Two teams playing really strong hockey are set to collide tonight, with the Los Angeles Kings visiting the Tampa Bay Lightning.
All Odds Courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook
Los Angeles Kings (+180) vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (-220) Total: 6 (O -114, U -106)The Kings are set to enter this matchup after posting three straight victories and owning a 6-4 record over their past ten games, while the Lightning have won two in a row and are 7-3 over that same sample size. Both of these teams entered the year with playoff aspirations and are currently delivering on those, which is what we expected after they were in the postseason last year.
These two teams have already met once this season, back in October, which saw the Kings double up the Lightning 4-2. Separated by just one point in the standings, we expect a tight matchup tonight, even if the prices are a little interesting to look at here. The Lightning are listed as -220 moneyline favorites, while the Kings are priced at +180.
Looking toward the projected goalie matchup tonight, the visiting Kings are expected to start Jonathan Quick, while the Lightning should do the same with Andrei Vasilevskiy. The Kings netminder has posted an 8-11-4 record, paired with a .884 save percentage, while Vasilevskiy is sitting at 22-12-1, along with a .918 save percentage. The Lightning goalie definitely has the advantage here, but Quick is still capable of stealing a game and putting together good performances.
The Lightning are coming off an emotionally draining victory over the Atlantic division-leading Boston Bruins on Thursday, and even though the Kings are set to play for the second consecutive night, there’s too much value in their price to ignore tonight. As a result, siding with the Kings on the moneyline at +180 is the direction bettors should lean here.
Best Bet: Kings moneyline (+180)
Both the Lightning and Kings sit in the top half of the NHL in goals per game, which makes for the potential that we could be treated to a high-scoring affair here tonight. Over the Kings past five games, they’ve seen six or more goals scored in three, while the Lightning have seen that transpire in three as well. The earlier matchup between these teams saw them combine for six goals, and with the Kings playing for the second night in a row, there’s value here in expecting a back-and-forth offensive affair, meaning targeting the over six at -114 has some merit.
Best Bet: Over 6 (-114)
There are many strong offensive pieces in this matchup from both sides, and even though we’re projecting the Kings to pull off an upset here, that doesn’t mean we can’t target a Lightning player to score. Few players in the NHL, if any, are scoring like Steven Stamkos of late. The Lightning captain has tallied six goals over his past five games and compiled 24 on the campaign. With the recent surge in goals for Stamkos, there’s value in backing him to light the lamp tonight at +148.
Best Prop: Steven Stamkos to Record Over 0.5 Goals (+148)
