The Tampa Bay Lightning (25-13-1) and their clutch power play offense host the Vancouver Canucks (17-20-3), the league’s weakest penalty killing team, at Amalie Arena on Thursday. Vancouver is coming off a high-scoring 5-4 loss against the Penguins on Tuesday, their fourth defeat in a row away from home.
The Canucks committed six penalties in the game, conceding two power play goals. Four players found the net for the Canucks. Spencer Martin saved only 31 of 36 shots against (.861%) in the loss.
Tampa Bay beat the Blue Jackets 6-3 on Tuesday. Nikita Kucherov scored twice to lead the Lightning. Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped only 21 of 24 shots (.875%).
HEAD TO HEAD
The Lightning won both games between the teams last season, including a 2-1 victory in their final meeting in March, their fourth straight win against Vancouver. Ross Colton and Victor Hedman were on the scoresheet for Tampa Bay. J.T. Miller scored Vancouver’s only goal. Vasilevskiy got the win, saving 35 of 36 shots (.972%).
FACING OFF
Vancouver is averaging 3.40 goals per game for the season, ninth in the NHL, and they are taking on a Lightning team that is allowing 2.92 goals a game (13th).
Meanwhile, Tampa Bay has found the net 3.54 times a game on average, fourth in the league, and will be looking to capitalize on the Canucks’ weak defense, which is allowing opponents to score 3.92 goals per game (30th).
The Lightning will be looking to build on their fourth-ranked power play percentage of 28.06% against the Canucks, who are the league’s weakest penalty killing team (67.80%).
Vancouver, meanwhile, has scored on 23.91% of their power play opportunities (12th), which the away team will be aiming to improve on against Tampa Bay’s 11th-ranked 81.25% penalty killing rate.
TOP PERFORMERS:
With 48 and 45 points this season, Elias Pettersson and Bo Horvat have been the top skaters for the Canucks. Horvat is among the league leaders with his 29 goals (4th). In the net, Martin (11-8-1) is Vancouver’s top goaltender by goals against average.
He has a 3.67 GAA and a .881% save percentage. Kucherov leads the Lightning in scoring with 59 points (6th in the league). He has 16 goals and 43 assists (2nd) in 39 games. Vasilevskiy (16-10-1) is the top goalie for Tampa Bay with a goals against average of 2.45. He has a save percentage of .919%.
HOME AND AWAY
Vancouver is 9-10-2 away from home this season. Tampa Bay is 16-4-1 at Amalie Arena this season.
SportsTips’ NHL Pick:
TB Lightning -1.5 (-110)
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*Odds correct at time of publication, courtesy of BetMGM.
