NHL Best Bets: Stars vs. Lightning Game Picks

A rematch of the NHL’s 2020 Stanley Cup Final will go down tonight, with the Dallas Stars paying a visit to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

All Odds Courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook

Dallas Stars (+134) vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (-162) Total: 6.5 (O-102, U-120)

The Stars and Lightning have gotten off to similar starts to the regular season, with Dallas owning a 9-5-1 record, while Tampa Bay sits at 8-6-1. There are playoff aspirations for these teams once again after they each qualified last season, and there’s reason to be content with how they’ve started their season. As the old saying goes, you can’t make the playoffs in November, but you can sure miss them, which neither of these teams have put themselves in a position to do. 

Tampa Bay has been the definition of mediocre early on in terms of their overall results, seeing as they own the 13th-highest goals per game and the 17th-best goals allowed per game. On the other hand, the Stars have been exceptional in both categories, scoring at the second-highest clip in the league while allowing the sixth-fewest goals per game. Even with these numbers in mind, the Stars are set to enter this matchup as underdogs on the moneyline at +134, while the Lightning sits at -162. 

Looking towards the projected goalie matchup tonight, the visitors are expected to turn towards their young star goalie in Jake Oettinger, while the Lightning should do the same with Andrei Vasilevskiy. The Stars netminder has posted a 6-2 record, paired with a sparkling .938 save percentage. Vasilevskiy is trying to get back on track but has struggled early on and posted a 5-5-1 record, along with a .898 save percentage. The Lightning knows that if they have hopes of continuing their Stanley Cup runs, they’ll need their goalie to reach the other level they know he’s capable of performing at. 

The Stars present a unique challenge for the Lightning and haven’t had many flaws early this season. With their price sitting at a very appetizing number of +134, it’s hard to fade them in this matchup tonight. 

Best Bet: Stars moneyline (+134)

Even with both teams boasting high-octane offenses, that doesn’t necessarily mean we’re going to be treated to a high-scoring affair tonight. In saying that, five of the last seven Stars games have seen seven or more goals scored, while the exact numbers hold true for the Lightning. These goalies should keep their respective teams in the game, but it’s hard to see the offenses not finding success tonight at Amalie Arena. The total for this matchup is currently set at 6.5, with the over sitting at -102 and the under having slightly more juice at -120. With the recent trends of these teams, it’s hard to pass up on the value the over presents at -102 tonight. 

Best Bet: Over 6.5 (-102)

One of the most talented players in the NHL has gotten off to another solid start to the regular season for the Tampa Bay Lightning. Nikita Kucherov has continued to be a creative threat every time he steps on the ice, and tonight should be no different. The winger has already tallied seven goals and sixteen assists while scoring three times over his past five games to lead the Lightning. He’s currently listed at a nice value price of +146 to score tonight, and it’s hard to fade that number in this solid matchup. 

Best Prop: Nikita Kucherov to Record Over 0.5 Goals (+146)