Rangers vs Lightning Betting (Dec. 29): Can Tampa Bay Get Revenge for Season-Opening Loss?

The 2022-23 NHL season continues on Thursday, Dec. 29 with a handful of matchups, including a showdown between the New York Rangers and Tampa Bay Lightning. Both teams have been playing some impressive hockey lately, making this Rangers vs Lightning tilt an Eastern Conference matchup that you won’t want to miss.

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The Rangers were shutout, 4-0, by the Washington Capitals in their latest outing. New York simply couldn’t solve Darcy Kuemper, who stopped all 32 shots that he faced in the victory. The Rangers haven’t lost back-to-back games since the beginning of the month, leaving time to tell if they can get back on track tonight.

Meanwhile, the Lightning picked up a 4-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday, led by a two-goal effort from Brayden Point. The victory also marked the 14th time that the Lightning have won in their last 19 games, giving them a ton of momentum heading into tonight.

As with most notable matchups, there are plenty of betting opportunities in this Rangers vs Lightning tilt. Here’s a look at BetOnline Sportsbook’s latest odds for the games, as well as a prediction and the best bet to make, courtesy of Betting News.

New York Rangers vs Tampa Bay Lightning Matchup Information and Betting Odds

Matchup Information

• Matchup: New York Rangers (19-12-5, 11-5-1 Away) vs. Tampa Bay Lightning 21-11-1, 13-4-1 Home)
• Venue & Location: Amalie Arena (Tampa, Florida)
• Date: Thursday, Dec. 29, 2022
• Game Time: 7 p.m. Eastern Time
• Rangers vs Lightning Info: ESPN+

Rangers vs Lightning Odds

Game odds are via BetOnline as of Thursday, Dec. 29 at 8:19 a.m. ET. Odds from other top online sportsbooks may also be mentioned in this article.

Spread

• New York Rangers +1.5 (-225)
• Tampa Bay Lightning -1.5 (+180)

Over/Under

• Over 6 Goals (-112)
• Under 6 Goals (-110)

Moneyline

• New York Rangers +104
• Tampa Bay Lightning -125

New York Rangers vs Tampa Bay Lightning Betting Trends

• The Rangers are 2-6 straight up in their last eight road games against Tampa Bay.
• Tampa Bay is 5-0 straight up in its last five home games.
• The total has hit the under in 10 of the Rangers’ last 12 games against the Atlantic Division.
• The total has hit the under in each of Tampa Bay’s last six games against the Rangers.

Rangers vs Lightning Prediction and Picks

Rangers vs Lightning Prediction: Lightning 3, Rangers 2

Rangers vs Lightning: Lightning ML (Best Value: -125 at BetOnline) & Under 6 Goals (Best Value: -110 at BetOnline)

The Rangers and Lightning already faced off for the first time back in October, ending in a 3-1 victory for New York. Having said that, that meeting was when the 2022-23 campaign had just begun and a lot has changed since then.

For starters, the Lightning are currently holding on to the No. 3 playoff spot in the Atlantic Division. Meanwhile, the Rangers are only holding on to the Eastern Conference’s final wild card spot, only one point ahead of the rival Islanders.

The Lightning also have the advantage of playing this game at Amalie Arena, whereas the first encounter occurred at Madison Square Garden. The Bolts have won each of their last five home games, outscoring opponents 23-10 over that stretch while finding the back of the net at least four times in each contest.

The Rangers have also been fantastic on the road lately, winning seven of their last nine away games. Having said that, their recent history at Amalie Arena has been less than stellar, to say the least.

New York has lost six of the last eight Rangers vs Lightning matchups in Tampa Bay. Not only were the Rangers outscored 33-18 over that stretch, but they also allowed the Lightning to convert on 11 of their 33 power-play opportunities.

Including the playoffs, Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin has also lost four of his last five starts against the Lightning. Although he has a 2.25 goals-against average (GAA) and .933 save percentage (SV%) in those games, it still shows that Tampa Bay knows how to get the better of him.

With the momentum stemming from Wednesday’s victory still in their system, I’m ultimately siding with the Lightning tonight. They’ve been phenomenal at home and I think that they’ll be motivated even more to get revenge for October’s loss to the Rangers.

Nevertheless, the Rangers are still a fantastic team and I see them keeping things close, so I’m only comfortable taking the Lightning on the moneyline (-125 odds).

I also recommend backing the total going under six goals. Eight of the last nine matchups between these two teams have finished with fewer than six goals and with the way that both sides have been playing lately, I can see it being another low-scoring battle.

Other New York vs Tampa Bay Resources

• Rangers vs Lightning Consensus Picks, Score Projections & Betting Stats