Avalanche vs Lightning Odds, Lines and NHL Pick – Lightning Listed as Short Home Favorites in Saturday NHL Odds
- The Lightning host the Avalanche in NHL action on Saturday, October 23rd
- Tampa Bay has won six of the last seven meetings vs Colorado
- Read below for the odds, lines and NHL betting pick
It’s a clash of two favorites in the Stanley Cup odds when Tampa Bay and Colorado faceoff in Saturday night NHL action. The Lightning are listed as short home favorites on the NHL betting line. Puck drop is 7pm ET at Amalie Arena.
Both teams have underwhelmed to begin the season despite boasting major firepower. Tampa Bay, who is without superstar Nikita Kucherov, has won six of the last seven meetings with Colorado.
What’s the best bet for Colorado vs Tampa Bay?
Avalanche vs Lightning Odds
| Game Time (ET) | Team | Puck Line | Total | Moneyline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday Oct. 23 | Colorado Avalanche | +1.5 (-280) | O 6 (-128) | -104 |
| 7pm | Tampa Bay Lightning | -1.5 (+225) | U 6 (+104) | -112 |
Odds as of Oct. 22 at FanDuel.
Avalanche In Rare Underdog Spot
The Colorado Avalanche are listed as underdogs against the Tampa Bay Lightning despite being the current Stanley Cup favorite. The Avalanche have gotten off to a lackluster 1-3-0 start in which they’ve allowed 15 goals against. Top defenseman Cale Makar is minus-9 (though Canadians can be excited to bet on the talented D-man for the Norris), while goalie Darcy Kuemper owns a .890 save percentage.
Colorado opened the season with a victory over Chicago, but they’ve since lost to St. Louis, Washington and Florida. This Avalanche team remains a powerhouse, but they haven’t played to their potential. One reason they’ve struggled is because superstar Nathan MacKinnon missed time due to COVID and only has two assists in two games since returning.
Colorado as underdogs in the NHL odds is an enticing betting opportunity. It’s usually for good reason, however, as the Avalanche are 0-4 in their last four games as a betting underdog. Given how many goals they’re allowing and Kuemper’s lackluster play, it’s hard to feel confident in the Avalanche against Tampa Bay.
Lightning Usually Excel at Amalie Arena
Tampa are home favorites despite owning an 0-2 record at Amalie Arena this season. Last season, the Lightning were one of the league’s best home teams with a 21-7-0 record. Tampa Bay has lost to Pittsburgh and Florida at home and beaten Washington and Detroit on the road.
The boys are back at home! 🏠 pic.twitter.com/8whvtXh5nf
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) October 18, 2021
The Lightning will need to beat the Avalanche without their superstar Kucherov. The Russian forward is out indefinitely after suffering a lower-body injury against the Panthers. Tampa Bay is accustomed to not having Kucherov in the lineup, as the top-line winger missed all of the 2020-21 regular season while recovering from hip surgery.
Captain Steven Stamkos has been one of the few bright spots for the Bolts, pacing the team with three goals and seven points through four games. Stamkos has scored twice with the man advantage, but the Bolts’ power play is 0-for-7 at home this season. It’ll look to breakout against an Avalanche penalty kill operating at 76.9%.
Recent Head-to-Head Results
| Date | Home-Away | Moneyline | Puck Line | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 02/07/2020 | Colorado 3 – Tampa Bay 4 OT | TBL | COL | Over |
| 10/19/2019 | Tampa Bay 2 – Colorado 6 | COL | COL | Over |
| 12/08/2018 | Tampa Bay 7 – Colorado 1 | TBL | TBL | Over |
| 10/24/2018 | Colorado 0 – Tampa Bay 1 | TBL | COL | Under |
| 12/26/2017 | Colorado 5 – Tampa Bay 6 | TBL | COL | Over |
Avalanche vs Lightning Best NHL Pick
The recent Colorado vs Tampa Bay head-to-head results tells you a bit about why the Bolts are favored over the current Stanley Cup favorites. Jon Cooper’s team has won four of the last five meetings with the Avalanche. Early public betting has seen TBL receive only 32% of bets but 60% of money, indicating some sharp action.
One key matchup that could dictate this game is special teams. The Avalanche enter this game with the NHL’s 29th ranked power play and will be facing a Tampa Bay penalty kill that is 11th-best in the league. The Bolts haven’t scored a power-play goal at home, but they do own the 15th-ranked power play overall.
Both of these teams are due for a breakout game, but it’s a matter of who does it first. Given Tampa Bay’s success at Amalie Arena last season, I like their chances of beating Colorado at home. The Avs are winless in their last five road games and could get stymied by the Bolts’ excellent penalty kill.
Pick: Tampa Bay Lightning ML (-112)
Brady is the lead NHL and College Football editor at Sports Betting Dime, where he specializes in betting odds and data-driven analysis. Brady has over 10 years experience working in sports media, with work published by outlets such as ESPN, CBS Sports, Yahoo! Sports and Fox Sports.
