Flames vs Lightning Pick – NHL Predictions & Odds 1/21/23

The Tampa Bay Lightning and Calgary Flames meet Saturday in NHL action at the Scotiabank Saddledome. Let’s preview this game and give out a pick and prediction.

The Tampa Bay Lightning Preview

The Tampa Bay Lightning are averaging 3.6 goals per game and are scoring on 28.6 percent of their power play opportunities. Brayden Point leads Tampa Bay with 27 goals, Nikita Kucherov has 47 assists and Steven Stamkos has 154 shots on goal. Defensively, the Tampa Bay Lightning are allowing 2.9 goals per game and are killing 80.9 percent of their opponent’s power plays. Andrei Vasilevskiy has given up 80 goals on 963 shots faced, and Brian Elliott has allowed 37 goals on 380 shots.

The Calgary Flames Preview

The Calgary Flames are averaging 3.1 goals per game and are scoring on 19.4 percent of their power play opportunities. Nazem Kadri leads Calgary with 17 goals, Elias Lindholm has 27 assists and Mikael Backlund has 146 shots on goal. Defensively, the Calgary Flames are allowing 2.9 goals per game and are killing 82.4 percent of their opponent’s power plays. Jacob Markstrom has allowed 87 goals on 825 shots faced, and Dan Vladar has given up 42 goals on 453 shots.

Trends

The Lightning are 14-3 in their last 17 Saturday games and 22-8 in their last 30 overall. The Flames are 18-6 in their last 24 Saturday games and 5-12 in their last 17 vs. Eastern Conference. The over is 3-1-4 in Lightning last 8 overall. The under is 9-3 in Flames last 12 overall. The Lightning are 9-3 in the last 12 meetings in Calgary and 6-1 in the last 7 meetings. The favorite is 7-0 in the last 7 meetings.

Randy’s Free Pick

The Calgary Flames are given the edge at home, and their defensive effort gives them a fighting chance here. However, we’re getting the Lightning at a cheap price and when they’re piling up the wins like this it’s tough to turn down. The Tampa Bay Lightning are one of the safer bets when they’re in this form, and I’m not turning down soft prices like this.