Two teams headed in opposite directions collide tonight, with the San Jose Sharks visiting the Tampa Bay Lightning.
All Odds Courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook
San Jose Sharks (+202) vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (-250) Total: 6.5 (O -134, U +110)These clubs are very different, with the Lightning looking to again contend for a Stanley Cup while the Sharks are looking to select near the top of the next NHL Draft. This will be the second and final meeting between the two, with their first seeing the Lightning register a 4-3 victory. The Lightning are listed as sizable home favorites tonight at -250, while the Sharks sit at +202.
The Lightning take the ice for a second consecutive night after getting blown out by the Florida Panthers yesterday. Tampa Bay has a 7-3 record over their last ten games, while the Sharks are 3-4-3.
Looking toward the projected goalie matchup, the Sharks are expected to start James Reimer, while the Lightning should counter with Brian Elliott. The Sharks netminder has an 8-14-6 record with a .895 save percentage, while the Lightning backup is 9-3 with a .903 save percentage. It’s hard to give a significant edge to either, but Tampa is a better team.
It’s somewhat risky to take the Lightning as they play for the second night in a row, but the Sharks are bad. Tampa Bay should be able to bounce back in this matchup, so there’s likely some value in backing the home side on the puck line, currently priced at -102.
Best Bet: Lightning Puck Line -1.5 (-102)
Keeping pucks out of the net has been a more significant issue for the Sharks than scoring goals, which is noteworthy as they face the fifth-highest-scoring offense in the NHL. The Lightning are also a middle-of-the-pack team regarding goals allowed per game, but playing last night could put them a step behind tonight. The Sharks have seen seven or more goals scored in three of their previous five games, while the Lightning have seen that in three. As a result, we’re backing the over 6.5, priced at -134.
Best Bet: Over 6.5 (-134)
There’s a lot of offensive talent to consider tonight, but one name sticks out. It’s not often you can get Lightning captain Steven Stamkos listed at a value number to score, but that’s the case tonight. The Lightning forward has compiled 24 goals in 49 games and is sitting second on the team in goals. Tonight presents an excellent matchup for Stamkos and the Lightning to score at a high clip, so there’s value in backing him to score at +126.
Best Prop: Steven Stamkos to Record Over 0.5 Goals (+126)
