Today’s NHL Predictions features a cross-conference matchup from earlier this season. On Tuesday, the Tampa Bay Lightning (13-12-5) fell to the Vancouver Canucks by a score of 4-1. Brayden Point opened the scoring early in the first period. Then, Brock Boeser recorded a natural hat trick in the second half of the game for a Canucks win.
On the other side of this matchup, the Edmonton Oilers (13-12-1) are the hottest team in the league right now. The Oilers currently ride an eight-game winning streak and look unstoppable under their new Head Coach, Kris Knoblauch. Connor McDavid has 22 points throughout the eight-game win streak, and Leon Draisaitl is tied-ninth in scoring. Furthermore, Stuart Skinner has completely turned his game around in goal.
Tampa Bay continues their West Coast road trip at Rogers Place to face a scorching hot Edmonton team. The Bolts lack consistency so far this season. In addition, the Lightning lacks a team identity. Tampa Bay will not reach the playoffs or continue to compete with its current core if they do not establish an identity soon. Here are the keys to victory for the Lightning in this matchup.
NHL Predictions: Tampa Bay vs Edmonton
Three Keys to Victory for Tampa Bay
Regain Power Play Success
The Lightning power play has experienced a massive struggle over the past five games. The Bolts scored only two goals on their last fifteen power play attempts, roughly a 13% success rate. After all, Victor Hedman missed the game against Vancouver, and Steven Stamkos missed the game against the Seattle Kraken. However, with the talent of Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point on the unit, the team should still manage to score goals.
The Bolts need a reset on their top power-play unit. Anthony Cirelli and Brandon Hagel are two players who deserve an opportunity on the unit. Cirelli has four goals and six points in his last five games. Furthermore, nobody gets to the high-danger areas better than Cirelli. Jon Cooper can use Cirelli as the down-low guy who alternates into the bumper for one-timer looks from a left-handed shot. Moreover, Cirelli took reps on the top unit for a portion of training camp in the Fall. The same idea applies to Hagel due to his relentless effort on the puck and in front of the net.
Establish an Identity
As we mentioned in the introduction, the Lightning lacks a team identity. In previous years, the Lightning built a roster with four complete lines that could wear down opponents through the forecheck and cycle. Flashforward to 2023-24, many of those vital pieces to the team are gone. The Lightning are a top-heavy team that lacks depth on forward and defence.
The team seems too comfortable out there this season. In other words, the team believes that their championship pedigree will carry them into the playoffs. The Bolts have shown flashes of excellence by defeating top competition around the league. However, the group needs to sit down and figure out what kind of team they want to be. The longest-tenured coach in the league will have a solution for this issue at some point this season.
Try Specific Forward Line Combinations
While Kucherov and Point are inseparable, try to split them up and see what happens. The Lightning have nothing to lose at this point in the season. The team is just crawling above a .500 record and lacks consistency. Worst case scenario, the Lightning revert to their usual line combinations. Their opponents do not play the two best forwards on the same line at even strength. Instead, the Oilers create a constant threat with McDavid and Draisaitl on for back-to-back shifts.
One combination Cooper should try is placing Cirelli on a line with Kucherov. While Kucherov is not terrible defensively compared to previous seasons, Cirelli can help stabilize the shifts Kucherov does get caught in the defensive zone. Furthermore, Cirelli is red hot with four goals in his last five games. Cirelli finds himself in high-danger areas, superficially in the soft spots in the slot. Nobody in the league is better at threading passes to that location than Kucherov. Here is the lineup we want to see against the Oilers.
Hagel – Cirelli – Kucherov
Stamkos – Point – Barré-Boulet
Jeannot – Motte – Eyssimont
Paul – Glendening – Chaffee
Prediction Time
This cross-conference rematch will be a challenging task for the Lightning to take on. The Oilers have made leaps and bounds in the standings compared to the start of the season. The Oilers also produce a plethora of high-danger opportunities and scoring chances. The Lightning will likely struggle in the defensive zone against the Oilers. Therefore, we have the Oilers winning this contest.
Prediction: Edmonton wins 6-2
Main Photo: Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports
