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Weekly NHL Betting action sees the Tampa Bay Lightning taking on the Pittsburgh Penguins December 12 at Consol Energy Center. Cappers Picks provides free NHL handicapping tips all season long.
Daily NHL Hockey Odds
Tampa Bay (19-9-0-3) at Pittsburgh (19-6-2-2)
When: 7:00 PM ET, Monday, December 15, 2014
Where: Consol Energy Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Broadcast: NBCSN, TVA, SN, ROOT
NHL Betting Odds
Penguins NHL Odds: -115
NHL Over/Under Betting Odds: 5.5
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Two of the Eastern Conference Heavyweights do battle in Pittsburgh on a light Monday night on the NHL schedule when the Tampa Bay Lightning pay visit to the Penguins.
Pittsburgh has won an astounding nine straight games between the two teams but will be without their leader Sidney Crosby who is the latest NHL star to be diagnosed with the mumps.
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The Lightning enter Monday night’s clash having lost three of their last four games – the latest coming Saturday to the Washington Capitals. The Lightning continue to be the most prolific offense in the NHL right now – they have 105 goals so far – 10 more than the next highest scoring team.
There are some issues on this team however – the power play is just 2 for its last 19 – 0-for-4 in their latest loss to Washington.
Ben Bishop has been good all season long but is mired in a bit of a slump heading into Monday’s game. He is 0-3-0 with a 3.45 GAA and .877 save percentage in his last three starts. He will be facing a depleted lineup in this one but a lineup that still boasts some quality names.
The Pittsburgh Penguins were dealt some bad news on Sunday – that Sid the Kid will be out for the foreseeable future with the mumps.
Crosby joins defenseman Olli Maatta (upper body) and forwards Pascal Dupuis (blood clots), Chris Kunitz (foot), Beau Bennett (unspecified), Scott Wilson (leg) and Zach Sill (unspecified) on the sidelines – yikes!
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The same lineup that lost 4-3 to the Blue Jackets in a shootout on Saturday will try to get back on track Monday but it won’t be easy.
Kris Letang has looked good since returning from injury – he has three points in his last two games while Blake Comeau, Steve Downie and Nick Spaling have picked up some slack – each have three points.
All will be critical with the starters out of the lineup – along with Evgeni Malkin who will have to be the best player on the ice and Patric Hornqvist who has gone pointless in his last five games. Malkin has posted 12 goals and nine assists in his last eight games versus Tampa Bay.
Pittsburgh is just 4 for its last 39 on the power play but the team is still operating at a 26.3% clip.
Crosby’s absence will hurt in that department for sure but as long as Malkin maintains his dominance over the Lightning, the team should be OK at very least.
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Marc-Andre Fleury will get the nod between the pipes Monday – he is 7-1-2 with a 2.04 GAA in his last 10 starts and has won six straight games against Tampa Bay.
NHL Gambling Trends
• Over is 10-2 in TB last 12 vs. Metropolitan.
• Over is 19-5-3 in TB last 27 Mon. games.
• Over is 18-7-1 in TB last 26 road games.
• PIT are 7-1 in their last 8 Mon. games.
• PIT are 19-7 in their last 26 vs. Atlantic.
• PIT are 83-36 in their last 119 home games.
• TB are 0-9 in the last 9 meetings.
• Over is 8-1 in the last 9 meetings.
The Penguins have absolutely dominated this series – absolutely.
NHL Betting 4* Free Play
But Pittsburgh will be forced to play with the majority of their AHL roster.
Tampa Bay Lightning ML
Simply put the Lightning may have caught the Pens at precisely the right time to end their futility against their divisional foe.
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