Nashville Predators Vs Tampa Bay Lightning NHL Expert Pick

No-one really remembers the teams that loses in the finals of any given sport, and that often serves as fuel for the fire of the runner-up when they head into the new season. In the NHL, it is the Tampa Bay Lightning who fell a little short last year, and they are out to go one better in this year’s version of the Stanley Cup. They will continue their quest on Friday, February 12 when they welcome the Nashville Predators into Amalie Arena. Keep checking with us for the latest NHL Online Betting Odds.

Nashville Predators Vs Tampa Bay Lightning NHL Expert Pick

When: Friday, February 12, 7:30 PM EST Where: Amalie Arena, Tampa, FL TV: SUN Radio: Lightning.NHL.Com Stream Option: Fox Sports Live Opening NHL Odds: TBA

How to bet Nashville Predators Vs Tampa Bay Lightning

These are a pair of teams that are playing pretty good hockey right now, which makes this game a particularly fun one to bet on. The Lightning will almost certainly get the nod as favorite playing on home ice, but the Predators are running into a decent vein of form right now, so I don’t expect this to be an easy one for the home team. The full odds for this one will be up at MyBookie.ag as soon as they become available.

Why bet on the Nashville Predators

Nashville (25-21-8) have the horrible misfortune of playing in the toughest division in all of hockey, but they are managing to hold their own in the Central right now. The Predators come into this game having gone 6-4 in their last 10 games, but the way they have gone about things recently has been a little odd. They have lost 3 of their last 4 games at home, with that run coming after a 4-game road trip that saw them pick up maximum points. This may actually be a team that is looking forward to going on the road for their next 2 starts. That recent run of road successes has seen the Predators improve to .500 (11-11-5) on the road this season, so they are definitely in with a shot here. Nashville are averaging 2.6 GPG, and are giving up 2.7 GPG.

Why bet on the Tampa Bay Lightning

The Lightning (29-20-4) will be happy to get home after going winless on a 2-game road trip through Ottawa and Montreal. That was a disappointing end to a run of games that saw the Lightning go 7-3-0 in their last 10. Home ice has been where Tampa Bay have made hay this year, and they have been particular good over the past few weeks, winning all 8 of their last home games. Overall, the Lightning have a 17-8-2 record at the Amalie Center. They have had only one other meeting with Nashville this season, which ended with the Predators winning 5-4 in a SO on home ice. The Lightning are averaging 2.6 GPG, and are giving up 2.4 GPG.

Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction

After a bit of an inconsistent start, the Lightning seem to have discovered their home ice swagger. They seem to be a much more confident bunch in their own building, and I think they will be able to extend their home winning streak to 9 in this one.

Nashville Predators 2 Tampa Bay Lightning 4