Columbus Blue Jackets vs Tampa Bay Lightning Prediction, 12/17/2024 NHL Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Columbus Blue Jackets vs Tampa Bay Lightning

Date: Tuesday, December 17, 2024

Location: Amalie Arena in Tampa, FL

TV: WXPX-TV

Odds/Point Spread: Blue Jackets (+110) Lightning (-130)

The Columbus Blue Jackets (12-14-5) are traveling to Amalie Arena on Tuesday where they will try to beat the Tampa Bay Lightning (16-10-2). The line on this matchup has Columbus at +110 and Tampa Bay is sitting at -130. The total has been set at 6.

The Columbus Blue Jackets had a rough game after their 4-1 loss against the Hurricanes in their previous outing. Columbus compiled 6 minutes in the box in this outing. They also had 5 power play chances but didn't convert them into a score. The Blue Jackets had an offensive game that was below their expectations in this loss. For the game, they finished 1 out of the 28 shots they tried.

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When playing at even strength, the Blue Jackets have given up 85 goals while earning 85 of their own. Columbus Blue Jackets opponents have earned 96 power play opportunities (8th in the league) and have scored 26 goals in those attempts. When talking about their goal scoring prowess, the Columbus Blue Jackets have notched 100 goals (9th in the NHL) on the year and have conceded 111. Columbus has tried 955 shots and is the owner of a shooting percentage of 10.5%. For the year, they have accumulated 29 points and their points percentage is .468. The Blue Jackets have seen 882 shots taken against them and have a save percentage of .874. Columbus has 83 power play chances and they have notched 15 goals during those chances, giving them a rate of 18.07%.

The player between the pipes for this game is Elvis Merzlikins. Merzlikins has participated in 211 games throughout his professional hockey career. He has amassed an overall record of 77-88-32 and he has gotten the start in 197 games. The opposition has racked up 620 goals against Merzlikins in his professional career and his goals against rate is 3.54. Merzlikins has had 6,366 shots taken against him and has amassed 5,746 saves. His save percentage currently is at .903 for his 10,500 mins guarding the cage. In his professional hockey career, Merzlikins has recorded 94 quality starts and his quality starts percentage is .477.

Their last time out, Tampa Bay faced off against the Kraken in a game where the Lightning notched a win by a final score of 5-1. The Lightning tallied 5 goals of the 31 shots on goal they were seeking. They had 3 attempts on the power play in this outing and recorded 1 out of those attempts.

The Lightning have accumulated 88 goals at even strength and 24 goals (6th in hockey) while having more men on the ice. Tampa Bay has attempted 802 shots (28th in the NHL) and has a shooting percentage of 13.97%, while allowing the other team 772 shots. So far this season, the Tampa Bay Lightning have notched a total of 112 goals, 34 points, as well as a points percentage of .607. They have permitted 81 goals to be scored by way of 65 goals at even strength and 16 goals while they were shorthanded. They have a total of 85 opportunities on the power play and they have a power play rate of 28.24%. They have accumulated a penalty kill percentage of 79.49% on the other teams 78 power play opportunities, and their save percentage currently sits at 89.5%.

For the opposition you are likely to see Andrei Vasilevskiy in goal. He has racked up 13,726 saves out of 14,979 shots tried, which gives him a save percentage of .916. Vasilevskiy is sitting with a career mark of 306-152-31 and has been in goal for 500 games. He got the starting nod in 490 contests and has played 28,104 mins. Vasilevskiy's rate of quality starts sits at 56.7% and he has accumulated 278 quality starting assignments in his career. The opposition is averaging 2.68 goals per game and he has given up 1,253 goals altogether.

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

Guy's Pick: Take Tampa Bay (-130)

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