Edmonton Oilers vs. Tampa Bay Lightning Prediction, Preview, Picks & Odds - 2/23/2022

Time: 7:30 p.m. ET

Venue: Amalie Arena, Tampa, FL

Where to watch: TNT

DraftKings: Check back later

BetMGM: Check back later

Caesars: Check back later

Oilers: 28-19-3

Lightning: 32-11-6

So maybe the Edmonton Oilers really aren't on the right path. Remember when they fired Dave Tippett and everybody thought the problems were going to be solved right away? but then remember when the Oilers still needed to get some stability in goal in order for us to believe that they could win these games?

Edmonton came back down to earth on Sunday, losing 7-3 to the Minnesota Wild in what was just an absolute clinic by the big names in Minnesota. Fiala, Boldy, Zuccarello, Kaprizov. You name it, they torched Edmonton at home like it was nothing.

It also doesn't help matters that the Oilers fell behind 4-0 rather quickly before finally scoring late in the first period. But you know it's a bad day at the office when Connor McDavid does not get on the score sheet, your team still scores three goals, and you still lose.

The Oilers are just a hot mess and one has to wonder what direction they're gonna go in if they don't make the playoffs this season. As it stands right now, Edmonton would be in the playoffs if the season ended today, so it's not like the sky is completely falling. But at the very least, we are waiting for the day where the Oilers can just destroy all worlds with two of the best players on the planet on their team.

And yet for some unforsaken reason, Edmonton continues to not be able to figure out that formula to get to that point. And I don't know if it's more infuriating or if it's comical. I'm leaning towards the latter because every time Edmonton loses a game that badly, all the Canadian journalists just throw their arms up in the air and have no idea what to do with themselves.

And if you ask me, that entertainment is worth it. I will say it's funnier when it involves Toronto.

As opposed to the Oilers, perhaps it's good in life when you were not being talked about so much during the regular season because we're all waiting to get to the point in the playoffs where we can start talking about you. And of course, that has to be involved with the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning.

The Lightning have won three out of four since coming back from the All-Star break and perhaps the reason why we haven't talked about them so much is that they haven't played many games in this Olympic break pause. Tampa has played three games in the makeup window and has gone 2-1 in that run. Sure, the one loss was to the Colorado Avalanche, but they've rebounded since then with wins against the Arizona Coyotes and the New Jersey Devils.

Which I can understand is not really something to celebrate. But again, the lightning have not played many teams in this makeup window. There have been so many teams dealing with so many makeups from COVID outbreaks and pauses in the schedule, that somehow the top team in the league, residing in the state of Florida, does not have many of these games to make up.

I have no idea how in the world we got to the point where that was even possible, but weirder things have happened in this NHL season, and it truly is a fun sight to see Tampa Bay just sitting back and watching is the world in hockey just goes completely upside down.

And just a reminder: Tampa is getting really healthy at the right time period Nikita Kucherov is healthy, Victor Hedman is also healthy, and both had a goal and an assist in the win over New Jersey. Tampa Bay returns to the rink fully rested and ready to destroy everyone in its path. And God help the Oilers because I don't think they want to feel the wrath of Tampa.

I only picked this result not because Tampa is great, which they are, because Lord the Oilers are not that good. If they cannot figure out the goaltending and the defense situation, you know the same things that they've been trying to fix for however many years now, Edmonton is not going to win many games now and they're not going to win a whole lot when it comes playoff time. Tampa is well-rested, much healthier, and they're back at home for the first time in what seems like forever. Give me Tampa in a runaway. Lightning win 5-1

The under is 11-2 after the Oilers played a game where eight goals or more were scored.

The Lightning are 32-20 in non-conference games over the past three seasons.

Oilers:

Zach Hyman -- Connor McDavid -- Jesse Puljujarvi

Evander Kane -- Leon Draisaitl -- Kailer Yamamoto

Warren Foegele -- Ryan Nugent-Hopkins -- Derek Ryan

Tyler Benson -- Ryan McLeod

Darnell Nurse -- Evan Bouchard

William Lagesson -- Cody Ceci

Philip Broberg -- Tyson Barrie

Markus Niemelainen

Stuart Skinner

Lightning:

Ondrej Palat -- Brayden Point -- Nikita Kucherov

Alex Killorn -- Steven Stamkos -- Mathieu Joseph

Ross Colton -- Anthony Cirelli -- Taylor Raddysh

Pat Maroon -- Pierre-Edouard Bellemare -- Corey Perry

Victor Hedman -- Jan Rutta

Ryan McDonagh -- Erik Cernak

Mikhail Sergachev -- Cal Foote

Andrei Vasilevskiy

Points: Connor McDavid -- 71

Goals: Leon Draisaitl -- 35

Assists: Connor McDavid -- 45

Goalie: Mikko Koskinen -- 17-8-2, 3.13 GAA, .899 SV%

Points: Steven Stamkos -- 55

Goals: Steven Stamkos-- 23

Assists: Victor Hedman -- 39

Goalie: Andrei Vasilevskiy -- 26-8-4, 2.27 GAA, .922 SV%