The NHL is set up with another great slate of hockey throughout Saturday. Twelve games are up on the board throughout March 26. One of these games is between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Detroit Red Wings. These two teams have been on opposite sides of the standings, but will look for a big win in this one. This game will drop the puck at around 12:30 PM Eastern time.
Tampa Bay has earned a record of 39-18-6 throughout this season, which has them sitting in fourth place of the Atlantic division. The Lightning have lost three games in a row and six of their last eight. Tampa Bay is one point out of the third spot in the division with a game in hand. The Lightning will look for a fast start on the road in this one.
The Red Wings have put up a record of 26-31-7 so far this season, which has them sitting in fifth place of the Atlantic division. Detroit is coming off a loss in their last game and have lost eight of their last ten. The Red Wings have been all but eliminated this season, but will look to play spoiler down the stretch. Detroit will look to bounce back with a win at home.
These two teams have been solid throughout this season and will look for a big win in this one. The Lightning have struggled as of late and have fallen in the standings. Detroit has been eliminated with their recent struggles, but will still look to finish this season strong. If either team can come out hot in this one, it could be enough for the win.
Game Overview
The following odds are courtesy of BetOnline:
| Teams | Spread | Money Line | Total |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | -1 ½ (+100) | -245 | Over 6 ½ (-105) |
| Detroit Red Wings | +1 ½ (-120) | +218 | Under 6 ½ (-105) |
| Team Data | Tampa Bay Lightning | Detroit Red Wings |
| Overall Record | 39-18-6 | 26-31-7 |
| Away/ Home Record | 20-12-2 | 17-12-4 |
| Goals Per Game | 3.29 | 2.86 |
| Goals Per Game Away/ Home | 3.47 | 3.33 |
| Save Percentage | .907 | .889 |
| Save Percentage Away/ Home | .901 | .891 |
Betting Trends
Tampa Bay Lightning
- 5-7 in March
- 7-7 on Saturday
- 11-7 against divisional opponents
- 11-6 after a divisional game
- 3-0 after three or more straight losses
- 20-5 against team with a losing record
Detroit Red Wings
- 3-8 in March
- 8-10 on Saturday
- 6-11 against divisional opponents
- 13-12 after allowing four goals or more
- 14-14 after a loss by two or more goals
- 10-22 against team with a winning record
These two teams have met up twice on the season. The first game was in Detroit on October 14. Nikita Kucherov had a goal and three assists, while Victor Hedman had four assists. The Lightning erased a 6-3 deficit to win 7-6 in overtime. Hedman had three assists in the second meeting on March 4, while Brian Elliott stopped 22 of 23 shots in the 3-1 win for Tampa Bay.
Next stop: Detroit. ⚡️#TBLvsDET: https://t.co/KSm6AY5W59 pic.twitter.com/f1ThElcg7l
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) March 26, 2022
Special Teams
The Lightning have been solid on special teams throughout this season. Tampa Bay has scored on 39 of their 196 power play chances this season, which is a 19.9 percent power play. The Lightning have killed off 156 of their opponents 195 power play attempts, which is an 80 percent kill rate. Tampa Bay is 18th on the power play and 12th on the kill this season.
Detroit has struggled on both sides of special teams throughout the season. The Red Wings have capitalized on 31 of their 174 power play opportunities, which is a 17.8 percent success rate. Detroit has given up 45 power play goals on 172 penalties against, which is a 73.8 percent penalty kill. The Red Wings are 27th on the man advantage and 31st on the penalty kill.
Tampa Bay has the edge on special teams in this one. The Lightning have had the better power play and penalty kill this season. The Red Wings have struggled heavily on the penalty kill as of late, but will look to turn it around late. If either team can get a power play goal in this one, it could be enough to earn the win on Saturday afternoon.
Goaltending Comparison
Andrei Vasilevskiy will likely get the start in the crease for the Lightning in this one. Vasilevskiy has started in 50 games this season, going 32-14-4 in those matchups. He has posted a .920 save percentage and a GAA of 2.39. Vasilevskiy’s last start was against the Boston Bruins. He stopped 36 of 39 shots in the losing effort.
I expect Alex Nedeljkovic to get the nod between the pipes for Detroit on Saturday afternoon. Nedeljkovic has earned a record of 17-19-6 in his 41 starts this season. He has put up a save percentage of .904 and a 3.18 GAA in his starts. Nedeljkovic finished with 30 saves on 33 shots in his last start against the Philadelphia Flyers, which was enough for the win.
These two goalies have been solid throughout this season and will look for a big win in this one. Nedeljkovic is coming off a win in his last start and has won two of his last three. Vasilevskiy has lost three starts in a row entering this one. Both goalies will look to come out fast in this one as they try to give their team the edge early.
Pick Overview
The Lightning have struggled a bit as of late and will look to get back on track against an up and down Red Wings team. Tampa Bay has fallen to a wild card spot after being in second place of the Atlantic not too long ago. The Lightning will look to climb back up in the standings with a win in this one. If Tampa Bay can come out fast on the road, they could earn a big win in this one.
BetOnline has the Lightning listed as a -245 against the money line in this one. This implies that Tampa Bay will win this game around 71 percent of the time. While I think this line is accurate, there is little value in it. The Lightning are also listed at -1 ½ for +100. I think that Tampa Bay can dominate this game early to cover the spread.
