The Tampa Bay Lightning will host the Vegas Golden Knights at Amalie Arena on Thursday. The NHL has a packed 11-game schedule on Thursday night. This cross-conference game will be the marquee matchup on Thursday.
Before we get to our picks, you should check out our NHL Betting page, which answers any questions you may have about it.
The Vegas Golden Knights just lost their first game of the season. They dropped one to the Washington Capitals on the road Tuesday. Meanwhile, the Lightning are still unbeaten this season.
Let’s get into our predictions for the game.
In their most recent game, Tampa Bay defeated the Hurricanes 4-1. The Lightning scored four goals out of 23 shots on goal. They had six power play opportunities and capitalized on two of them.
So far this season, the Tampa Bay Lightning have scored a total of 8 goals, earned 4 points, and have a perfect points percentage of 1.000.
They have allowed 2 goals, with 1 being scored at even strength and 1 while shorthanded.
The Lightning have scored 6 goals at even strength and 2 power-play goals, ranking 18th in the NHL. They have had 11 power-play opportunities and a power-play 18.18%.
Tampa Bay has taken 51 shots, which ranks 32nd in the league, and has a shot percentage of 15.69%. They have allowed the opposition 48 shots.
Their penalty kill rate is 85.71% on 7 power play attempts by the opposing teams, and their save percentage is 95.8%.
On the other side of the ice the Golden Knights will be looking to bounce back from their loss to the Capitals.
The Knights have started the new season with a 3-1 record, including three consecutive home wins and a recent road loss to the Capitals. Adin Hill lost the game against the Capitals, allowing four goals on 22 shots.
Offensively, the team has been solid, averaging 4.25 goals per game, with Mark Stone leading the team in points. However, goaltending has been a bit shaky, with Hill posting a 3.72 goals-against average and an .855 save percentage.
The Golden Knights’ power play has been solid, at 30.8%, but the penalty kill has been concerning, operating at only 66.7%. The upcoming game against the Lightning is part of a three-game road trip.
The Knights and Lightning are two of the best teams in the league. It’s always a great game whenever they matchup.
Before deciding where you want to bet, you should check out our list of the best online sportsbooks so that you can choose the best one for you.
Next, let’s look at how many goals we will see in this one.
Defensively, Vegas has been allowing an average of 3 goals per game, and it has struggled, particularly on the penalty kill. Injuries to key players like William Karlsson and Jordan Gustafson could impact the team’s depth.
The Knights have also been allowing an average of 24.8 shots per game, but their penalty trouble, accumulating 18 minutes, could give Tampa Bay more opportunities on the man advantage.
Adin Hill will guard the net in this game. Throughout his career, he has made 47 quality starts, with a quality starts percentage of .516.
His save percentage is .909, and he has faced 2,769 shot attempts and made 2,516 saves in 5,628 minutes.
He has allowed 253 goals against him, resulting in a goals-against average of 2.70. With a win-loss mark of 47-40-6, Hill has started in 91 games and taken the ice for 104 games over the course of his NHL career.
You’ll find Andrei Vasilevskiy guarding the net on the opposing side of the ice. His opponents have averaged 2.52 goals per game, resulting in a total of 1,053 goals conceded by Vasilevskiy.
He has achieved a 57.6% quality start percentage with 240 quality starting assignments in his career. Vasilevskiy has appeared in 417 games, accumulating 25,106 minutes of ice time and a record of 265-123-28 in 427 games.
He has made 11,909 saves out of 12,962 shots attempted, resulting in a save percentage of .919.
Vasilevskiy has been in top form, maintaining a 1.00 GAA and .958 SV% in the first two games. On the other hand, Adin Hill had a subpar performance in his last game, allowing four goals on 22 shots faced.
The Vegas team has struggled defensively, conceding an average of 3.00 goals per game (14th). Tampa Bay, on the other hand, has had a strong offensive performance, averaging 4.0 goals per game (4th).
Nikita Kucherov has already scored four goals, so his performance could be a key factor in the game’s outcome.
As good as the goaltending has been from these two teams, Over 6 goals is the play in this one.
Make sure to check out our sportsbook reviews so you can ensure which ones are safe. We will ensure we provide trustworthy information to make your betting choices. Remember to check the best available bonuses here.