.9 percent of its penalties.
The Bolts, as a collective unit, have been penalized 4.5 times per game overall this season, and 3.8 per game over its last five on the road. The team has been forced to kill penalties just 8.2 minutes per contest over their last five road games.
Averaging 31.1 saves per game with a .928 save percentage, Andrei Vasilevskiy (12-2-1) has been the primary option in goal for Tampa Bay this year. If Tampa Bay decides to rest him, however, head coach Jon Cooper might go with Peter Budaj (1-2-1), who has a .873 save percentage and 3.33 goals against average this year.
Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov will both lead the way for the visiting Lightning. Stamkos has 30 points via eight goals and 22 assists, and has recorded two or more points nine times. Kucherov has 16 goals and 13 assists to his nameand has notched at least one point in 14 games.
Over on the other bench, Anaheim is 7-9 straight up (SU) and has lost 2.1 units for moneyline bettors this year. Through 16 regular season outings, nine of its games have gone under the total, while seven have gone over and none have pushed. This season, the team’s 4-6 SU at home.
The Ducks have converted on just 15.1 percent of their power play opportunities this season, a figure that places them in the bottom 10 overall among NHL teams. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked fifth overall, and it’s successfully killed off 86.1 percent of all opponent power plays.
Ducks skaters have been called for penalties 5.3 times per game in total this season, and 6.0 per game over their last five home outings. The team has had to kill penalties a whopping 13.6 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
John Gibson has stopped 28.8 shots per game as the primary option in goal for the Ducks. Gibson has five wins, eight losses, and two overtime losses to his name and has maintained a .914 save percentage and 2.97 goals against average this year.
The home team offense will be led by Rickard Rakell (six goals, eight assists).
Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Anaheim Ducks Betting Picks
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Predictions: SU Winner – Lightning, O/U – Under
Betting Notes
- Seven of Tampa Bay’s last ten games have been decided by two goals or more. The team is 6-1 in those games.
- Tampa Bay has given up just 5.0 goals per game (while scoring 2.3 per contest) over the team’s three-game winning streak.
- The Lightning are 6-3 in games where they serve fewer penalty minutes than their opponent and 5-2 when they serve fewer than 10 total penalty minutes.
- Tampa Bay is 1-1 in games decided by a shootout this season while Anaheim is 1-1 in shootouts.
- The under has hit in three of Anaheim’s last five outings.
- Anaheim is ranked 25th this season with 11.5 giveaways per game. That figure has regressed, as the team’s averaged 12.9 giveaways over its last 10 games and 17.0 giveaways over its last five.
- Tampa Bay has averaged 11.4 giveaways over its last five home games, a rise over its season average of 9.1 giveaways per game (ranked 15th in the NHL).
- The Ducks this season have recorded the seventh-most hits in the NHL (23.8 per game).
