MetroBet takes a look at a pair of games on the ice for Tuesday night.
Tampa Bay Lightning at Philadelphia Flyers
Moneyline: Lightning -145, Flyers +130
Puckline: Lightning -1.5 goals (+170), Flyers +1.5 goals (-190)
Betting Total: 6.5 goals (Over -125, Under +105)
Time (Eastern): 7 p.m.
The Tampa Bay Lightning and the Philadelphia Flyers meet for the third time this season, and both earlier contests this year were highly memorable. Both tilts went to overtime knotted up at five goals apiece, with Tampa finding the game winners in the three-on-three window.
Those two affairs built on a noticeable trend, as the Over has now cashed in seven straight matchups between these two teams. Goaltending has improved on both clubs in recent games, but considering how the Lightning and Flyers can pile on goals at times, the Over looks like the best bet of the evening.
Tampa Bay is the class of the NHL when it comes to offense, as they register a league-leading 3.86 goals per game. Philly is just 17th for the season at 2.95 goals per game, but since they embarked on that eight-game winning streak on Jan. 14, their scorers are averaging 3.84 goals per tilt. Both power plays have been on point too, with the Lightning striking on seven of their last 17 opportunities (41.2 percent) as of Sunday, while the Flyers are five for their last 15 (33.3 percent).
Right winger Nikita Kucherov, still the NHL leader in points, has been his usual brilliant self for Tampa Bay, notching 13 points in his last four contests. Philly right winger Jakub Voracek has been among his club’s most consistent forwards of late, as he has a nine-game point streak as of Sunday afternoon.
Prediction: Lightning win, 5-4
The play: Lightning vs. Flyers Over
Buffalo Sabres at Florida Panthers
Moneyline: Sabres +120, Panthers -135
Puckline: Sabres +1.5 goals (-220), Panthers -1.5 goals (+180)
Betting Total: 6.0 goals (Over -120, Under EVEN)
Time (Eastern): 7 p.m.
The Buffalo Sabres and the Florida Panthers will lock horns at BB&T Center on Tuesday night. These defenses can be lacking at times, but the Under looks like the way to go here.
James Reimer seems to have wrested away the starting goalie job from Roberto Luongo with his excellent play of late. As of Sunday, Reimer has stopped 106 of the last 112 shots he’s faced as the starting netminder (.946 save percentage).
Buffalo’s goaltending tandem of Carter Hutton and Linus Ullmark is the definition of shaky, but Florida has failed to top three goals in six of their last seven contests. The Panthers’ top four scorers, Mike Hoffman, Evgenii Dadonov, Aleksander Barkov and Frank Vatrano, have combined for just 10 goals in that span. Meanwhile, the Sabres usually only go about as far as left winger Jeff Skinner can take them when it comes to finding the back of the net.
Prediction: Panthers win, 3-2
The play: Sabres vs. Panthers Under
