The Nashville Predators (12-10-4) host the Tampa Bay Lightning (12-9-3) Tuesday at Bridgestone Arena. Puck drop is scheduled for shortly after 8 p.m. ET. We analyze the Lightning-Predators sports betting odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips and picks around this matchup.
Lightning at Predators: Projected starting goalies
Andrei Vasilevskiy vs. Pekka Rinne
Vasilevskiy is 9-7-1 through 17 starts with a .906 save percentage and 2.96 goals against average. He gave up four goals while facing 35 shots on goal on the road against the Washington Capitals Friday.
Rinne finally bucked a four-game losing skid his last time out by stopping all 31 shots faced in a road start against the Carolina Hurricanes Friday. He is 9-4-2 through 15 starts with a .898 SV% and 2.84 GAA. He has a league-high three shutouts.
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Lightning at Predators: Odds, picks and betting tips
Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access them at USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated 9:30 a.m. ET.
Prediction
Predators 2, Lightning 1
Moneyline (ML)
The Lightning (+100) are rightfully underdogs on the road with Rinne finally returning to proper form in his last outing ahead of the battle with his fellow Vezina Trophy-winning counterpart. The PREDATORS (-120) are coming off a 3-0 loss to the Florida Panthers Saturday and return to Bridgestone Arena with a 7-5-3 home record. The Lightning dropped their last three games, each by a single goal. They’re 6-5-2 away from home.
Nashville is tied for fifth in the NHL with 33.9 shots on goal per game and it outshoots the opposition by 5.2 SOG per game. The Lightning are outshot by 1.3 SOG per game
Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)
AVOID the spread. The Lightning (+1.5, -278) are 10-14 against the spread overall and 5-8 ATS on the road while the Predators are 10-16 ATS overall and just 5-10 at home. Tampa Bay has been staying close in losses and will likely lose by just one goal, but the odds aren’t worth the risk with a $10 bet returning a profit of just $3.60.
The Predators (-1.5, +220) offer a nice return if able to win by two or more goals, but they’ve done so just twice in their last 11 games.
Over/Under (O/U)
The UNDER 6.5 (-154) is the play but the number is likely to drop to an even six goals or 5.5 closer to game time. Rinne is coming off a shutout victory and the Predators were blanked in their more recent outing. Expect better from Vasilevskiy and this one easily falls short of the number.
Esten’s NHL betting record: 97-84
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