Tampa Bay Lightning vs New Jersey Devils Odds
Tonight (Monday, December 12) the game that NHL betting fans will be watching across North America is the matchup between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the visiting New Jersey Devils at St. Pete Times Forum.
Premier internet sports betting site Bodog has laid the following Tampa Bay Lightning vs New Jersey Devils Odds:
Tampa Bay Lightning +130
New Jersey Devils +162
Draw +300
However, NHL odds aside, hockey is an unpredictable game where anything can and usually does happen, so check out our Tampa Bay Lightning vs New Jersey Devils preview:
New Jersey Devils Three Points Ahead
Despite being the slight betting underdogs coming into tonight's game, the New Jersey Devils are three points ahead of the Lightning in the NHL standings. But that is not saying much considering that many fans consider that this team has played well below par this season.
Once touted as an Eastern Conference team that could make it all the way to the 2012 Stanley Cup finals, so far this season New Jersey have done little to turn that into a reality, and they really need to pull up their socks. Especially when you consider how many 'very strong' teams the Devils are still scheduled to play this season.
But in terms of how they'll rate against the Lightning this evening, the Devils have a good offense with a few 'sharpshooters' more than capable of finding the back of their rival's net. Defensively, the Devils are far less strong, so expect Tampa Bay to exploit this 'weaker' defense tonight.
Tampa Bay Lightning Struggling This Season
Like their opponents this evening, the Tampa Bay Lightning were also expected to rise up the Eastern Conference leader board en route to the Stanley Cup. But they too have had a poor season so far, with a lack of consistency in most aspects of their game being the biggest culprit.
Goalkeepers Mathieu Garon and Dwayne Roloson are both struggling this season, as is the team's offensive lineup which just a year ago was on fire. Now barely smoking, it's being pulled apart by rivals, and the team risks having an extremely bad season if it doesn't buck up soon.
As for their chances tonight go, it's worth mentioning that the Lightning's record at home is better than their record on the road, hence their favorite status at Bodog. That said, this evening's game in Florida really could go either way.
