The Honda Center is playing host to an intriguing matchup as the Tampa Bay Lightning come into town to face the Anaheim Ducks. It’s the last time that the two clubs will meet in the regular season. This East-West matchup gets going at 10 p.m. ET on Friday, January 31 and it will be broadcasted live on Prime Ticket.
Tampa Bay Lightning at Anaheim Ducks Odds
Anaheim (+170) is entering this one as the underdog to Tampa Bay (-200), and oddsmakers have set the Over/Under (O/U) at 6 goals. The odds for betting the total sit at -110 money on the over and -110 on the under at FanDuel Sportsbook.
Tampa Bay is 30-20 straight up (SU) and has lost 2.3 units for bettors taking the moneyline thus far. Through 50 regular season outings, 27 of its games have gone over the total, while 21 have gone under and just two have pushed. This 2019-20 Lightning team is 15-11 SU on the road.
Tampa Bay enters the match up with the third-best power-play unit in the NHL, as it’s scored on 26.3 percent of its extra-man advantages this year. Additionally, its penalty kill is ranked seventh overall, and the team’s successfully killed off 83.1 percent of its penalties.
Tampa Bay, as a collective unit, has been sent to the penalty box 3.9 times per game in the 2019-20 season, and 2.8 per game over its last five outings. The team’s had to defend opponent power plays just 6.9 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Averaging 28.4 saves per game with a .918 save percentage, Andrei Vasilevskiy (25-12-3) has been the primary option in goal for Tampa Bay this season. If it decides to give him a rest, however, the team could go with Curtis McElhinney (5-8-2 record, .902 save percentage, 3.10 goals against average).
Nikita Kucherov and Steven Stamkos will both lead the way for the visiting Lightning. Kucherov has 58 points on 22 goals and 36 assists, and has recorded two or more points 16 times. Stamkos has 22 goals and 31 assists to his name (and has notched a point in 31 games).
On the other side of the ice, Anaheim is 20-30 straight up (SU) and has lost 9.6 units for moneyline bettors this year. 27 of its contests have gone over the total, while 22 have gone under and just one has pushed. It’s 12-12 SU at home this season.
Anaheim has converted on just 14.9 percent of its power play chances this season, a mark that’s ranked 29th in the NHL. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked 23rd overall, and it’s successfully killed off 78.0 percent of all penalties.
The Ducks have been penalized 4.1 times per game this season, and 2.8 per game over their past ten match ups. The team has been forced to defend opponent power plays just 6.5 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
John Gibson has stopped 28.2 shots per game as the primary selection in the crease for Anaheim. Gibson has 15 wins, 23 losses, and three OT losses to his name and has maintained a subpar .905 save percentage and 2.96 goals against average this season.
Ryan Getzlaf (11 goals, 22 assists) will pace the offensive counter for the Ducks.
Tampa Bay Lightning at Anaheim Ducks Betting Predictions
Free Pick: SU Winner – Lightning, O/U – Over
Betting Trends
Anaheim (4-1 in shootouts) has more experience this season in games decided by shootout. Tampa Bay, however, has yet to lose a shootout this year (2-0).
Tampa Bay has managed 24.4 shot attempts per game over its last five road games while Anaheim is averaging 34.8 shots per game over its last five home outings.
Over Tampa Bay’s last ten games, six of them have been decided by two or more goals (the team is 5-1 in those games).
Tampa Bay skaters have accounted for the 10th-most hits in the league (22.7 per game).
