Edmonton Oilers vs. Tampa Bay Lightning Prediction, Betting Odds, and Best Prop Bets

The Edmonton Oilers are rolling into Amalie Arena tonight, looking to snap a 3-game losing streak against a Tampa Bay Lightning team riding a season-best 5-game win streak.

Of course, the Oilers haven’t dropped 4 games in a row all season, but they’ll undoubtedly need to tighten up defensively to get back on track. 

These are 2 powerhouse teams that are not hunting for a playoff spot, but instead they’re fighting for playoff positioning. It’s going to be a great game with some seriously good bets.

Oilers vs. Lightning Betting Odds

The odds show a tight matchup, with the Oilers slightly favored at -265 on the puck line despite being a dead-even game on the ML. 

Tampa Bay has been a strong home team this season as they’re sitting at 19-7-2, and their recent run of form makes them a seriously tempting underdog pick. On the other end, Edmonton is still considered a Stanley Cup contender despite recent struggles. They haven’t done too bad on the road as they’re sitting at 16-9-2, but they’ll need to change something if they want to stop this skid.

Oilers Must Tighten Up Defensively

Edmonton’s biggest problem since the 4 Nations Face-Off has been defense.

They’ve given up 18 goals in their last 3 games which includes a brutal 7-3 loss to Washington and a 6-3 loss to Philadelphia. Both teams are teams that they should’ve beat, but instead received a blowout.

The goaltending duo of Stuart Skinner with a solid 2.81 GAA and .898 SV% and Calvin Pickard hasn’t been as sharp, and mistakes in their own zone have cost them plenty.

Despite the problems in the crease, the Oilers still have plenty of offensive firepower. Led by Leon Draisaitl with 86 points and Connor McDavid with 72 points, their top 6 are absolutely unstoppable.

But if they don’t clean up their defensive play, they’ll struggle to contain Tampa Bay’s insanely dominant attack.

Lightning’s Hot Streak Fueled by Kucherov and Vasilevskiy

The Lightning are clicking at the right time of the season.

They’ve won 5 straight, averaging 4.4 goals per game in that span while giving up just 2.4 goals per game. If they can keep up these numbers against the #1 team in the NHL, they should be able to walk away with 2 points.

Nikita Kucherov continues his MVP-caliber season with 82 points spanning 26 goals and 56 assists, and Andrei Vasilevskiy has regained his elite form as he’s posting a .920 SV% and 2.32 GAA. All of that to say, they’ve got the tools on both ends of the ice.

Tampa Bay is also coming off a strong 4-3 OT win over Ottawa, showing resilience even in tight games. Their special teams have been a big factor for their success, with a 26.9% power play which is good for 4th in the NHL and an improving penalty kill.

Prediction and Best Bet

This is a pivotal game for both teams and when you look at their records, it’s easy to see why.

Edmonton needs a response after 3 straight losses, while Tampa Bay wants to keep firing on all cylinders. Sure, the Oilers won the first meeting 2-1 back in December, but that was in Edmonton and both teams look much different as we near the end of February.

• HelloRookie’s Prediction: Lightning 4, Oilers 2
• Best Bet: Tampa Bay Lightning ML (-110)

Edmonton has been too shaky defensively to trust against a team as hot as Tampa Bay. The Lightning’s offensive depth, strong goaltending, and home-ice advantage on top of that easily make them the better bet. Vasilevskiy gives them the clear edge in net, and Kucherov should have no problem continuing to dominate.

While both teams have undeniably some of the best offensive talent, we think that this game could be more defensive than expected.

Edmonton knows it needs to clean up its defensive mistakes, and Tampa Bay has been solid in its own end. With that, we expect a tight, playoff-style game with fewer goals than usual. If you’re going to make a bet on the total score, we’d recommend taking the under on 6.5 goals.

Player Props to Watch

If you’re looking for some solid player props for this big game, there are a few key trends that stand out to us. These bets are based on recent performances and head-to-head stats, making them strong options for your bet slip tonight.

• Brayden Point Over 0.5 Assists (+126). Point has recorded at least 1 assist in each of Tampa Bay’s last 5 games against Edmonton. We expect he’ll get heavy usage in tonight’s matchup.
• Leon Draisaitl Anytime Goalscorer (+115). Draisaitl is a scoring machine. He has scored at least 1 goal in each of the Oilers’ last 5 games and won’t look to slow down tonight despite going against Vasilevskiy.
• Connor McDavid Over 0.5 Assists (-188). The best hockey player in the world has tallied at least 1 assist in 6 of Edmonton’s last 7 road games. He knows how to set up big plays especially on the power play unit.

These trends highlight how the Oilers’ offensive stars and Tampa Bay’s playmakers could make an impact on the game and are some of the best NHL player prop bets for the night. Whether you’re backing Point’s passing, Draisaitl’s elite scoring, or McDavid’s dominant playmaking, these props offer solid betting value in what we feel should be a competitive game.