The Tampa Bay Lightning are rounding into form and are a good bet to continue moving in the right direction Saturday when they hit the road to face the Nashville Predators.
The Lightning recently finished off an unbeaten homestand and their first four-game win streak is in the offing against a team it has dominated of late.
In its most recent win, Tampa Bay held an opponent to fewer than two goals for the first time. The Lightning have permitted three or more goals in 13 of their 17 games, leaving Andrei Vasilevskiy with a career-high 2.92 goals against average.
The Predators looked like a team going nowhere fast when they lost nine of 13 games, but out of nowhere, they have won three straight games to get their record even.
The win streak has coincided with the call-up of rookie center Juuso Parssinen, who scored a goal in his NHL debut Saturday before notching two goals and an assist after being inserted into the top line Thursday against the New York Islanders.
The former seventh-round draft choice already has more goals in three games with the Predators than he had in 10 games with the Milwaukee Admirals of the AHL.
Let’s check the latest NHL odds, stats, injury reports, and NHL lines for Lightning vs Predators. We’ve plenty of NHL betting odds for you to consider.
Stamkos Will Soon Join Select Company
Steven Stamkos recently reached the 500-assist plateau for the Lightning and the veteran center, who is in his 15th season, needs 10 goals to reach 500 career goals.
There are currently 46 members in the 500-goal club after Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins joined late last season. Only 25 players have recorded 500 goals, 500 assists and 500 penalty minutes in the NHL and Stamkos will soon be the next.
Stamkos has goals in consecutive games after going 10 straight games without one.
“Every year it ebbs, it flows,” he told the media. “It wasn’t going to go as hot as it was in the beginning (seven goals in the first five games). It wasn’t going to go as cold as it was there for a bit. Things even out over the course of a long season.”
Stamkos has 29 points in 22 career games against the Predators and is riding a three-game goal streak and 10-game point streak against Nashville.
Duchene Rounding into Form
Matt Duchene had a goal and an assist in the second of the three straight wins, giving him his 700th and 701st points in his 16-career, which started out in Colorado before moving to Ottawa, back to Colorado, back to Ottawa to Columbus, and finally Nashville.
The former No. 3 overall pick in 2009, had a career year last season with a Predators’ record 43 goals to go along with 43 assists. Those 86 points were 16 more than he had in any season and will be hard to replicate after getting off to a slow start this season.
The recent goal, just his second in nine games, moved him to within two of 300 goals.
“I thought Matt looked much more like when he’s playing at his best,” head coach Jon Hynes told the media. “I thought he was moving his feet, he did play with more pace. I thought when there were plays to be made, he made them. Step in the right direction.”
Lightning vs Predators Game Injuries
Lightning vs Predators Head-to-Head
The Lightning have won 9 of the last 11 games overall against the Predators and five of the last six in Nashville. Tampa Bay, which leads the series 20-18-2, has outscored Nashville 40-16 in their last nine wins, including 9-4 in a pair of wins last season.
Lightning vs Predators Game Information
- Game: Lightning (6-7-3) vs Predators (15-2)
- Location: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN
- Day/Time: Saturday, November 19, 8:00 p.m. ET
- Lightning vs Predators Live Stream: NHL TV
Lightning vs Predators Betting Lines
Lightning vs Predators Picks & Prediction
The Lightning, who are 4-4 on the road, are a tepid favorite on the NHL lines. Neither team has been a good play on the puck line as Tampa Bay is 7-10 and Nashville is 5-12.
The Predators are 0-4 in their last four games as a home underdog, but can spring the upset.
Lightning vs Predators Trends
Lightning vs Predators Edge
Lightning vs Predators Results
Lightning vs Predators Game Summary
