The Utah Hockey Club (32-28-11) travel to face off against the Tampa Bay Lightning (41-25-5) on Thursday, March 27th. This game will be played at Amalie Arena in Tampa and televised on ESPN+. Both the Hockey Club and Lightning will be looking to bounce back from losses in their previous games. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 ET.

Hockey Club vs Lightning

The Utah Hockey Club Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

Utah fell to 32-28-11 after a 4-3 loss to the Golden Knights. The game’s total of 7 goals surpassed the pre-game line of 6.5. As underdogs on the puck line, Utah failed to cover.

They led 2-0 before allowing four unanswered goals from Vegas. Utah’s three goals came from three different players.

The Tampa Bay Lightning Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

Tampa Bay’s defense struggled in their 7-4 loss to the Jets. The Lightning were underdogs on the puck line, and the total of 11 goals easily surpassed the pre-game line of 6.5. The loss moved Tampa Bay to 41-25-5 for the season.

The Lightning held a 2-0 lead early, but the Jets responded with seven of the next nine goals. All four of Tampa Bay’s goals came from different players in the loss.

Utah Offense Breakdown

Utah’s offense took 19 shots on goal and scored three times in their 4-3 loss to Vegas. The team’s first goal came from Logan Cooley, his second of the season, while Ian Cole added his first goal of the year. Alexander Kerfoot netted his second goal, tying the game 3-3 in the third period.

Nick Bjugstad contributed with two assists, bringing his total to two on the season. Cooley also picked up his eighth assist on Cole’s goal. Utah had 13 giveaways in the game.

Lightning Offense Breakdown

Tampa Bay found the net four times in their 7-4 loss to Winnipeg. Brandon Hagel opened the scoring with his 7th goal of the season, while Brayden Point added his 8th on a power play. Mitchell Chaffee netted his 4th goal, and Nikita Kucherov scored for the 10th time this season.

The Lightning took 30 shots on goal and recorded 8 giveaways. They scored twice in the first period, added a third in the second, and tied the game 4-4 with 13:09 left in the third period.

Utah Team Defense

Utah’s defense will be looking to bounce back after allowing four goals to Vegas, including the game-winner just 2:15 into overtime. Connor Ingram made 31 saves, posting a save percentage of 88.6%. Utah’s defense also finished with 8 takeaways and 21 hits.

Tampa Bay Team Defense

Defensively, the Lightning allowed the first goal of the game at 7:37 in the 1st period, and after tying the game at 4-4 in the 3rd, they gave up three more goals, including two empty-netters. Jonas Johansson made 27 saves with an 84.4% save percentage. Tampa Bay’s defense also recorded 6 takeaways and 16 hits.

Hockey Club vs Lightning Trends

• Through their last ten road contests, the Hockey Club offense has averaged 2 goals per game while allowing an average of 3. Utah posted an overall record of 4-6 while going 3-7 ATS.
• Through their last ten home contests, the Lightning offense has averaged 4 goals per game while allowing an average of 1. Tampa Bay posted an overall record of 9-1 while going 7-3 ATS.
• In their last three games as the betting underdog, the Lightning have a straight up record of 0-3 and an puck line mark of 0-3.
• Looking back on the team’s last ten games as the favorite, the Hockey Club have a straight up record of 6-4. Their record vs the puck line in these games was 5-5.

Hockey Club vs Lightning Prediction

For those seeking a straight moneyline bet, the Lightning are the top choice. Nonetheless, with a payout of -197, you might want to use this bet as a part of a parlay to get better odds.

My recommended pick for the puck line is to take the Hockey Club to cover. Even if the Lightning win straight-up, this one should be close throughout and the Hockey Club should cover the puck line.

If you’re looking at the over/under line set at 6 goals, our prediction is that this game will exceed that mark, and we strongly advise placing a bet on the over.

All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!

* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.