The Tampa Bay Lightning (34-14-2) play the first of a two-game set with the Detroit Red Wings (17-26-9) Saturday with a 3 p.m. ET puck drop at Little Caesars Arena. Below, we analyze the Lightning-Red Wings odds and lines, with NHL picks and predictions.
The Lightning have rattled off four consecutive wins, including a shutout by goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy at home against the Dallas Stars on Thursday as the Under hit.
While the Under is 4-2 across Tampa’s past six contests, they are averaging a healthy 4.3 goals per game across the previous four.
After a seven-goal outburst against Dallas on April 22, the Red Wings have slumped back into their non-scoring ways of late. They have a total of two goals scored in the previous three outings.
That’s a shame, as they have wasted good goaltending by both Jonathan Bernier and Thomas Greiss, who have allowed a total of five goals in the three-game span.
Lightning at Red Wings: Odds, spread and lines
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 7:45 a.m. ET.
- Money line: Lightning -350 (bet $350 to win $100) | Red Wings +270 (bet $100 to win $270)
- Against the spread/ATS: Lightning -1.5 (-125) | Red Wings +1.5 (+105)
- Over/Under: 5.5 (O: -115 | U: -105)
Lightning at Red Wings: Projected starting goalies
Andrei Vasilevskiy (30-8-1, 2.10 GAA, .929 SV%, 5 SO) vs. Thomas Greiss (6-15-8, 2.83 GAA, .908 SV%, 1 SO)
Vasilevskiy has rattled off three consecutive victories since a setback at home to the Carolina Hurricanes on April 20.
He hasn’t lost consecutive games in regulation since March 25-27, so yeah, he is on a roll. Vasilevskiy is also 4-0-0 with a 1.49 GAA and .935 SV% in four outings vs. DET this season.
Greiss has dropped two of his past three outings, but he has deserved a much better fate of late.
He was on the wrong end of a 1-0 shootout loss against the Blue Jackets on Tuesday, and he has allowed three or fewer goals in eight of his nine starts in April, but he has just four wins across his past 14 appearances.
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Lightning at Red Wings: Odds, lines, predictions and picks
Prediction
Lightning 4, Red Wings 1
Money line (ML)
The Lightning (-350) will cost you three and a half times your potential return, and that’s risky betting behavior anytime, but especially for a team on the road. Even in a parlay with several teams, this play is just not worth adding.
AVOID.
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Against the spread (ATS)
The LIGHTNING -1.5 (-125) are a much more cost-effective play on the puck line.
While three of the past five losses for the Red Wings +1.5 (+105) have been by just one goal, and they have covered the puck line in four straight as an underdog against the Lightning, play the favorite.
Tampa has covered the puck line in three of the past four wins. And in three of its past four road wins, the Lightning won by two or more goals as well.
Over/Under (O/U)
The UNDER 5.5 (-105) is a good bet here, as the toothless Detroit offense has been unable to produce against lesser goaltenders lately, so they’ll certainly struggle against Vasilevskiy and the Lightning.
The Under is 7-2-3 in Detroit’s past 12 at LCA, too, while going 6-2-1 in the past nine overall.
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