Posted at 3:00 PM EST. Odds subject to change.

Pinnacle  +174 BET365 +165 Sportsinteraction +160   888Sport +165

Detroit +174 over Tampa Bay

7:07 PM EST. OT included. The Lightning are fourth in the Atlantic Division coming into tonight, which has them sitting in the first Wild Card position, where they are seven points up on Philadelphia, who sits in second, and nine points up on the Red Wings, who are on the outside looking in with eight games to play. We’ll get to Detroit in a moment, as we’ll stick with the Bolts, who still have a shot to finish third in the Atlantic, as they trail Toronto by four points with two games remaining against the Maple Leafs including their next time out on Wednesday in Hogtown. The Lightning have won eight of their last 10, but despite the positive results, the Bolts were a middling team across that run, ranking just 17th in puck possession, 12th in high-danger scoring chances, and 18th in expected goals.

The Red Wings are just outside the cutline, where they sit two points back of Philly for the second Wild Card, but they do have a game in hand on the Flyers. The Red Wings have lost four games in a row, but other than their 4-0 loss to Carolina, the other three defeats either came by one goal (Nashville) or in extra time (Washington and Florida). Those are three playoff teams, with the Preds being one of the hottest teams in the second half having just ended an 18-game point streak. The Red Wings figure to play with an edge and the intensity that is needed to make a playoff push. Meanwhile, there is little difference between third and fourth in the Atlantic, and with the Lightning having the hated Maple Leafs on deck, we have to question what will motivate the Bolts to show up in full force tonight against a team that is fighting tooth and nail for their playoff lives.

Sherwood

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