Columbus Blue Jackets vs Tampa Bay Lightning Prediction, 4/26/2022 NHL Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Columbus Blue Jackets vs Tampa Bay Lightning

Date: Tuesday, April 26, 2022

Location: Amalie Arena in Tampa, FL

TV: Bally Sports Sun

Odds/Point Spread: Blue Jackets (+310) Lightning (-400)

The Tampa Bay Lightning (49-22-8) welcome the Columbus Blue Jackets (36-36-7) at Amalie Arena on Tuesday. The moneyline on this game has Columbus at +310 and Tampa Bay is priced at -400. The over/under is 6.

The Columbus Blue Jackets were on the right side of the scoreboard with a 5-2 win against the Oilers in the last game they played. Columbus recorded 20 penalty minutes for this game. They also had 4 power play tries and netted 1 goal. The Blue Jackets had a good offensive outing in this win. In the game, they were able to notch a goal on 5 of the 31 shots they put on net.

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Concerning scoring goals, the Columbus Blue Jackets have tallied 249 goals (14th in the league) so far this season and have allowed 286. For the current campaign, they sit with 79 points and their points % is .500. Columbus has accumulated 208 power play chances and they have tallied 37 goals out of those advantages, giving them a rate of 17.79%. When playing at even strength, the Blue Jackets have conceded 238 goals while scoring 212 on the offensive side of the ice. Columbus has attempted 2,371 shots and holds a shot percentage of 10.5%. The Blue Jackets have had 2,778 shots tried against them and have a save percentage of .897. Columbus Blue Jackets opponents have 226 power play tries (13th in the league) and have come away with 48 goals in those chances.

The man in goal for this game is Elvis Merzlikins. Merzlikins has participated in 117 games throughout his NHL career. He has a mark of 47-42-20 and he has started in 108 games. Opponents have been able to score 310 goals versus Merzlikins in his professional hockey career and his average for goals against per game is 2.88. Merzlikins has seen 3,563 shots against him and has garnered 3,253 total saves. His save percentage is .913 for his 6,459 mins in the crease. In his career, Merzlikins has accrued 57 quality starts and his quality starts rate sits at .528.

In their last outing, Tampa Bay faced the Panthers in a game where the Lightning took home the victory by a tally of 8-4. They had 7 power play attempts in this game and converted 3 goals out of those opportunities. The Lightning recorded 8 goals of the 33 shots on goal they attempted.

Over the course of the season, the Tampa Bay Lightning are sitting with 273 goals, 106 points, in addition to a points percentage of .671. They have allowed 218 goals to be scored by of a combination of 172 goals at even strength and 46 goals while they were shorthanded. The Lightning have tallied 215 goals at even strength and 58 goals (6th in pro hockey) while having more men on the ice. They have recorded 249 power play chances and they have earned a power play percentage of 23.29%. Tampa Bay has tried 2,442 shots (17th in pro hockey) and has earned a shooting percentage of 11.18%, while allowing the opposition 2,348 shots. They have recorded a penalty kill rate of 81.15% on their oppositions 244 power play tries, and their save percentage is currently 90.7%.

Across the rink you are likely to see Andrei Vasilevskiy in the crease. Vasilevskiy has amassed a lifetime mark of 227-101-24 and has been in net for 363 games. Vasilevskiy's rate of quality starts is 57.2% and he has qualified for 202 quality starting assignments in his professional career. He has compiled 10,094 stops out of the 10,981 shots attempted against him, which gives him a rate of .919. His opponents are averaging 2.50 goals per game and he has given up 887 goals in total. He has started in 353 contests and has accumulated 21,270 minutes.

Who will win tonight's NHL game against the spread or moneyline?

Josh's Pick: Take Columbus (+310)

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