Lightning vs. Blue Jackets Prediction
The Tampa Bay Lightning were the best team in the NHL by a wide margin during the regular season, but have fallen into a surprising 3-0 deficit in their first round quarterfinals series against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Can Tampa Bay avoid the sweep on the road tonight?
Game Snapshot
37 Tampa Bay Lightning at 38 Columbus Blue Jackets
Tuesday, April 16, 2019
Nationwide Arena at 7:08PM ET
TV: CNBC
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Public Betting Information
According to oddsmakers, the Lightning are a -133 favorite to win on the moneyline. The Blue Jackets are a +113 underdog, while the total is set at 6 goals. As of Tuesday morning, 67 percent of public bets are coming in on visiting Tampa Bay. Check out our NHL Public Betting Page for the latest updates.
Lightning struggle without Kucherov
With the NHL’s leading point-getter in Nikita Kucherov suspended due to a one-game suspension, Tampa Bay stumbled to a 3-1 defeat Sunday night at Columbus and a 3-0 series deficit in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals. The Lightning allowed two second-period goals and trailed 2-0 heading into the third period. Ondrej Palat put Tampa Bay on the board with 15:20 remaining on a goal assisted by Erik Cernak and Tyler Johnson. The Blue Jackets put it away with an empty-net goal at the one-minute mark. Andrei Vasilevskiy allowed two goals on 29 shots in the losing effort.
Blue Jackets continue to shine
Columbus again had the number of Tampa Bay Sunday night as it scored a pair of second-period goals and led the rest of the way en route to a 3-1 victory in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals. Matt Duchene put the Blue Jackets on the board 1:44 into the second period on assists from Cam Atkinson and Zach Werenski. Oliver Bjorkstrand pushed it to 2-0 on a power play goal off assists from Seth Jones and Alexandre Texier. The Lightning trimmed their deficit in half in the third period, but with a minute remaining an empty-net goal courtesy of Atkinson put it away. It was assisted by Artemi Panarin and Scott Harrington. Sergei Bobrovsky surrendered only one goal on 31 shots in the victory.
NHL Betting Trends
Tampa Bay
The Lightning are 41-10 in their last 51 games played on one day of rest. Tampa Bay is 22-8 in its last 30 Tuesday games.
Columbus
The Blue Jackets are 4-0 in their last four games as an underdog. Columbus is 6-1 in its last seven home games.
Prediction:
Tampa Bay is way, way too talented to get swept in this series. You don’t win 60 games during the regular season by accident. With Kucherov back in action, I think the Lightning put together their best game of the series and stay alive at least for a couple more days.
NHL DAILY PREDICTION: TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING -133