Free NHL Picks Today: Tampa Bay Lightning vs Columbus Blue Jackets 12/15/22

The Columbus Blue Jackets (10-16-2) are on the road to take on the Tampa Bay Lightning (18-9-1), who will be out to extend their winning streak, at Amalie Arena on Thursday.

Columbus is coming off a 4-0 loss against the Panthers on Tuesday. Elvis Merzlikins saved only 22 of 25 shots against (.880%) in the loss.

Tampa Bay is wrapping up a six-game homestand after an exciting 6-2 win over the Kraken on Tuesday, their third consecutive win. Six players found the net for the Lightning. Nikita Kucherov had three assists to lead the team in scoring. Andrei Vasilevskiy saved 36 of 38 shots in the win (.947%).

HEAD TO HEAD

The Lightning won the first meeting between the teams this season, a 5-2 victory in October. Six players had two points for Tampa Bay. Johnny Gaudreau and Gustav Nyquist were on the scoresheet for Columbus. Vasilevskiy got the win, saving 26 of 28 shots (.928%).

FACING OFF

Columbus is averaging 2.86 goals per game for the season, 25th in the NHL, and they are taking on a Lightning team that is allowing 2.96 goals a game (13th). Meanwhile, Tampa Bay has found the net 3.61 times a game on average, fifth in the league, and will be looking to exploit the Blue Jackets’ weak defense, which is allowing opponents to score 4.07 goals per game (31st).

Columbus averages fewer shots (29.4) than most teams in the league, ranking 29th. Tampa Bay’s average of 31.9 attempts ranks 14th. The Lightning’s 27.88% power play percentage is the fifth-best in the league, while the Blue Jackets rank 30th with a conversion rate of just 14.47%. In terms of penalty killing, Tampa Bay has the league’s 12th-ranked PK% at 80.21%, while Columbus is 18th at 78.26%.

TOP PERFORMERS:

With 31 points this season, Gaudreau is the top skater for the Blue Jackets. He has 10 goals and 21 assists in 28 games. In the net, Joonas Korpisalo (4-5-1) is Columbus’ top goaltender by goals against average. He has a 3.53 GAA and a .903% save percentage.

Merzlikins (4-7-0) leads the Blue Jackets in games played in goal. He has a GAA of 4.83 and a save percentage of .862%. Kucherov leads the Lightning in scoring with 42 points (5th in the league).

He has 11 goals and 31 assists (3rd) in 28 games. Vasilevskiy (11-8-1) is the top goalie for Tampa Bay with a goals against average of 2.66. He has a save percentage of .911%.