Two teams that each spend an average 10+ minutes per game in the penalty box, the Ottawa Senators and the Tampa Bay Lightning take the ice at Amalie Arena. This Atlantic Division matchup gets started at 7 p.m. ET on Tuesday, December 17 and it can be viewed live on Fox Sports Sun.
Ottawa Senators at Tampa Bay Lightning Odds
Moneyline odds have not yet been posted for this matchup.
The Lightning are 16-15 straight up (SU) and have hurt moneyline bettors to the tune of -8.8 units so far. That win percentage, ranked second in the Atlantic Division so far this season, is a noticeable slide from what the team managed during last year’s regular season (62-20). Among the team’s 31 games this season, 18 have gone over the total, while 12 have gone under and just one has pushed. This year, the team’s 8-8 SU at home.
Tampa Bay currently touts the third-best power-play unit in the NHL, as it has found the net on 28.8 percent of their extra-man chances this year. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked 16th overall, and it’s successfully killed off 80.4 percent of all penalties.
Tampa Bay, as a collective unit, has been penalized 4.1 times per game overall this season, and 3.2 per game over its last five home outings. The team has been forced to stave off opposition power plays for just 8.6 minutes per game over its last 10 outings, overall.
With a .909 save percentage and 28.2 saves per game, Andrei Vasilevskiy (13-10-1) has been the most dependable option in goal for the Lightning this year. If they decide to give him a rest, however, the team may go with Curtis McElhinney (3-5-5 record, .898 save percentage, 3.62 goals against average).
Nikita Kucherov and Steven Stamkos will each be offensive focal points for the Lightning. Kucherov (34 points) is up to 10 goals and 24 assists and has recorded multiple points nine times this year. Stamkos has 13 goals and 16 assists to his credit and has recorded at least one point in 18 games.
On the other bench, Ottawa is 14-20 straight up (SU) and has earned moneyline bettors 0.2 units this year. Through 34 regular season contests, 17 of its games have gone under the total, while 16 have gone over and none have pushed. Ottawa’s 5-15 SU as the visiting team this season.
Ottawa has converted on just 10.5 percent of its power play chances this season, a figure that places it in the bottom- overall among NHL teams. On the other hand, its penalty kill unit is ranked 12th overall and it’s successfully killed off 82.8 percent of all opponent power plays.
Ottawa’s skaters have been penalized 4.3 times per game this season, and 5.4 per game over their last five games. The team has had to stave off opponent power plays 12.0 minutes per game over their last five road outings.
Anders Nilsson (28.5 saves per game) has been the primary option in the net for Ottawa. Nilsson owns a 9-11-2 record, while registering a .908 save percentage and 3.18 goals against average this year.
Leading the offensive attack for the visiting Senators will be Anthony Duclair (18 goals, seven assists) and Jean-Gabriel Pageau (16 goals, eight assists).
Ottawa Senators at Tampa Bay Lightning Betting Predictions
Prediction: SU Winner – Lightning, O/U – Over
Betting Notes
- The total has gone over in four of Ottawa’s last five outings.
- The Senators are 4-8 in games where they serve fewer penalty minutes than their opponent and 5-10 when they’re in the box for fewer than 10 penalty minutes, total.
- Tampa Bay has averaged 9.0 takeaways per game over its last five home games, an improvement over its season average of 7.4 takeaways per game (ranked 18th overall).
- Ottawa is ranked 26th in the NHL with 6.6 takeaways per game. That figure has trended higher lately, as the team has forced 7.6 takeaways over its last 10 games and 8.2 takeaways over its last five.
