- What: Lightning vs Golden Knights
- When: Tuesday, March 19th
- Where: T-Mobile Arena
Tuesday evening brings a must-watch matchup in Sin City as the Tampa Bay Lightning head to Nevada to face the reigning Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights. The puck is scheduled to drop at 10 PM ET at T-Mobile Arena. Tampa is coming off an impressive victory over the high-flying Florida Panthers on Saturday by a score of 5-3, with Steven Stamkos leading the way as he scored two goals. As for Vegas, they took down the New Jersey Devils 3-1 on Sunday. These are two contenders who should put on a show here. Keep reading for the Lightning vs Golden Knights picks.
Before we get into the odds, preview, and prediction, make sure to check out our online sportsbook reviews, and the top NHL betting sites.
Lightning vs Golden Knights Odds
The Golden Knights are a -135 home favorite on Tuesday for an implied win probability of 57.45%. The Bolts come back at +120 and have a 45.45% chance of winning this one on the road. Vegas has won three of the last four meetings against Tampa, but the Lightning beat them last time in December in a 5-4 thriller. Most of their recent matchups have been decided by one goal, so this could be an interesting one again.
Tampa Bay in The Mix
The Bolts may not be at the top of the Atlantic Division like in past years, but this team is still very much in the playoff mix. With about a month left to go in the regular season, Tampa is in fourth place and holds the final Wild Card spot, sitting four points ahead of the Detroit Red Wings, who are right on their tail. Needless to say, the Lightning must continue to play well. They're doing so right now, winning three in a row and going 6-3-1 in their last 10 outings.
Jon Cooper's squad hammered Philly 7-0 before also beating a very solid Rangers team 6-3. Tampa kept it rolling against the Panthers, taking home the full points in a 5-3 win in the battle of Florida. The Bolts came out firing, taking a 4-0 lead by the mid-way point of the second period. But, they did allow the Panthers to claw their way back into it, scoring three unanswered. Nikita Kucherov's empty netter late in the third sealed the deal, though. In between the posts, Andrei Vasilevskiy put on an absolute clinic, making 50 saves on 47 shots. Stamkos not only scored twice but also tallied two assists.
Offense is definitely the Bolts' strength. They rank sixth in the NHL in scoring with 3.46 goals per contest while ranking first in power play percentage and second in shooting percentage. Kucherov is having a ridiculous campaign, scoring 40 times and supplying 74 assists for a total of 114 points, second in the league behind only Nathan MacKinnon. Brayden Point, Stamkos, Victor Hedman, and Brandon Hagel are all over the 60-point mark as well.
Vegas is no Joke
The Golden Knights won it all last season and nothing is stopping them from doing it again in 2023-24. Although they've dropped into the fourth spot in the Pacific Division, only five points is separating Vegas and the Oilers in second with a month to go. Even if they ended up a Wild Card team it wouldn't be the end of the world, anyway. Bruce Cassidy's group is in a bit of a rut as of late though, compiling a 4-5-1 record in their previous 10 outings.
In early March, the Golden Knights had lost four straight but have now won three of the last four, which is a sign of better things to come. It was a very quiet first two periods against New Jersey, with all four goals being scored in the third. Nico Hischier put the Devils ahead before William Carrier, Jack Eichel, and William Karlsson responded with goals of their own. Vegas outshot NJ 37-21 and had 25 hits compared to only 12 for the Devils.
Vegas isn't shining in any particular area. They're just a solid hockey team. The Knights are 14th in goals scored and 11th in fewest goals allowed. Jonathan Marchessault, Jack Eichel, and Mark Stone are the most consistent contributors with 50+ points apiece. William Karlsson and Chandler Stephenson are also important pieces. Vegas owns a 21-10-2 record on home ice.
Lightning vs Golden Knights Picks
Vegas is starting to find themselves again and although Tampa Bay is hot, it's hard for me to bet against the Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena. That atmosphere always plays in their favor.
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