The Canucks are 10-2-1 on the road but have struggled to win in Vancouver, where they're just 4-5-3 this season.
LAS VEGAS -- It's NFL Sunday and things are heating up down the stretch. But it's just as hot on the ice, if that's possible, as the second quarter of the NHL campaign is ramping up with several teams finding their groove.
And intriguing non-conference clash takes place in Vancouver tonight, as the Tampa Bay Lightning are in town to battle the surging Canucks.
Let's do a deep dive into this one:
WHY TAMPA BAY: The Lightning couldn't find their groove over their first 13 games, going 7-6-0 after a pair of mini-three-game winning streaks, and a four-game skid to end the first quarter of the season. Since then, however, the Bolts have won six of 10, including an 8-1 shellacking of the San Jose Sharks on Dec. 5. With two days to prepare for a four-game stretch through the Northwest portion of North America, the high-scoring Lightning will be looking to make a statement in the first game of this trip.
WHY VANCOUVER: The Canucks opened the season ho-hum, splitting their first 18 games (9-6-3). But since Nov. 23, the Canucks have won five of seven and are suddenly tied for third place in the Pacific Division with the Edmonton Oilers, both sporting 32 points. The Canucks have been unreal away from Vancouver, going 10-2-1 on the road. They have to start winning at home, where they're 4-5-3, if they want to make any sort of serious run in the division.
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THE PICK: LIGHTNING -110 -- Tampa Bay leads the NHL with 5.20 goals-for-per-game since Nov. 25. The Lightning are the only team in the NHL that is scoring more than 4.58 goals in that span, and that could be a problem for the Canucks, especially seeing how they've played at home. If you go back to Nov. 9, Vancouver is allowing a league seventh-highest 3.57 goals-against per home game, a hair more than it's scoring. Tampa Bay arrives in Vancouver riding a 7-1-0 win streak against the Canucks the past five seasons, and I'm betting coach Jon Cooper will have his troops ready again.
(Season Record: 7-10-0, Net: -370$, based on 100$ units)
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