Bruins vs. Lightning Odds, Picks, Predictions: Expect a Close Checking Game in Tampa Bay

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Thursday offers up apremier matchup when the league-leading Boston Bruins visit the Tampa BayLightning. Read on for our best Bruins vs. Lightning pick based on topodds.

Playing at a historicallygreat level, the Bruins are 10-1 in the past 11 games and have 80 points in 47games – putting them a dozen points clear of the rest of the league.

The Lightning werea mediocre 7-6-1 to start the season, but have gone an impressive 23-9 since. Tampa Bay is controlling 57.5% of all-situations goals in the past 32 games, ranking third in that span behind only Boston and Toronto.

The top of the AtlanticDivision is a war zone.

Here is our best Bruinsvs. Lightning NHL pick (odds via DraftKings Sportsbook;pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).

Bruins vs. Lightning game info

  • Date: Thursday, Jan. 26, 7 p.m. ET
  • TV: ESPN+, Sportsnet, TVAS, BSSUN, NESN
  • Location: Amalie Arena, Tampa, FL

Bruins vs. Lightning odds

Bruins vs. Lightning odds analysis

The FanDuel moneyline opened with theLightning at -134, compared to the Bruins at +112. That didn't last long; with 62% of the consensus moneyline wagers on the Bruins, the line has shifted dramatically to Boston -113/Tampa Bay -106.

The total opened at 6 andmoved to 6.5 for a while on Thursday morning before coming back down to 6. Theopening price was -112 for the Over and -108 for the Under.

With 55% of the consensusaction on the Under, the price for the total to go Under 6 is now -118, whilethe Over is -104.

Bruins vs. Lightning pick

Bruins-Lightning Under 6 (+100)

Thursday's tilt between two of the top fiveteams in the consensus Stanley Cup odds – neither of whom easily surrender time and space on the ice – should be an intriguing one.

The Bruins are thetop dogs in the league, while the Lightning, who have gone to three straightStanley Cup Finals, are assuredly set to meet Thursday's challenge head-on.

Boston has a 16-4-1 recordon the road, which ranks second, while Tampa Bay is 18-4-1 at home, the third-best mark in the league.

The Bruins areallowing a league-best 2.22 goals against per 60 minutes on the road, andstarting goaltender Linus Ullmark has been even better than that. Ullmark has a.938 save percentage and 1.90 goals against average away from TD Garden, andleads the league with 13.35 Goals Saved Above Expected in 16 road games.

Boston is a dominantteam, with scoring talent and elite defenders, but Ullmark has become a Vezina Trophy favoritebecause of his consistently outstanding play.

Tampa Bay can be stingyon home ice, too. Goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy has a .921 save percentage and 2.50goals against average at home, with 8.41 Goals Saved Above Expected in 18 gamesat Amalie Arena.

Bruins vs. Lightning Best Odds

DraftKings, BetMGM, Caesars, PointsBet (+100)

The majority oftop-rated sportsbooks have settled at a similar price for the total in this Bruins-Lightning matchup, with the Under coming in at even money compared with the Over at +120. FanDuelis charging a little more for the Under than the rest of the market.

Certainly, catchingthe total when it bounced up to 6.5 for a brief time would have been ideal, but the Under is still the clearly superior option in a matchup featuring two highly competitive teams – and two elite goaltenders to match.

Bruins-Lightning pickmade 1/26/2023 at 2 p.m. ET.

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