The Tampa Bay Lightning host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday night at Amalie Arena. Puck drop is set for 7:00 PM ET. Toronto leads the Atlantic Division with a 47-30-2-2 record, while Tampa Bay sits close behind at 45-32-3-3.
Toronto has won all three meetings this season, scoring five goals in each one. Tampa Bay is trying to even up the season series and catch Toronto in the standings. This could be a preview of a playoff matchup.
Lightning Preview – Power Play Sparks Big Win
The Lightning are coming off a 5-1 road win against the New York Rangers. Brayden Point, Nikita Kucherov, and Jake Guentzel each had three-point games. Tampa Bay scored three power-play goals in that game after struggling in previous outings.
Brayden Point now has 40 goals and 16 power-play goals, tied for most in the NHL. Nikita Kucherov continues to produce with 41 goals and 86 assists. The Lightning’s power play is converting over 25% of the time, while their penalty kill is operating at over 81%.
Defensively, the Lightning have Andrei Vasilevskiy in net, who has won key games this season and gives them an edge at home. Tampa Bay is 27-8-2 at home and has covered the puck line in 25 of those games. Victor Hedman and Erik Cernak anchor the blue line and help limit high-danger chances.
Maple Leafs Preview – First Place Still Up for Grabs
The Maple Leafs lost 3-1 to the Panthers on Tuesday in the first half of their Florida back-to-back. Joseph Woll made 34 saves, but the offense couldn’t create much. John Tavares scored the lone goal for Toronto, his 37th of the season.
Auston Matthews leads the Leafs with 54 goals and continues to be a threat in all zones. Mitch Marner and William Nylander are top playmakers, and the team has five skaters with 20+ goals. Toronto’s power play is just under 26% and has helped win key games.
In goal, Anthony Stolarz holds a .922 save percentage and has won 18 of his 29 starts. Joseph Woll has also been solid with a 25-14-1 record and .907 save percentage. Defensively, Morgan Rielly and Chris Tanev lead a group that gives up just 2.58 goals per game. The team has also scored the first goal in 53% of games this season.
Betting Prediction
Tampa Bay is a -165 favorite at home with the total set at 6.0. Toronto is +140 on the moneyline and has won all three meetings this season. Tampa Bay has been better at home, but Toronto’s offense has broken through in every game so far.
Both teams are fighting for playoff positioning. Tampa Bay may have the edge with rest and home ice. Still, Toronto’s scoring and recent results in the matchup make them a strong underdog pick. A tight game is likely, with the total pushing toward the over.
Pick: Maple Leafs +1.5 over Tampa Bay Lightning
This should be a great game on ice between two playoff teams in the Eastern Conference. Enjoy the game and best of luck with all your NHL betting!
