The Tampa Bay Lightning and Carolina Hurricanes square off in a marquee matchup between a pair of perennial Eastern Conference powerhouses.
This should be a back-and-forth affair, and my Lightning vs. Hurricanes predictions expect a star winger on each side to make their marks offensively.
I’ll break it all down in my NHL picks for Friday, October 11.
Lightning vs Hurricanes prediction
My best bet
Andrei Svechnikov Over 0.5 points + Over 1.5 shots (-130 at bet365)
My analysis
The Carolina Hurricanes lost a ton of scoring on the wings in the offseason.
Jake Guentzel departed after a short but productive cameo with the Canes, while Teuvo Tervainanen (53 points in 76 games) and Stefan Noesen (37 points in 81 games) also walked away in free agency — opting to chase more lucrative deals elsewhere.
Carolina is going to rely heavily on internal improvements to boost the team’s scoring and replace the bulk of the offense lost, most notably Andrei Svechnikov.
The winger is projected to skate on the team’s second line alongside Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Martin Necas, and he'll serve as a go-to-shooter on the top power-play unit. Put simply, he’s going to get a lot of ice in opportune situations.
The Tampa Bay Lightning possess a lot of star power, but their lineup is top-heavy. The Sebastian Aho line and Jordan Staal line will eat up almost every bit of the ice against Nikita Kucherov, freeing up Svechnikov to create offense against lesser competition.
The 24-year-old has historically been a lot more productive when getting more favorable matchups on home soil, picking up at least a point in 70 of his last 115 home games (60%).
His shot rates have also risen at home, averaging 3.2 shots per game in Carolina during that window.
An added bonus for Svechnikov is being centered by Kotkaniemi rather than Aho. Kotkaniemi is much more of a passer than a scorer and that has propped up Svechnikov’s shot rates accordingly.
The RW recorded 10.37 shots on goal and 19.67 attempts per 60 minutes of 5v5 play with Kotkaniemi last season. Those were the highest rates he posted out of any of the 10 Hurricanes he shared the ice with for at least 105 minutes.
Lightning vs Hurricanes same-game parlay (SGP)
Andrei Svechnikov Over 0.5 points
Andrei Svechnikov Over 1.5 shots
Nikita Kucherov Over 2.5 shots
Can you really build a Lightning SGP without including Kucherov? The Tampa winger has had little problem generating shots against the Hurricanes in recent years, clearing in five of the past seven head-to-head meetings — and all four in Carolina.
The Lightning were initially slated to play in back-to-back nights, but their home game on Saturday has rightfully been called off as a byproduct of the devastating hurricane.
That means the Lightning — who haven’t played since last Friday’s preseason finale — will be out of action until Tuesday at the earliest following this game.
Head coach Jon Cooper will be able to spoon feed Kucherov and the team’s best players as much ice time as they can handle, only increasing the likelihood of their stud winger hitting three shots.
Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
Lightning vs Hurricanes odds
Lightning vs Hurricanes live odds
Lightning vs Hurricanes opening odds
- Puck line: Tampa Bay +1.5 (-207) | Carolina -1.5 (+180)
- Moneyline: Tampa Bay +121 | Carolina -136
- Over/Under: Over 6.5 (+105) | Under 6.5 (-120)
Lightning vs Hurricanes moneyline and Over/Under analysis
- The moneyline has moved a little bit in Tampa Bay’s direction, with the Hurricanes now trading at -132 at Pinnacle.
- Only three of the past 10 meetings have gone Over the number, but the total has held firm at 6.5.
- These two teams have played each other very tough, splitting the last 10 matchups at five wins each.
Lightning vs Hurricanes trend
Andrei Svechnikov has found the scoresheet in six of the last seven games against Tampa Bay. Find more NHL betting trends for Lightning vs. Hurricanes.
Lightning vs Hurricanes game info
| Location: | PNC Arena, Raleigh, NC |
| Date: | Friday, 10-11-2024 |
| Puck drop: | 7:00 p.m. ET |
| TV: | HULU, SNP |
Lightning vs Hurricanes latest injuries
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
