NHL Odds: Red Wings Visit Lightning


Wednesday February 3,2016 : NHL Odds: Howard Expected to Start for Detroit Versus Lightning

They may be tied for second place in the Atlantic Division, but the Tampa Bay Lightning (27-18-4) look stronger than the Detroit Red Wings (25-16-8) on paper. They'll meet on the ice this Wednesday night at the Amalie Arena in Tampa. The puck drops at 8 PM ET on NBCSN.

The Lightning skate out of the All-Star break with a goal differential of plus-13 on the season, while the Red Wings have been somewhat fortunate at minus-2. Also, it's expected that back-up goalie Jimmy Howard (.908 save percentage) will start Wednesday over Petr Mrazek (.932 SV%) in the front end of back-to-back games for the Wings. No. 1 netminder Ben Bishop (.926 SV%) is penciled in to start for Tampa Bay after playing in his first career All-Star Game.

Detroit will be without at least one key player in this game: Top defenseman Niklas Kronwall (three goals, 14 assists) was put on long-term injured reserve Monday after having his knee scoped last month. Kronwall leads all Detroit blueliners with 10 power-play assists. Centre Riley Sheehan (seven goals, six assists) is iffy to face Tampa Bay after coming down with an undisclosed illness and missing Monday's practice.

Bet on hockey at Bovada and get a free $250 Bet