Winnipeg Jets vs. Tampa Bay Lightning Prediction, Preview, and Odds
The Winnipeg Jets (10-5-2) came into 2023-24 as quite the overlooked team in the Western Conference, but through the first month of the season they've looked fantastic and quite formidable, and now, they face one of their toughest tests on the season thus far.
Welcoming them into Tampa in this one will be the Tampa Bay Lightning (9-6-4), who haven't been perfect this season, but with their toughness, grit and veteran, playoff experience, they've managed to once again be a forced to be reckoned with in the Eastern Conference, and this is another opportunity to make a major statement.
Can the Jets continue their red-hot start to 2023-24?
The Winnipeg Jets have been a solid squad in recent years, but after some big moves this summer, many doubted whether they could go again in 2023-24, so their recent 6-1-0 run to get them to 10-5-2 on the season has certainly proven many doubters wrong thus far. The Jets have posted a respectable 4-2-1 record on the road this season, meaning they're more than capable of winning against anyone in the NHL, and with their +10 goal differential on the season, they continue to improve with their roster blended full of experience and youth.
This team is led by their two biggest stars in their forward group in Kyle Connor (22 points) and Mark Scheifele (21 points), leading an NHL best eight players in double digits, and while their goaltending hasn't been stellar, posting a 3.12 GAA and an .897 save percentage, they've done just enough to win some big games lately. Their last time out was an impressive home win over the Arizona Coyotes, with five goals spread amongst the team on just 25 shots, and while the Jets allowed two goals, they limited the Coyotes to 18 shots in a dominant display en route to a 5-2 victory.
Can Tampa Bay find their consistency this season?
The Tampa Bay Lightning have enjoyed an incredible run in recent years with their core, veteran group, and while things haven't looked perfect this season, they keep turning up, bringing a three-game winning streak into this one, pushing their season record to 9-6-4. At home in 10 games, the Lightning have been dominant as always with a 6-2-2 record, but their -1 goal differential on the season shows they may not be as untouchable as we've seen in recent years, and this game presents a major opportunity to prove that notion wrong in a big way.
The Lightning are tied with Vancouver for the NHL lead in players with over 20 points at four, with a further three players sitting in double digits, and while Andrei Vasilevsky still isn't in net, the goaltending has done enough to keep them in games, with Johannson posting a solid 3.45 GAA and an .893 save percentage in 16 starts. Their last time out was a huge victory over the division rival Boston Bruins, with the team netting five goals past star goaltender Jeremy Swayman on 47 shots, the final being an Overtime winner from Brandon Hagel, with Johannson's 23 saves on 27 shots doing just enough to get them the victory.
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While the Lightning have been a dominant playoff force in recent years, that certainly hasn't led to utter dominance over Winnipeg, as the Jets have picked up wins in their past two head-to-head meetings with a 4-4 record over their past eight.
However, the home team boasts an impressive 7-3 record in their past 10 games played, and while Winnipeg's offense has been consistently dominant all year, this is a fantastic defense in Tampa Bay, and with star studded forward groups on both sides, this one could ultimately come down to home ice advantage, leading to a big win for the Lightning.
Prediction: Tampa Bay -125
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The goaltending matchup in this one has the potential to be a solid affair between Connor Hellebuyck and Jonas Johannson, but this matchup is all about the offense, as there's a combined six players over 20 points in this matchup, with the over also sitting at 5-1-1 in their past seven games played in Tampa Bay, while being 5-1-2 in their past eight head-to-head meetings.
For the Jets, the over is 6-2 in their past eight games overall, as the team have averaged just under five goals a game over that time, and for the Lightning, the over is 4-1 in their past five games played at home, meaning that whatever happens in this one, the stars are coming out to shine in a big way.
