Avalanche vs Lightning Prediction, NHL Odds & Picks (Feb. 9)

Thursday, Feb. 9’s NHL schedule includes a potential Stanley Cup Finals preview as the Colorado Avalanche pay a visit to the Tampa Bay Lightning. FanDuel Sportsbook lists Colorado as having +700 odds to win the Stanley Cup (T-No. 2) while Tampa Bay sits at +1200 (No. 5), meaning hockey enthusiasts won’t want to miss this Avalanche vs Lightning showdown.

The Avalanche enter tonight’s contest following Tuesday’s 2-1 overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Colorado has points in eight of its last nine games, leaving time to tell if the Avs can continue that streak tonight.

Meanwhile, the Lightning also fell in overtime in their last outing — a 4-3 loss to the San Jose Sharks two nights ago. Tampa Bay has now lost two games in a row, meaning a stronger effort is needed to avoid three straight losses for the first time in the 2022-23 season.

There are a plethora of betting opportunities heading into tonight’s Avalanche vs Lightning showdown. Here’s a look at FanDuel Sportsbook’s latest odds for the game, as well as a prediction and the best bet to make, courtesy of Betting News.

Colorado Avalanche vs Tampa Bay Lightning Matchup Information and Betting Odds

Matchup Information

• Matchup: Colorado Avalanche (27-18-4, 14-9-1 Away) vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (32-16-2, 20-4-2 Home)
• Venue & Location: Amalie Arena (Tampa, Florida)
• Date: Thursday, Feb. 9, 2023
• Game Time: 7 p.m. Eastern Time
• Avalanche vs Lightning TV Info: ESPN

Avalanche vs Lightning Odds

Game odds are via FanDuel as of Thursday, Feb. 9 at 8:04 a.m. ET. Odds from other top online sportsbooks may also be mentioned in this article.

Spread

• Colorado Avalanche +1.5 (-235)
• Tampa Bay Lightning -1.5 (+186)

Over/Under

• Over 6 Goals (-122)
• Under 6 Goals (+100)

Moneyline

• Colorado Avalanche +105
• Tampa Bay Lightning -126

Avalanche vs Lightning Betting Trends

• Colorado is 6-2 straight up in its last eight games against Tampa Bay.
• Tampa Bay is 12-1 straight up in its last 13 games at home.
• The total has hit the under in each of Colorado’s last five road games.
• The total has hit the over in five of Tampa Bay’s last six games played in February.
• The total has hit the over in six of the last 10 Colorado-Tampa Bay matchups.

Avalanche Look to Continue Momentum

Despite key players like Gabriel Landeskog and Bowen Byram being on the injured reserve, the Avalanche have continued finding ways to win games. They’re 7-1-1 in their last nine games and now look to continue that run at Amalie Arena.

To no one’s surprise, Nathan MacKinnon has been his team’s best player during their successful run. The talented center leads the Avalanche with 11 assists and 14 points over the last nine games and has a good chance to build on that tonight considering how he has 23 points in 15 career regular-season games against the Lightning.

Mikko Rantanen and Artturi Lehkonen have also provided excellent support lately, tallying seven and six goals, respectively during the nine-game stretch.

Daily Faceoff points to Pavel Francouz being the Avalanche’s starting goaltender tonight after he’s been playing solidly as well. He’s 5-2-1 in his last eight starts with a 2.11 goals-against average, .930 save percentage and one shutout.

The Avalanche also have a good chance to continue their success if their special teams remain strong. Their power play is operating at a whopping 30.4% over the last eight games while the penalty kill unit has killed 18-of-20 penalties (90.0%) during that time.

With the Avalanche also having won three straight road games before their loss to the Penguins earlier this week, look for a strong effort from the defending Stanley Cup Champions.

Lightning Fuelled by Revenge

The last time the Lightning played the Avalanche was back in June for the 2021-22 Stanley Cup Final. Colorado won the series in six games, adding salt to Tampa Bay’s wound by earning the series-clinching win at Amalie Arena.

While that happened nearly eight months ago, the Lightning haven’t forgotten. Now, they have the chance to get some revenge tonight in a building they’ve found a lot of success in this season.

The Lightning are currently 20-4-2 thus far at home, making Amalie Arena one of the toughest locations for visiting teams. Tampa Bay has nearly doubled its opponents’ offensive output at home, outscoring the opposition 105-68 in those encounters.

The Lightning’s power play is elite at home, clicking at 30.0%. Having said that penalty isn’t nearly as efficient, only operating at 79.7%.

Nevertheless, Tampa Bay is also hungry to bounce back after the loss to the Sharks ended the Lightning’s home winning streak at 12 games. Teams don’t win that much just as a fluke, so I fully expect Jon Cooper’s club to find a way to get back where they left off.

Avalanche vs Lightning Prediction and Picks

Avalanche vs Lightning Prediction: Lightning 4, Avalanche 3

Avalanche vs Lightning Best Bets: Lightning ML (Best Value: -126 at FanDuel) & Over 6 Goals (Best Value: -122 at FanDuel)

While both of these teams are among the best in the NHL, only one can win tonight. With that being said, I’m going with the Lightning as my pick. They’ve been terrific at Amalie Arena this season and are motivated by revenge to win. The Avalanche will make things difficult, but the Bolts have the tools to withstand that pressure.

On top of backing Tampa Bay outright on the moneyline, I also recommend backing the total going over six goals. Six of the last 10 Avalanche vs Lightning contests have gone over six goals and with both sides combining for a 6.58 goals-per-game clip this season, I see more goals than expected being scored tonight.