Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Ottawa Senators: Prediction, Preview, Picks & Odds - 3/23/2023

Time: 7 p.m. ET

Venue: Canadian Tire Centre, Ottawa, ON

Where to watch: RDS2, TSN5, BSSUN

DraftKings: Lightning -145, Senators +125

BetMGM: Lightning -145, Senators +125

Caesars: Lightning -145, Senators +125

Lightning: 42-24-6

Senators: 34-32-6

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The Tampa Bay Lightning will travel to Ottawa to take on the Senators in what promises to be an intriguing matchup on March 23, 2023. Both teams are currently in different positions in the standings, with the Lightning sitting comfortably in first place in their division and the Senators battling to climb up the rankings in the Atlantic.

The Lightning have been dominant this season, boasting one of the most talented rosters in the league. They are led by their star-studded top line of Nikita Kucherov, Steven Stamkos, and Brayden Point, who have been lighting up the scoresheet all season long. The team also features a strong defensive corps, anchored by Victor Hedman and Ryan McDonagh, and the reigning Vezina Trophy winner, Andrei Vasilevskiy, in net.

The Senators, on the other hand, have been going through a bit of a rebuild over the past few seasons but have shown some signs of improvement in recent weeks. They are led by their young core of players, including Brady Tkachuk, Thomas Chabot, and Drake Batherson, who have been providing the team with some much-needed scoring and energy. The Senators will need to be at their best to compete with the high-flying Lightning, who have been steamrolling their opponents all season long.

One key factor to watch in this game will be the Lightning's special teams. They boast the league's top-ranked power play, which is clicking at an impressive 27.6%, and a penalty kill that ranks among the best in the league. The Senators, meanwhile, have struggled on the penalty kill, ranking near the bottom of the league, and will need to be disciplined if they hope to keep the Lightning's lethal power play off the scoreboard.

Another important matchup in this game will be between the goaltenders. As mentioned earlier, Vasilevskiy has been in sensational form this season. The Senators, meanwhile, might need to go again with either Dylan Ferguson or Mads Sogaard in net. Ferguson was coming off a 48-save performance against Pittsburgh in his first ever start, a 2-1 win over the Penguins. Maybe they go with the hot hand again?

Overall, this game has all the makings of a classic David vs. Goliath matchup, with the Senators looking to upset the top team in the league and gain some much-needed momentum heading into the final stretch of the regular season. However, they will be facing a daunting task in the Lightning, who have been playing some of the best hockey in the league all season long.

Fans can expect plenty of excitement and drama from this matchup, with the outcome likely to have significant implications for both teams as they jockey for playoff positioning. The Lightning will be looking to continue their dominant run and maintain their grip on first place in the division, while the Senators will be hoping to pull off a stunning upset and build some positive momentum for the remainder of the season.

Prediction

Lightning 4, Senators 2

Lightning:

Brandon Hagel -- Brayden Point -- Nikita Kucherov

Ross Colton -- Steven Stamkos -- Nicholas Paul

Tanner Jeannot -- Anthony Cirelli -- Alex Killorn

Pat Maroon -- Michael Eyssimont -- Corey Perry

Victor Hedman -- Nick Perbix

Mikhail Sergachev -- Darren Raddysh

Ian Cole -- Erik Cernak

Andrei Vasilevskiy

Senators:

Brady Tkachuk -- Tim Stutzle -- Drake Batherson

Alex DeBrincat -- Ridly Greig -- Claude Giroux

Derick Brassard -- Shane Pinto -- Julien Gauthier

Patrick Brown -- Dylan Gambrell -- Austin Watson

Jake Sanderson -- Artem Zub

Jakob Chychrun -- Travis Hamonic

Thomas Chabot -- Erik Brannstrom

Dylan Ferguson