Tampa Bay Lightning vs Pittsburgh Penguins Prediction: Will the Lightning finally be able to beat their opponents?

Prediction for the NHL Tampa Bay Lightning vs Pittsburgh Penguins match, which will take place on March 3. Check the team conditions and choose several betting options.

After important mid-February victories over Colorado and Dallas, the Lightning has slumped and lost five of their last seven games. Especially notable in this stretch are the losses in their two most recent games, 3:7 to Pittsburgh and 1:4 to Florida. In addition, we can point out the setback in an away game against Vegas (4:5). However, it is hardly necessary to speak about any kind of crisis for John Cooper's team. While sitting comfortably in the playoff zone, Tampa Bay used their energy wisely throughout the championship, never going the extra mile when they weren't looking for it.

If there is no doubt about Tampa Bay making the playoffs, Pittsburgh will face a tough end to the regular season. Currently, the team is only eighth in the NL East standings and is in contention for the wild-card spot. The Penguins' primary contenders include the New York Islanders, who Pittsburgh has lost twice recently, Florida, possibly Buffalo and Detroit, and Washington, who hasn't completely abandoned their pursuit of the top-8.

The Penguins approach Tampa Bay with a streak of three straight wins. In addition to the previously mentioned 7:3 victory over the Lightning, Pittsburgh beat St. Louis and Nashville during this stretch.

Tristan Jarry returned in goal for Pittsburgh, and things immediately improved for the team. However, the Penguins can hardly expect to win their fourth consecutive game. Tampa Bay is a team that can pull itself together when they need it the most. And two losses in the season series with Pittsburgh leave no chance for them not to. John Cooper's team will likely approach the upcoming game more responsibly than in several previous ones and will achieve the first win in this championship over the Penguins. In addition, the meeting is unlikely to be productive - the first two games with Pittsburgh for the Lightning had Brian Elliott and missed 12 times; Andrei Vasilevsky probably will be better against Malkin and Crosby.