[7:00 PM] Lightning @ Senators

Who will WIN this matchup?

Tampa Bay Lightning (3-1-0)

@ Ottawa Senators (3-1-0)

 

Starting Goalies:

Andrei Vasilevskiy (TB): Confirmed

Craig Anderson (OTT): Confirmed

 

Current odds:

Tampa Bay Lightning: (-110)

Ottawa Senators: (+100)

 

Guy Boucher coached the Tampa Bay Lightning to the Eastern Conference finals in 2011 and faces his former team for the first time when the Ottawa Senators host their Atlantic Division rivals Saturday. Boucher’s Senators posted 15 goals while winning their first three home games and the Lightning begin a six-game road trip after recording six points in four contests at Amalie Arena to open the campaign.

Defenseman Erik Karlsson is off to a sizzling start for the Senators with seven points (two goals) in four games and boasts 21 (nine goals) in 24 career contests against Tampa Bay, which has yet to score in the first period this season. The Lightning rallied for wins in their first three outings before dropping a 4-0 decision against Colorado on Thursday.

Tampa Bay, which finished 28th in the league on the power play in 2015-16, showed signs of life by going 3-for-6 on opening night against Detroit before sputtering to 0-for-9 in the last three games.

Last season’s leading goal scorer Mike Hoffman (29) has yet to find the back of the net in the first four contests of 2016-17, but easily tops the team in shots with 20. Karlsson and defense partner Marc Methot each boast a plus-7 rating in the early going for a team that has given up 16 tallies overall.

The Lightning have gained points in nine of the last 10 meetings with the Senators, going 6-1-3 in that span.

 

StreakSmarts Pick: Tampa Bay Lightning

Confidence: 5/10

Confidence
StreakSmarter Pick