Pittsburgh Penguins vs Tampa Bay Lightning Betting Pick & Prediction for 4/2

bangthebook nhl game preview

The Pittsburgh Penguins visit the Tampa Bay Lightning at the Benchmark International Arena. This NHL regular season game takes place on Thursday, April 2, 2026, at 7:00 PM. Fans can catch the action live on ESPN+.

The Penguins have a record of 38-21-16 this season. They rank 6th in the Eastern Conference and 2nd in the Eastern Metropolitan Division. The Lightning hold a 46-22-6 record, placing them 3rd in the Eastern Conference and 2nd in the Eastern Atlantic Division.

Penguins vs Lightning Game Day Info

  • Sport: NHL
  • Teams: Pittsburgh Penguins vs Tampa Bay Lightning
  • Venue: Benchmark International Arena
  • Date: Thursday, April 2, 2026
  • Betting Odds: Pittsburgh Penguins +147, Tampa Bay Lightning -174

Pittsburgh Penguins Team Preview

The Pittsburgh Penguins are coming off strong recent performances. They secured a 5-1 win against the Detroit Red Wings with 32 shots on goal. Yegor Chinakhov contributed with a goal and an assist in that game.

Before facing the Red Wings, the Penguins defeated the New York Islanders 8-3. Anthony Mantha led the team with two goals and an assist. Stuart Skinner was solid in net with no goals allowed during his time on the ice.

The Penguins have been consistent in scoring, with a season total of 260 goals, ranking them fourth in the league. Their defense has also been effective with 1112 blocks, placing them tenth. Stuart Skinner has been reliable in goal, contributing 1038 saves this season.

Tampa Bay Lightning Team Preview

The Tampa Bay Lightning recently played five games at home. They secured wins against the Nashville Predators and Ottawa Senators. However, they faced losses against the Montreal Canadiens, Seattle Kraken, and Minnesota Wild.

In their game against the Canadiens, the Lightning had 37 shots on goal but only scored once. Andrei Vasilevskiy made 19 saves on 21 shots before being substituted. Jake Guentzel scored the lone goal for the Lightning in this game.

Nikita Kucherov leads the team with 40 goals and 81 assists this season. Jake Guentzel follows closely with 36 goals and 45 assists. Brandon Hagel has also contributed significantly with 35 goals and 38 assists.

BTB Betting Pick

The Tampa Bay Lightning are favored to win against the Pittsburgh Penguins. With a MoneyLine of -174, they have a strong chance. The Penguins are the underdogs with a MoneyLine of +147. The Lightning have performed well this season, ranking 2nd in goals against.

The over/under line is set at 6.5 with odds of -111 for both options. The projected score suggests a total close to this line. Both teams have high rankings in goals and assists. This suggests that the over is a reasonable pick.