The Atlantic Division matchup between the Senators and Lightning is the last game on the NHL schedule for tonight, February 19th. The puck will drop at Amalie Arena, and the home team, Tampa Bay, is the favorite according to betting apps. Tampa Bay has the better overall record this season at 30-21-5, compared to Ottawa's 22-27-2, but it's worth noting that these teams already played two games against each other, and each has one win. Let's preview the odds for this NHL battle, which is available for a bet with a BetRivers sports promo code.
Lightning Hopes to Regain the Momentum
Losing to a local rival is never fun, but Tampa Bay got embarrassed at home by the Florida Panthers 9-2 on Saturday, ending a three-game winning streak. The loss is a big surprise, considering Tampa Bay was playing well at home as of late, and their overall home record is 18-5-3.
On Saturday, both goalies had a bad night, with Andrei Vasilevskiy allowing six goals and Jonas Johansson giving up three goals, while the Panthers had only 30 shots on goal during the whole game. Tampa Bay averages 3.41 goals per game with a shot percentage of 11.38% and a power play rate of 30.23%. The best scorers on the roster are Nikita Kucherov, with 36 goals, and Brayden Point, with 27 goals.
On the defensive side, the Lightning allows 3.4 goals, and the starting goaltender is Andrei Vasilevskiy, who surrenders 2.9 goals per contest with a save percentage of .899. The Lightning is solid on offense, generating six goals in four of their previous nine games, and are especially effective during power play opportunities.
The Senators Defense Does not Match Their Offensive Effort
The Senators started their three-game road trip with a loss in Chicago, being outscored 3-2. They are now moving to Florida for two back-to-back games, starting with a visit to Tampa Bay before transitioning to Miami to face the Panthers. Playing on the road has not resulted in a favorable record for the Senators, but despite the overall 7-13-0 road record, things are improving for Ottawa lately, and they have a 6-2-2 road record in their last ten games, meaning most of their road losses were at the start of the season.
The Senators average 3.35 goals per game, with an overall shot percentage of 10.2%. Ottawa has earned a power play rate of 16.13%. Although the offense is productive, ranking 9th in the NHL in scoring, the defense's effort does not match the offense's, conceding 3.61 goals per contest, the 3rd most in the league. Brady Tkachuk has contributed 25 goals, and Claude Giroux has 18 goals.
On the Senator's goal, Joonas Korpisalo is the main protector with a .887 save percentage. Goaltender Anton Forsberg has had many opportunities to showcase his talent, with 16 starts this season and a .892 save percentage. Aside from occasional struggles, Ottawa is capable of demonstrating its scoring capabilities.
Betting Prediction
Tampa Bay cannot afford another blowout on its home ice, and Ottawa does not have a good record at Amalie Arena, losing their last three games in this arena. Sportsbooks with free bet offers provide -175 odds on a moneyline bet for the favorite Tampa Bay and +140 odds on the Senators. The puck line of 1.5 goals offers +138 odds on the Lighting to cover and -167 on the Senators to cover. The total is set at seven goals with +100 odds for the Over and -121 odds for the Under bet.
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