A couple of hot teams will take the ice at Little Caesars Arena tonight when the Detroit Red Wings host the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Detroit enters play with six wins in its last eight games while Tampa Bay comes in on a five-game win streak.
Nikita Kucherov has been pivotal to the Lightning’s success, notching 14 points since the calendar flipped to 2024. Find out if he can help the visitors push their win streak to six in my Lightning vs. Red Wings NHL picks and predictions for Sunday, January 21.
Lightning vs Red Wings odds
Lightning vs Red Wings predictions
Nikita Kucherov was surprisingly quiet in the Tampa Bay Lightning’s 3-1 victory against the Sabres last night as the star forward was held without a point for just the second time in his last 11 outings. It also marked the first time that Kucherov didn't register a shot on net since December 12 — a span of 16 games.
Nevertheless, I’m banking on Kucherov to bounce back with a goal against the Detroit Red Wings tonight as my best bet.
The Lightning forward has seen his goal-scoring rate take a bit of a hit this month as he’s netted just two goals in eight games, but it’s not for lack of trying. Kucherov is still averaging a very solid 3.00 shots on net per game but is converting just 8.3% of his chances.
This comes on the back of a December where Kucherov shot the lights out, scoring 11 goals while shooting 19.3% — nearly 5% above his season average. Kucherov is averaging 4.27 shots per game so if he keeps that up, he should eventually break through and start putting some pucks in the net.
Alex Lyon, Detroit’s likely netminder, has performed above expectations for the Red Wings this season but is certainly still beatable. Lyon has allowed 3+ goals in nine of his last 12 appearances, so Kucherov should have plenty of chances to get his goal tonight.
My best bet: Nikita Kucherov anytime goalscorer (+110 at PROLINE+)
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Covers may receive advertising commissions for visits to a sportsbook or betting site.
Lightning vs Red Wings same-game parlay
Lightning moneyline
Nikita Kucherov anytime goalscorer
Brayden Point anytime goalscorer
I’ll lean on the Lightning for tonight’s same-game parlay as I look for goals from Kucherov and Brayden Point en route to a Tampa Bay win.
Tampa Bay has dominated Detroit in recent years, winning 12 of the last 17 meetings on the road.
Meanwhile, Kucherov (28 goals) and Point (21 goals) have combined for just under one-third of the Lightning’s 155 goals this season, so there’s a decent chance they’ll need both to find the back of the net tonight if they’re going to pull out the win.
Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
Ontario sports bettors: Play your way with PROLINE+
Ontario-owned and operated, PROLINE+ has a robust market offering at its disposal and reinvests 100% of its profits back into the province — join today!
Lightning vs Red Wings moneyline and Over/Under analysis
The Lightning opened as the slight favorite on the road at -114 on the moneyline while the total was set at 6.5 goals. I like Tampa Bay to keep its win streak alive while cashing the Over.
It’s taken a while for the Lightning to find their rhythm but now with Andrei Vasilevskiy finally healthy, they’ve rattled off five straight wins and seven in their last nine contests. One of the main reasons for their success over that stretch has been elite special teams, and that could make all the difference tonight.
Tampa Bay has posted an 88.9% penalty kill since December 31 — third best in the NHL — and a 33% power play, which ranks second over that span.
With seven power-play points from Kucherov and six from Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay has converted on nine of its 27 opportunities during this nine-game hot streak, so Detroit will need to be careful not to give the Lightning too many chances on the man advantage.
The Lightning are scoring at a relatively high clip during this run, netting 4+ goals in five of their last nine contests while averaging 3.89 goals per game over that span.
Meanwhile, the Red Wings have also quietly been one of the highest-scoring clubs in the league this season at 3.51 gpg — fourth best in the NHL — while recording 4+ goals in five of their last 10 outings.
Lightning vs Red Wings betting trend to know
The Over is 5-1 in Detroit’s last six home games. Find more NHL betting trends for Lightning vs. Red Wings.
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Covers may receive advertising commissions for visits to a sportsbook or betting site.
Lightning vs Red Wings game info
| Location: | Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, MI |
| Date: | Sunday, January 21, 2024 |
| Puck drop: | 7:00 p.m. ET |
| TV: | Bally Sports Sun, Bally Sports Detroit |
Lightning vs Red Wings latest injuries
Stay updated with the latest picks, odds, and news! Tap the 
to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.
