We’ll see a rematch of last year’s Stanley Cup Finals for the second straight week, with the Tampa Bay Lightning visiting the Colorado Avalanche.
All Odds Courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook
Tampa Bay Lightning (-122) vs. Colorado Avalanche (+102) Total: 6 (O -106, U -114)It wasn’t a pretty showing for the defending Stanley Cup champs when they met the Lightning last week, losing 5-0. In that matchup, there was an element of payback for the Lightning, which could mean the Avs will be looking to flip the tables tonight. The Lightning are listed as slight road favorites on the moneyline at -122, while the Avs are +102.
Both teams are currently playing some good hockey, with the Lightning owning a 6-3-1 record over their last ten games, winning two in a row, while the Avs are listed at 7-2-1 over that same sample size.
Looking toward the projected goalie matchup, the Lightning are expected to continue riding Andrei Vasilevskiy, while the Avs should do the same with Alexandar Georgiev. The Lightning netminder has a 25-13-1 record with a .919 save percentage, while Georgiev is 21-12-3 with a .917 save percentage. It’s hard to give an advantage one way or another in goal, but experience favors Vasilevskiy.
Even with the Lightning’s edge in goal, the Avalanche should be taken more seriously at home. We love the value the Avs have as plus-money home underdogs, so that’s the direction we’ll side with.
Best Bet: Avalanche moneyline (+102)
The Lightning sit as the fourth-highest scoring offense, while the Avalanche are a top-ten team in goals allowed per game, making for an exciting contest. The Lightning scored all five goals in their matchup last week, but it’s unlikely we’ll see a performance like that tonight. Tampa Bay has seen six or more goals scored in three of their last five, while the Avalanche have also seen that in three. With the talent in this matchup, there’s likely some value in expecting recent trends to continue, so side with the over.
Best Bet: Over six (-106)
Multiple star players in this game hold value as potential goal-scorers. Mikko Rantanen has 63 points in 51 games, including 34 goals. Rantanen has a great price to light the lamp at +104, a number we feel comfortable backing.
Best Prop: Mikko Rantanen to Record Over 0.5 Goals (+104)
