NHL Best Bets: Red Wings vs. Lightning Game Picks

Two Atlantic division foes off to good starts collide tonight, with the Detroit Red Wings visiting the Tampa Bay Lightning.

All Odds Courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook

Detroit Red Wings (+202) vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (-250) Total: 6.5 (O -102, U -120)

This game will be the first of four regular-season meetings between the two teams. The Red Wings enter with a 5-3-2 record over their last ten games, while the Lightning have won two in a row and are 8-2 over that same stretch. There weren’t expectations that the Red Wings would sit just two points behind the Lightning in the standings, but here we are.

After a slow start, the Lightning looks like the old Lightning, so the rest of the NHL should be on notice. This is a good test for a Red Wings team looking to jump into playoff contention, while the Lightning are playing about as well as anyone in hockey right now. 

Looking toward the projected goalie matchup, the visiting Red Wings are expected to start Ville Husso, while the Lightning will send out Andrei Vasilevskiy. The Red Wings netminder has posted a 10-4-3 record with a .912 save percentage, while Vasilevskiy is 10-7-1 with a .909 save percentage. It’s hard to give an edge to either goalie with the similar numbers they’ve posted, but Vasilevskiy has a much better track record. 

The Lightning are sizable favorites on the moneyline at -250, while the visiting Red Wings are priced at +202. There’s no real value in those odds for the home side, but the Lightning should find a way to win this hockey game, meaning there’s some value in their puck line odds at -104. 

Best Bet: Lightning puck line -1.5 (-104) 

Two of the last five Red Wings’ games have seen seven or more goals scored, while three of the previous five have for the Lightning. Goal scoring hasn’t been a problem for either team, who sit in the league’s top half in goals scored per game. Still, they’ve both improved on defense, leading to better goaltending and fewer goals. Even with plenty of offensive talent, there’s too much value in the under 6.5 at -120. 

Best Bet: Under 6.5 (-120) 

The Tampa Bay Lightning are one of the deepest offensive teams in the NHL, and that doesn’t even factor in their star talent. One of their best offensive threats is Steven Stamkos, who’s already tallied 13 goals and 16 assists through 24 games. In 35 career games against the Red Wings, Stamkos has 19 goals and 17 assists, which should be apparent this evening. The sharpshooting forward is priced at +134 to score tonight, and that number has enough value to warrant consideration.

Best Prop: Steven Stamkos to Record Over 0.5 Goals (+134)