Dallas Stars left wing Jason Robertson (21) reaches in as Tampa Bay Lightning’s Mikhail Sergachev (98) controls the puck in the third period of an NHL hockey game in Dallas, Tuesday, March 2, 2021. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
- The Dallas Stars host the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday, March 23rd, 2021 at 8:30 PM EST
- The Bolts have won four straight against the Stars
- Read below for our game preview and betting pick
The Tampa Bay Lightning will look to continue its dominance of the Dallas Stars when the two teams clash in NHL action on Tuesday, March 23rd (8:30 PM EST). The Bolts are listed as heavy -155 favorites in the Lightning vs Stars odds as they aim to beat Rick Bowness’ club for the fifth time in a row.
The Stars are dealing with a myriad of injuries and falling out of the playoff race, while the Lightning occupy the top spot in the Central division despite being without superstar forward Nikita Kucherov.
Will Tampa’s dominance in this series continue, or should you back Dallas to end the streak?
Tampa Bay Lightning vs Dallas Stars Odds – March 23rd
| Team | Moneyline at DraftKings | Spread | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lightning | -155 | -1.5 (+165) | O 5.5 (-103) |
| Stars | +132 | +1.5 (-200) | U 5.5 (-120) |
Odds as of Mar. 22
Stars Decimated by Injury
The injuries keep piling up for a Dallas team that is chasing the final playoff spot in the Central Division. The team is currently without forwards Tyler Seguin, Alex Radulov, Roope Hintz, Joel Kirvanta, and Radek Faksa among others. Rookies such as Jason Robertson and Ty Dellandrea are stepping up, but the Stars have been held to three or fewer goals in seven straight games.
TY DELLANDREA!! 3-1! @Toyota | #GoStars pic.twitter.com/xTIhO1xHez
— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) March 22, 2021
The good news is that the blueline has yet to be bitten by the injury bug and remains one of the best in the NHL. The Stars are allowing the third-fewest amount of the shots in the league thanks to a stellar defensive group led by John Klingberg and Miro Heiskanen. Dallas’ plus-5 goal differential is actually fourth-best in the Central despite them sitting seventh in the divisional standings.
While the Stars aren’t allowing many shots, the goalies stopping those shots have been inconsistent. Anton Khudobin has seen his save percentage dip to .909 on the season after a shaky outing against Nashville in which he allowed three goals on 22 shots. Rookie Jake Oettinger has given up three goals in three of his past four starts.
Bolts Continue to Steamroll
While Dallas has just five wins in its past 15 games, the Lightning continue to do what they’ve done all season. The Bolts have won seven of their last nine games and have a four-point lead over the Panthers for first place in the Central. Tampa Bay’s offense has been explosive, scoring at least four goals in eight of their last nine games.
#BOLTSWIN pic.twitter.com/kdtNwKPanW
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) March 21, 2021
While the offense has been on fire, Tampa Bay’s defense and goaltending is also shining. The Bolts have allowed three goals or fewer in three straight contests and sit fifth in the NHL with only 2.32 goals allowed per game. Andrei Vasilevskiy (.933 SV%) is the clear frontrunner in the Vezina Trophy odds and will be well-rested for Tuesday’s game after giving way to backup Curtis McElhinney on Sunday against Florida.
2021 NHL Hart Trophy Odds Tracker
Lightning vs Stars Best Bet
Not only is Tampa Bay healthier and playing much better hockey than Dallas right now, but they’ve dominated this rivalry of late. The Bolts have won four straight against the Stars and have taken seven of the last eight meetings dating back to the 2020 Stanley Cup Final. This game is also at the American Airlines Center, where the Bolts have proven lethal with five consecutive victories.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpFBukDJuC8?feature=oembed
Dallas is a desperate team right now that needs every point they can get, but it’s hard to bet on a club that has been decimated so heavily by injury. The Bolts may be without Kucherov, but it hasn’t been an issue, as they still boast three of the top players in the NHL with Vasilevsky, Victor Hedman, and Steven Stamkos.
In each of the Bolts’ past four victories over the Stars, the puckline has cashed. The Bolts offense is on another level right now, and the Stars simply don’t have the firepower to keep pace. Bet on the surging Lightning to win by at least two goals on March 23rd.
Pick: Lightning -1.5 (+165)
Brady is a passionate hockey fan and sports writer with over five years of experience specializing in digital media, plus a degree in Broadcast Journalism. His work has been published by outlets such as ESPN, CBS Sports, Yahoo! Sports and Fox Sports.