Hurricanes vs. Lightning NHL Predictions, Picks and Odds - Feb. 26

The best two teams in the Eastern Conference will battle when the Carolina Hurricanes (36-15-6) host the Tampa Bay Lightning (38-14-4) on Thursday at 7 p.m. ET. Hurricanes (-148) versus Lightning (+124) has a clear favorite, according to the moneyline odds.

Carolina won 2-0 on the road its last time out on Feb. 5 against the New York Rangers. Five Hurricanes players recorded one point each, including Jordan Staal (one goal) and Nikolaj Ehlers (one assist).

Tampa Bay won at home in its last game on Feb. 25, 4-2 over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Brayden Point (two goals and one assist) and Nikita Kucherov (one goal and two assists) were among the three Lightning skaters who put up three points each in that matchup.

Before this matchup, here's who we expect to bring home the win in Thursday's hockey action.

Hurricanes vs. Lightning Predictions & Pick

For insights on the upcoming game between the Carolina Hurricanes and Tampa Bay Lightning, computer-calculated moneyline, over/under, and score predictions are below, per Dunkel Index.

• Prediction: Hurricanes 3 - Lightning 2
• Pick OU: Under 6.5 (Dunkel projecting 5.06 goals)
  

Pick with the best in the business! Get free picks for every game, every week at the Dunkel Index.

Hurricanes vs. Lightning Moneylines

Take a look below at the latest moneylines for the Hurricanes-Lightning matchup.

• Favorite: Hurricanes (-148)
• Underdog: Lightning (+124)

Hurricanes Betting Insights

• The Hurricanes are 35-17 this season when favored on the moneyline.
• Carolina is 27-13 (victorious in 67.5% of its games) when playing with moneyline odds of -148 or shorter.
• The Hurricanes have a 59.7% chance (based on the moneyline's implied probability) to win this game.
• Carolina and its opponent have gone over 6.5 combined goals in 29 of 57 games this season.

Lightning Betting Insights

• The Lightning have won seven of the 10 games they have played while the underdog this season.
• Tampa Bay has not entered a game this season with longer odds on the moneyline than +124.
• The sportsbooks' moneyline implies a 44.6% chance of victory for the Lightning.
• Tampa Bay's games this season have had over 6.5 goals 24 of 56 times.

Hurricanes Key Stats

• Carolina's 193 total goals (3.4 per game) make it the seventh-highest scoring team in the league.
• Defensively, the Hurricanes have been one of the stingiest squads in league play, allowing 160 total goals (2.8 per game) to rank fifth.
• It has the league's fourth-best goal differential at +33.
• The 38 power-play goals the Hurricanes have scored this season (10th-most in the NHL) have come on 176 power-play chances.
• Carolina is 13th in the league with a 21.59% power-play conversion rate.
• The Hurricanes have scored six shorthanded goals this season.
• Carolina kills 80.75% of opponent power plays, the 11th-ranked penalty-kill percentage in the league.
• Carolina wins 50.7% of its faceoffs to rank 12th in the NHL.
• The Hurricanes shoot 10.7% as a team (20th in the league).

Lightning Key Stats

• Tampa Bay's 199 goals on the season (3.6 per game) rank third in the league.
• The Lightning's total of 140 goals allowed (2.5 per game) is second in the NHL.
• Its +59 goal differential is the second-best in the league.
• With 38 power-play goals (on 178 chances), the Lightning are 10th-best in the NHL.
• Tampa Bay has the NHL's 14th-ranked power-play percentage (21.35%).
• The Lightning have three shorthanded goals (20th in league).
• Tampa Bay's has the fifth-best penalty-kill percentage (83.52%).
• At 46.9%, Tampa Bay has the NHL's 30th-ranked faceoff win rate.
• The 12.6% shooting percentage of the Lightning is third in the league.