Surging Lightning Host Maple Leafs

Lightning Offense Finding Groove

The Toronto Maple Leafs and the Tampa Bay Lightning will meet on Thursday at Amalie Arena. The Lightning hope to continue their scoring surges in a showdown of the top two teams in the league.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, TVA, Sportsnet Ontario (Toronto), FS Sun (Tampa Bay)

Line: Tampa Bay -140; O/U: 6.5U -120.

(opens in a new tab)">Steven Stamkos boasts eight goals and four assists during Tampa Bay's seven-game winning streak. They have scored 36 times. Stamkos also posted his club-record ninth career hat trick in Monday's 6-3 victory over the New York Rangers. Stamkos has 18 goals and 41 points in 35 career games against Toronto.

The Maple Leafs' are six points behind the Atlantic Division-leading Lightning with a game in hand after knocking off Carolina 4-1 on Tuesday. William Nylander led the way for the Maple Leafs. He had two assists in his third game since returning from a contract hold out. He also scored twice in four contests against Tampa Bay last season.

The Maple Leafs are 21-9-1 on the season. Forward Mitch Marner has not scored in 12 games. He does have 13 assists in his last eight outings to take the team lead with 41 points. John Tavares owns a team-high 19 goals after scoring Tuesday. Auston Matthews has 16 goals in 17 contests this season. That makes six during his current six-game point streak since coming off injured reserve. Defenseman Morgan Rielly has at least a point in six straight outings. Defenseman Jake Gardiner is also on a roll with a goal and seven assists during a five-game point streak.

Forward Zach Hyman will sit out the final contest of a two-game suspension for an illegal check.

The Lightning are 24-7-1 on the season. Louis Domingue is 11-3-0 since taking over as the No. 1 goalie. All-Star Andrei Vasilevskiy is healthy again as he is coming off a fractured foot. He has gone through a full practice and could be back in net as early as Thursday.

Right wing Nikita Kucherov has assists in three straight games and leads the team with 45 points. Brayden Point is four behind and has seven of his team-high 21 goals in the last 10 games.

PREDICTION: Maple Leafs 4, Lightning 3

NHL Betting Odds & Trends

Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Toronto's last 7 games
Toronto is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games on the road
Toronto is 12-4 SU in its last 16 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Toronto's last 6 games on the road
Toronto is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Tampa Bay
Toronto is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Tampa Bay
Toronto is 2-7 SU in its last 9 games when playing on the road against Tampa Bay
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Toronto's last 10 games when playing on the road against Tampa Bay

Tampa Bay Lightning
Tampa Bay is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Tampa Bay's last 7 games
Tampa Bay is 11-5 ATS in its last 16 games at home
Tampa Bay is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Tampa Bay's last 6 games at home
Tampa Bay is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Toronto
Tampa Bay is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Toronto
Tampa Bay is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games when playing at home against Toronto
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Tampa Bay's last 10 games when playing at home against Toronto

Next up:
Toronto at Florida Saturday, December 15
Tampa Bay at Winnipeg Sunday, December 16

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