Betting On Hurricanes Lightning –Injured Hurricanes Beat Back Lightning

Carolina Hurricanes @ Tampa Bay Lightning – Saturday March 16, 2013 7:00PM EST

It was news that the Carolina Hurricanes did not want to hear. At the beginning of the month, the team was informed that goaltender Cam Ward would miss the rest of the regular season with a knee injury. The online sports betting experts have watched the Hurricanes post a 6-4-0 record in its last 10 games, but the team will need its starting goalie as the season starts to wind down. That is especially true when Carolina is playing hungry divisional foes like the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The Lightning, on the other hand, really needs some sort of kick to get going. The team has posted a 2-8-0 record in its last 10 games and it is losing games decisively. The sports betting experts expected Tampa to be a little more polished this season, but the Lightning is having problems breaking in its new goaltender and the record shows it. Still, the Lightning knows that it is only one win away from taking over third place in the Southeast Division and moving to within six points of the first place Hurricanes. This is a veteran Tampa team that knows it needs to start winning and now.

Why the Hurricanes Will Win

It seems like the Hurricanes is in a race every game to see if it can score more goals than it gives up by the final whistle. The sports betting experts are impressed with the way that the Hurricanes have come together since Ward’s injury, but the team needs to start playing defense if it wants to keep winning. This will be a very good game for Carolina to start working on its defensive game plan and put together a team that can make the run to the end of the season.

Why the Lightning Will Win

Tampa Bay has been scoring goals at the same pace that the elite teams of the league have been scoring them at. The problem in Tampa is the new goaltender and the significant lack of defense that the team has been putting up. This would be a good game to start making a stand on defense and maybe start experimenting with someone else in goal. At this point, when it comes to goaltenders, the Lightning has nothing to lose. If the team finds an improvement in net, then this could be a playoff team by the end of the season.

The Bottom Line

This will be a divisional game that should be played with desperation on both sides. This does have the potential for being a very high scoring affair and something that the fans will love, but it will drive both coaches crazy. The Hurricanes has been covering well for the loss of its goaltender, which is the one thing that separates the Hurricanes from the Tampa Bay Lightning. The ability to play some kind of defense will give Carolina the win in this game.

Pick: Carolina Hurricanes