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The Vegas Golden Knights will head to Central Florida to face the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday. It's a battle of powerhouses at Amalie Arena as we share our NHL odds series and make a Golden Knights-Lightning prediction and pick.
Here are the Golden Knight-Lightning NHL odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
The Golden Knights come into this game with a 3-1 record after losing 4-2 to the Washington Capitals on the road. Conversely, the Lightning come into this game with a 2-0 record after winning their delayed home opener.
NHL Odds: Golden Knights-Lightning Odds
Vegas Golden Knights: +1.5 (-240)
Moneyline: +106
Tampa Bay Lightning: -1.5 (+195)
Moneyline: -128
Over: 6.5 (+106)
Under: 6.5 (-130)
How To Watch Golden Knights vs Lightning
Time: 7 PM ET/4 PM PT
TV: ESPN+, Scrippts, and Bally Sports Sun
Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)
Why the Golden Knights Could Cover the Spread/Win
- Jack Eichel has four goals and 13 assists over 21 games against the Lightning.
- The Knights have dominated Andrei Vasilevskiy, as he is 5-4-3 with a 3.21 goals-against average and a save percentage of .895.
- Timo Meier has netted four goals and eight assists over 15 games against the Lightning.
Despite losing two top scorers in the offseason, the Knights continue to produce goals. Amazingly, they are third in the NHL in goals, with an impeccable shooting percentage that ranks third. The Golden Knights have also done well on the powerplay, ranking sixth in powerplay percentage.
Jack Eichel and Mark Stone each have struggled, notching two goals and six assists. Likewise, Ivan Barbashev has tallied three goals and four assists. Also, defenseman Shea Theodore has tallied one goal and four assists.
The Golden Knights have struggled on defense. Notablty, the penalty kill has not done well, ranking 26th in the NHL. Goalie Adin Hill has struggled to start the season, as he is 2-1 with a 3.72 goals-against average and a save percentage of .855. Ultimately, the Knights need Hill to be at his best to be the last line of defense for the penalty kill.
The Golden Knights will cover the spread if they can generate some scoring chances, with Eichel and Stone setting up chances. Then, they need tighter defense with Hill also playing better.
Why the Lightning Could Cover the Spread/Win
- Nikita Kucherov has potted three goals and 16 assists over 10 games against the Golden Knights.
- The Lightning have dominated Adin Hill, as he has gone 1-2 with a 3.96 goals-against average and a save percentage of .944 against them.
- Victor Hedman has tallied one goal and 10 assists with a plus-minus of +5 over 10 games against the Golden Knights.
The Lightning have played only two games, which explains why they are sixth in goals. Furthermore, their shooting percentage has been on point, as they rank fourth in that category. But they have struggled on the powerplay, ranking 19th on the man advantage.
Kucherov has shone through two games, scoring four goals and one assist. He hopes to continue the momentum and pelting shots into the net. Hedman has been solid with the puck, registering three assists. Likewise, Jake Geuntzel has tallied three assists. Brayden Point has registered two goals and one assist through two contests.
Many expected the Lightning to struggle on defense this season. Yet, they have persevered, at least through two games. Vasilevskiy has been exceptional through two games, going 2-0 with a 1.00 goals-against average and a save percentage of .958. Overall, the defense is playing well in front of him, and he is making critical saves to help put the Bolts on his back.
The Lightning will cover the spread if Kucherov can continue to be a wizard with the puck and the rest of the offense flows. Then, they need another great performance from Vasilevskiy and the defense to prevent the Golden Knights from gaining confidence.
Final Golden Knights-Lightning Prediction & Pick
The Golden Knights are 2-2 against the spread this season, while the Lightning are 2-0 against the odds. Moreover, the Knights are 0-1 against the spread on the road, while the Bolts are 1-0 against the odds. The Golden Knights lead the head-to-head series 7-5. Additionally, they swept the Lightning last season. Vegas is 4-2 in its last six games at Amalie Arena. Likewise, the teams have combined for over 6.5 goals in four straight games.
These two teams look amazing at the start of the season. Curiously, they always light up the lamp whenever they play one another. While I do believe the over will hit again, I also think this one will go down to the wire, with one goal separating the two. Because of that, I am choosing the Golden Knights to cover the spread on the road.
Final Golden Knights-Lightning Prediction & Pick: Vegas Golden Knights: +1.5 (-240)
