The Boston Bruins (42-16-15) trek to the Sunshine State to take on the Tampa Bay Lightning (39-25-7) Wednesday night. Puck drop at Amalie Arena is scheduled for 7:40 p.m. ET (TNT). Below, we analyze FanDuel Sportsbook’s'lines around the Bruins vs. Lightning odds, and make our expert NHL picks and predictions.
This is the 4th matchup between these squads this season, with the Bolts taking 2 of 3. Both of the Tampa Bay victories needed extra time: they earned a 5-4 OT win in November at home, and last month it was a 3-2 shootout finish in Boston. Sandwiched in between on Jan. 6 was a 7-3 drubbing by the Bruins at TD Garden as C Trent Frederic scored 2 goals.
Frederic scored his 18th goal of the season on the power play Tuesday night to tie up Boston’s game vs. the Florida Panthers late in the 3rd period. Minutes later, C Pavel Zacha fired in the game winner, which also was his 18th of the season. Boston’s 4-3 win broke a tie with Florida atop the Atlantic Division for 1st place.
Tampa Bay is 6-0-1 in their last 7 games and have returned home after a 4-game West Coast swing. The Bolts outlasted Anaheim 3-2 in overtime Sunday, as LW Anthony Duclair found the back of the net for the 5th time in his 7 games played for Tampa since being acquired from the San Jose Sharks.