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Tampa Bay is 7-2 and just went into Vegas and won 6-2. Now the Bolts are plus money in Denver against a Colorado team that’s lost two straight. Give me the Lightning.
The Matchup
- Tampa is rolling. The Lightning are 7-2 and have outshot teams 268-218. Brandon Hagel has 7 goals on 41 shots, and Nikita Kucherov has 13 points.
- Colorado can score but is sliding. The Avs score 4.1 goals a game, but they’ve lost 3-2 in Philadelphia and 4-3 in New Jersey on their last two nights.
- MacKinnon is still MacKinnon. Nathan MacKinnon has 16 points and 44 shots in ten games, and Artturi Lehkonen has 8 goals.
- Puck drop. 9:00 PM ET at Ball Arena.
The Goalies
Andrei Vasilevskiy is expected for Tampa. He’s at 89.8% through seven, a slow start for him.
Scott Wedgewood started Tuesday, so Mackenzie Blackwood is expected for Colorado, at 88.9% through seven.
The Number
Take the margin out and the market makes Colorado about a 55% favorite. With Tampa playing better and outshooting people, I’ll take the plus money.
The honest case against: Colorado at altitude is a tough out, and MacKinnon can win a game by himself. It’s a Game Pick, a lean, and like every pick we post, it lands on the receipts page win or lose.
Bottom Line
Take the Lightning on the moneyline at . Lean. The hotter team at plus money. Go Bolts.
Lines as posted Friday at 10:27 AM ET. Goalies are expected starters by rotation; we confirm them Friday.
Same-Game Parlay
One read in two legs. If Tampa wins in Denver, it’s because the Bolts keep the puck away from Nathan MacKinnon. Every leg needs the same night, so this is one position, not two bets.
The angleTampa controls the puck and keeps MacKinnon in check.
Build it at FanDuel →FanDuel prices same-game parlays in its own builder, so there is no price here. Build the legs there and check the number before you place it.
Price: check your sportsbook for SGP pricing. Lines as posted Friday at 10:27 AM ET; confirm them before you build the ticket. This parlay is a Game Pick. Player props not available in all states.
Best Props for This Game
We stick to shots on goal for hockey props. They carry a smaller cut than goal-scorer bets, which tested poorly. Every one has a trend, a matchup and a real price behind it. These are Game Pick props, separate bets from our pick, so keep them small.
Plus money on Colorado’s best defenseman, who shoots a lot.
- Trend3 or more shots in 3 of his last 5; 24 shots in 9 games
- MatchupColorado has outshot teams 306-273, and Makar is a big part of that
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