Amalie Arena is the site for an enticing tilt as the Tampa Bay Lightning square off against the visiting Minnesota Wild. The game will get going at 7 p.m. ET on Thursday, December 5, and you are able to see this East-West matchup live on Fox Sports North.
Minnesota Wild vs. Tampa Bay Lightning Odds
Minnesota (+175) is currently the underdog to Tampa Bay (-210) and the Over/Under (O/U) has been set at an even 6 goals. The odds for betting the total sit at -125 money on the over and +105 on the under.
Losing 6.3 units for moneyline bettors, the Lightning are 13-12 straight up (SU) overall thus far. That winning percentage, ranked second in the Atlantic Division so far this season, is a big slide from what the team managed during last year’s regular season (62-20). Of the team’s 25 games this season, 15 have gone over the total, while 10 have gone under and none have pushed. The team’s 6-5 SU at home this year.
Tampa Bay’s been able to convert on 28.9 percent of its power play chances this year, a figure that’s good enough for fourth-best in the league. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked 21st overall, and it’s successfully killed off 78.2 percent of all penalties.
Tampa Bay, as a collective unit, has been penalized 4.4 times per game overall this season, 3.8 per game over its past five games total, and 4.2 per game over its last five home outings. The team has had to kill penalties for 10.0 minutes per contest over its last five home games.
Averaging 28.5 saves per game with a .908 save percentage, Andrei Vasilevskiy (10-8-1) has been the most dependable goalkeeper for the Lightning this year. If head coach Jon Cooper decides to give him a rest, however, the Bolts might go with Curtis McElhinney (3-4-4 record, .908 save percentage, 3.42 goals against average).
Nikita Kucherov and Victor Hedman will both lead the charge for the Lightning. Kucherov (30 points) is up to 10 goals and 20 assists and has recorded multiple points seven times this year. Hedman has five goals and 18 assists to his credit and has notched a point in 18 games.
Minnesota has lost 2.5 units for moneyline bettors this year and is currently 13-15 straight up (SU). Through 28 regular season matches, 13 of its games have gone over the total, while 11 have gone under the total and just four have pushed. Minnesota’s 6-12 SU as a road team this season.
Minnesota has converted on 20.4 percent of its power play chances this year, a figure that’s right around league average. On the other hand, its penalty kill unit is ranked 19th overall and it’s successfully defended 80.5 percent of all penalties.
Minnesota’s skaters have been penalized 3.5 times per game this season, and 2.8 per game over their past five match ups. The team has been forced to kill penalties just 6.0 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Alex Stalock (24.8 saves per game) has been the primary option in the net for Minnesota. Stalock owns an 8-7-2 record, and has registered a .912 save percentage and 2.67 goals against average this year.
Eric Staal (eight goals, 11 assists) and Jason Zucker (10 goals, nine assists) have been the top playmakers for Minnesota and will pace the offensive attack for the visiting Wild.
Minnesota Wild at Tampa Bay Lightning Betting Predictions
Pick: SU Winner – Lightning, O/U – Under
Betting Trends
- For both of these teams, the game went over the total in three of their past five matchups.
- The Wild are 7-4 when they serve fewer penalty minutes than their opponent and 12-9 in games where they’re in the penalty box for fewer than 10 minutes, total.
- Tampa Bay has averaged 8.4 takeaways per game over its last five home games, an improvement over its season average of 7.2 takeaways per game (ranked 20th in the league).
- Minnesota has averaged 3.0 goals per game overall this season, but has upped that figure to 4.3 per contest over the team’s four-game winning streak.
- Minnesota is ranked 23rd with 6.8 takeaways per game. That figure has trended higher recently, as it has managed 8.2 takeaways over its last 10 games and 9.2 takeaways over its last five.
