Minnesota Wild vs Tampa Bay Lightning: Preview and Predictions for October 24 Clash

The Minnesota Wild and the Tampa Bay Lightning are set to face off in an exciting NHL matchup on Thursday, October 24, 2024, at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida. The Wild, currently on a season-long seven-game road trip, bring a strong record of 4-0-2 into the game, having won their last three matches, including a convincing 5-1 victory over the defending champion Florida Panthers on Tuesday.

The Tampa Bay Lightning, with a record of 4-2-0, are looking to continue their hot start at home. After a disappointing 1-2-0 road trip, the Lightning returned home and thumped the New Jersey Devils 8-5 on Tuesday. They aim to maintain their high-scoring form, having scored four or more goals in five of their first six games.

A key focus for the Wild will be to limit penalties, as the Lightning’s power play is starting to gain momentum. The Wild have not taken a single penalty in their last game against Florida, a trend they hope to continue against Tampa Bay’s potent power play. Additionally, the Wild have been the front-runners in all their games this season, scoring first and never trailing. How they respond if they don’t score first will be an important aspect to watch.

Tampa Bay’s star goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy is off to a slow start by his standards, having lost his last two games and being pulled against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Despite this, the Lightning’s offense has been robust, with players like Nikita Kucherov and Brandon Hagel contributing significantly. The team hopes Vasilevskiy will return to form soon.

The game is expected to be a tight contest between two teams with playoff aspirations. Both teams rely heavily on their skilled players and goaltenders. The Wild’s depth upfront and the Lightning’s strong defense could make special teams and goaltending the deciding factors. The match will be broadcast on ESPN+ and various FanDuel Sports Network channels, with puck drop at 7:00 PM ET.

Betting odds favor the Lightning at home, but some analysts see value in the Wild’s plus money, given their strong defensive performance and consistent results this season.