lightning vs flames nhl betting prediction

NHL: Lightning vs. Calgary Flames Prediction 12/16/2023

The Tampa Bay Lightning (14-12-5) travel to face off against the Calgary Flames (11-15-5) on Saturday, December 16th. This game will be played at Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary. The Lightning are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Flames are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Wild. Puck drop is set for 10:00 ET.

Tampa Bay Lightning vs Calgary Flames

The Tampa Bay Lightning Are Coming Off A Win

In their 31 games, the Lightning have a 14-12-5 record this season. While playing at their home arena, they have a 8-3-3 record, and their record on the road is 6-9-2. At the moment, they hold the 5th spot in the Eastern Atlantic division and are ranked 9th in the Eastern conference. Tampa Bay’s average scoring margin this season is -0.2, leading to an overall puck line record of 16-15. At their home arena, they have a scoring margin of +.7, while on the road, it is -1.0.

In their last game, the Lightning went up against the Oilers and emerged as winners with a score of 7-4. After scoring two goals in the first period, the Lightning found the net five times in the 3rd period against the Oilers. Out of Tampa Bay’s seven goals, one were scored during power plays. They concluded the game with 24 shots on goal and had 19 giveaways.

Entering the game as the underdog, Tampa Bay came away with a victory against the puck line. The combined total of 11 goals exceeded the over/under line, which was set at 6.5 goals for the game.

The Calgary Flames Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

Coming into their game vs. Lightning, the Flames have a 11-15-5 record. They hold a 6-6-1 record when playing at home, and they have gone 5-9-4 on the road. In the Western Pacific division, they are currently 5th, and in the Western conference, they come into the game sitting 11th. Calgary heads into the game with five wins by more than one goal, and lost 11 games by multiple goals. Their overall puck line record this season is 14-16.

Coming off a 3-2 loss on the road to the Wild, the Flames are hoping to bounce back today. Offensively, the Flames couldn’t break through in the first period, but they scored one time in the second period and one goal in the third. Calgary finished with one power-play goals, while they also managed to score one time when shorthanded. Their game concluded with 37 shots on goal.

As underdogs, Calgary suffered a loss but still covered the puck line. The over/under line for the game was 6.5, and it concluded with a combined total of 5 goals.

Tampa Bay Offense Breakdown

On the offensive side, the Lightning are scoring an 3.3 goals per game this season, ranking 4th in the NHL. When it came to shots on target per game, they are 8th in the league. This season, the Lightning have a 9-8 record in games where they outshoot their opponent. In games with fewer shots on goal, they hold a 5-4 record.

For the season, the over/under record of the Lightning’s stands at 14-15-2. They have had 16 games during the season that exceeded the 6.5 over/under line. On average, their games are averaging 6.9 goals per game.

Calgary Offense Breakdown

When looking at their offense, the Flames have an average of 3 goals per game this season, positioning themselves 19th in the NHL. In terms of shots on goal per game, they are ranked 5th in the league. This year, the Flames have recorded a 6-9 record in games where they outshoot their opponent. For games with fewer shots on goal, they have 4-6 record.

This season, the Flames have an over/under record of 18-11-1. Throughout the season, they have played 17 games that went over the 6.5 over/under line. The average number of goals in their games is 6.5 per game.

Tampa Bay Team Defense

In terms of defense, the Lightning head into the game ranked 5th in goals allowed. On average, opponents are taking 31 shots per game against Tampa Bay. So far, they are 4th in shutouts, achieving 3 shutouts.

Calgary Team Defense

Coming into the game, the Flames’ defense is 13th in takeaways at 6.7 takeaways per contest. Overall, they are giving up 3.2 goals per game which is 17th in the NHL.

Lightning vs Flames Trends

  • Across the Lightning last three road games, the team averaged 4 goals per game while allowing 3. Their record vs the puck line in these contests was 1-2, while going 2-1 straight-up.
  • Across their last three home contests, Calgary has a 3-0 record vs the spread. Their overall mark in these games was 0-3, while averaging 3 goals per game.
  • In their last three games as the betting underdog, the Flames have a straight up record of 0-3 and an puck line mark of 3-0.
  • Going back to their last ten games as the favorite, the Lightning have a straight up record of 4-6. But, their mark vs the puck line was just 3-7.

Lightning vs Flames Prediction

When it comes to a moneyline wager, I’m going with the Lightning to defeat the Flames while playing on the road. Given the current moneyline odds at -109, I’m placing a wager on the Lightning to win outright.

If you’re looking to get a bet down on this matchup, we foresee the Lightning winning the underdog. However, if you’re not as confident in the Lightning straight-up, we’d still recommend placing a bet on them to cover the puck line.

If you’re looking at the over/under line set at 6.5 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.