Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point, and the Tampa Bay Lightning are set to face off against Elias Pettersson, Bo Horvat, and the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena for a cross-continent showdown. Sportsnet Pacific will showcase the matchup, and the opening face-off is at 10 p.m. ET on Tuesday, December 18.
Tampa Bay Lightning at Vancouver Canucks Odds
Tampa Bay comes into the game as the obvious favorite with a moneyline of -175. The line for the Canucks now stands at +155, and the Over/Under (O/U) has been placed at 7 goals (-110 over, -110 under).
Tampa Bay is 25-9 straight up (SU) and has netted moneyline bettors 9.3 units this year. Through 34 regular season matches, 18 of its games have gone over the total, while 14 have gone under and just two have pushed. This 2018-19 Lightning team is 10-5 SU on the road.
Tampa Bay currently touts the first-best power-play unit in the NHL, as it’s found the net on 30.5 percent of its extra-man advantages this year. Its penalty kill is ranked seventh overall, and it has successfully killed off 83.2 percent of its penalties..
Averaging 28.1 saves per game with a .905 save percentage, Louis Domingue (14-4) has been the top option in goal for Tampa Bay this season. If head coach Jon Cooper decides to rest him, however, Tampa Bay might roll with Andrei Vasilevskiy (10-5-2 record, .928 save percentage, 2.38 goals against average).
On the other side of the ice, Vancouver is 16-20 straight up (SU) and has earned moneyline bettors 5.2 units this year. Through 36 regular season outings, 18 of its games have gone over the total, while 17 have gone under and just one has pushed. It’s 8-8 SU at home this year.
The Canucks have converted on just 19.1 percent of their power play chances this season, a mark that’s right around league average. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked 22nd overall, and it’s successfully killed off 77.4 percent of all opponent power plays.
Jacob Markstrom (28.6 saves per game) has been the top selection in the crease for the Canucks. Markstrom has 13 wins, 12 losses, and three overtime losses and has registered a fairly-weak .904 save percentage and 3.01 goals against average this year.
Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Vancouver Canucks Betting Predictions
NHL Prediction: SU Winner \u2013 Canucks, O/U \u2013 Under
Betting Notes
- The Lightning are 2-0 in games decided by a shootout this season while the Canucks are 1-2 in shootouts.
- The over has hit in three of Tampa Bay’s last five games.
- Five of Tampa Bay’s last ten games have been decided by two goals or more. The team is 4-1 in those games.
- Tampa Bay skaters have accounted for the ninth-most hits in the league (24.7 per game), but that number’s down to just 19.2 hits over their last five away games.
