The red-hot Carolina Hurricanes welcome the Tampa Bay Lightning to PNC Arena in what promises to be a defensive masterclass between two Eastern Conference powerhouses.
While the Lightning's explosive offense leads the way with 3.54 goals per game behind Kucherov's stellar play, the Hurricanes' lockdown defense has been suffocating opponents, allowing just six goals in their last four outings.
The stage is set for an electric matchup as the surging Hurricanes, winners of four straight, look to defend their home ice against a Lightning squad that's claimed victory in eight of their last ten contests.
Carolina Hurricanes vs. Tampa Bay Lightning prediction: who will win?
For tonight's Carolina Hurricanes vs Tampa Bay Lightning matchup, our predictive model gives the Canes a 55% chance of defeating the Bolts.
Pre-game probabilities
Carolina Hurricanes
Moneyline
Win %
55%
45%
Tampa Bay Lightning
Carolina Hurricanes: 55% win probability
- Strong defensive system (175 goals against, 4th best in league)
- Excellent recent momentum (WWWWL in last 5 games)
- Balanced scoring attack (204 goals for, ranking 8th in league)
Tampa Bay Lightning: 45% win probability
- Inconsistent recent form (LWWLW in last 5 games)
- Lower points total (78 points vs Carolina's 80 in similar games played)
- Road game disadvantage (Carolina's home record gives them edge)
At Sporting Post, our unique prediction model combines insights from top NHL experts. Instead of sifting through hundreds of expert analyses across the web, you can rely on our predictions to understand the market's overall sentiment. We scan trusted sources, analyzing predictions, data, and opinions, and our AI assigns a confidence level to each prediction. We then average these levels to produce an 'expert opinion' win probability—reflecting the collective intelligence of the industry's leading NHL experts..
| Carolina Hurricanes | Tampa Bay Lightning | |
|---|---|---|
| Moneyline |
Carolina Hurricanes vs. Tampa Bay Lightning preview
The PNC Arena in Raleigh is set for a heavyweight Eastern Conference clash as the red-hot Carolina Hurricanes look to extend their impressive four-game winning streak against a formidable Tampa Bay Lightning squad.
The Bolts' dynamic offense, spearheaded by the lethal combination of Nikita Kucherov and Brandon Hagel who've combined for a whopping 162 points this season, will face their toughest test yet against Carolina's brick-wall defense that's conceded just six goals in their last four outings.
While Tampa's Andrei Vasilevskiy hasn't been his usual dominant self between the pipes, the Hurricanes' Pyotr Kochetkov has stepped up big time, making the crease his own with some clutch performances.
The battle on the blue line should be fascinating, with Tampa's veteran pair of Victor Hedman and Ryan McDonagh going head-to-head against Carolina's rock-solid duo of Jaccob Slavin and Brent Burns.
Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis have been lighting it up for the Canes, but they'll need to crack through a Lightning defense that's allowing just 2.67 goals per game.
This matchup has all the makings of a playoff-style slugfest, with both teams bringing elite special teams units and shutdown defensive systems to the table.
Given the Hurricanes' current momentum and home-ice advantage at the PNC Arena, they'll be looking to make a statement against one of the East's perennial powerhouses.
Carolina Hurricanes vs. Tampa Bay Lightning form
Carolina Hurricanes vs. Tampa Bay Lightning head to head
Carolina Hurricanes
50%
Tampa Bay Lightning
50%
Jan 8, 2025
Tampa Bay Lightning
3 : 2
Carolina Hurricanes
Oct 11, 2024
Carolina Hurricanes
1 : 4
Tampa Bay Lightning
Oct 4, 2024
Carolina Hurricanes
2 : 1
Tampa Bay Lightning
Sep 24, 2024
Tampa Bay Lightning
1 : 2
Carolina Hurricanes
Nov 25, 2023
Carolina Hurricanes
2 : 8
Tampa Bay Lightning
Nov 12, 2023
Tampa Bay Lightning
0 : 4
Carolina Hurricanes
