Amalie Arena is the site for a cross-country matchup as the Tampa Bay Lightning face off against the visiting Arizona Coyotes. It’s the last time that these two clubs will go at it in the regular season. The opening face-off is at 7:30 p.m. ET on Monday, March 26, and it can be seen live on TVA Sports.
Arizona Coyotes vs. Tampa Bay Lightning Odds
Arizona (+255) is playing the role of underdog to Tampa Bay (-310) and the Over/Under (O/U) is set at an even 6 goals. The line for betting the total stands at -105 for the over and -115 on the under.
Tampa Bay is 51-24 straight up (SU) and has earned 11.4 units for moneyline bettors this year. That winning percentage, ranked first in the NHL so far in the early season, is a solid improvement compared to how the team performed during last year’s regular season (42-40). Through 75 regular season matches, 47 of its games have gone over the total, while 27 have gone under and just one has pushed. This season, the team’s 27-10 SU at home.
The Lightning come into the matchup with the second-strongest power-play unit in the NHL, as they’ve found the net on 24.6 percent of their extra-man advantages this year. On the other hand, their penalty kill is ranked 27th overall, and they’ve successfully killed off 76.0 percent of all penalties.
As a team, the Lightning have been penalized 4.0 times per game overall this season, 4.0 per game over their past five contests total, and 4.2 per game over their last five home outings. The team’s had to defend opponent power plays for just 8.9 minutes per game over their last 10 matchups, overall.
Sporting a .921 save percentage and 29.5 saves per game, Andrei Vasilevskiy (42-19-3) has been the primary goalkeeper for the Bolts this season. If the Bolts choose to give him the night off, however, head coach Jon Cooper may go with Louis Domingue (6-10-10 record, .890 save percentage, 3.49 goals against average).
Nikita Kucherov and Steven Stamkos will each lead the way for the Lightning. Kucherov (95 points) has produced 37 goals and 58 assists and has recorded multiple points in 30 different games this year. Stamkos has 27 goals and 59 assists to his name and has recorded at least one point in 52 contests.
Arizona is 25-50 straight up (SU) and has lost 18.6 units for moneyline bettors this year. A total of 39 of its games have gone under the total, while 35 have gone over and just one has pushed. As the visiting team, the Coyotes are 10-26 SU.
The Coyotes have converted on just 17.0 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 unit is ranked 16th overall and it’s successfully killed off 80.5 percent of all opponent power plays.
Arizona’s players have been penalized only 3.4 times per game in total this season, and 4.4 per game over their last five games. The team has been forced to stave off opponent power plays 8.8 minutes per game over their last five outings.
Antti Raanta (2.37 goals against average and .926 save percentage) has been the primary option in goal for Arizona. Raanta is averaging 27.3 saves per game and has 18 wins, 24 losses, and six OT losses to his credit.
Clayton Keller (22 goals, 37 assists) has been one of the primary facilitators on offense for the visiting Coyotes.
Arizona Coyotes at Tampa Bay Lightning Betting Picks
Free NHL Tip: SU Winner – Lightning, O/U – Over
Betting Trends
- Power-play chances could be key tonight. The Coyotes are 10-21 when they serve fewer penalty minutes than their opponent and 17-35 in games where they’re in the penalty box for fewer than 10 total minutes. The Lightning are 25-13 when the team serves fewer penalty minutes than the opposition and 29-15 in games where they’re in the box for less than 10 minutes.
- Two of Tampa Bay’s last ten games have ended in a shootout. The team is 2-0 in those games and 6-2 overall in shootouts this season.
- Tampa Bay may hold the upper hand if this one comes down to the wire. The team’s 23-10 in games decided by one goal, while Arizona is just 15-21 in such games.
- The under has hit in three of Tampa Bay’s last five games.
- Tampa Bay is ranked 9th this season with 8.3 giveaways per game. That figure has trended lower recently, however, as the team’s averaged 7.5 giveaways over its last 10 games and 7.4 giveaways over its last five.
- Arizona skaters have averaged 6.2 giveaways over its last five home games, an improvement from its season average of 7.3 giveaways per game (the sixth-fewest in the league).
- Arizona skaters have given out the fifth-most hits in the league (24.2 per game), but the team’s averaged just 19.0 hits over their last five away games.
