NHL Best Bets: Lightning vs. Hurricanes Game Picks

Two teams headed for the postseason get an early test tonight when the Tampa Bay Lightning visit the Carolina Hurricanes.

All Odds Courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook

This is an interesting matchup tonight for multiple reasons. These teams are both in weird situations, with the Lightning playing poorly while the Hurricanes are battling injuries. Still, there are a lot of high-quality pieces on these teams, which should create a good matchup. The Hurricanes are home favorites on the moneyline at -144, while the Lightning are at +144. 

This will be the third and final meeting between the clubs, which has seen the Hurricanes previously win by scores of 4-3 and 6-0. The Lightning enter having lost four straight, with a 4-5-1 record over their last ten games, while the Hurricanes are 5-4-1.

Looking toward the projected goalie matchup, the visiting Lightning are expected to start Andrei Vasilevskiy, while the Hurricanes should counter with Frederik Andersen. The Lightning netminder has a 31-20-4 record with a .914 save percentage, while Andersen is 19-8-1 with a .904 save percentage. Vasilevskiy should have the edge, but the Hurricanes are better defensively.

Carolina has shown us they know how to take care of the Lightning. Tampa Bay is coasting into the playoffs and are essentially locked into their spot, while the Hurricanes are trying to secure the Metro Division crown. As a result, targeting the Hurricanes on the moneyline has some value at -144. 

Best Bet: Hurricanes moneyline (-144) 

The first two matchups between these clubs saw seven and six goals scored. The Lightning and Hurricanes each sit inside the top 13 in goals scored per game, but Carolina has the edge in goals allowed, where they sit second. Over the Lightning’s last five games, they’ve seen seven or more goals scored in three, while the Hurricanes have also seen that in three. Recent trends show value in backing the over 6.5, which sits in plus-money territory at +114. 

Best Bet: Over 6.5 (+114) 

The Hurricanes might not have the same star power the Lightning has on offense, but they boast some quality goal-scorers. One player that stands out is Sebastian Aho, who has started putting up some significant offensive numbers. Aho leads the clubs with six goals and one assist over their last five games. He’s listed at +146 to light the lamp tonight, and there’s value in backing that number. 

Best Prop: Sebastian Aho to Record Over 0.5 Goals (+146)