Tampa Bay Lightning vs Chicago Blackhawks Betting Pick & Prediction for 1/23

bangthebook nhl game preview

The Tampa Bay Lightning will visit the Chicago Blackhawks at the United Center for an NHL regular season game. The game is set for Friday, January 23, 2026, at 7:00 PM and will be broadcast on ESPN. The Lightning have a strong record of 31-13-4, while the Blackhawks stand at 21-22-7.

Tampa Bay is led by head coach Jon Cooper and plays in the Eastern Atlantic Division. They rank second in their conference and first in their division. Chicago, coached by Jeff Blashill, competes in the Western Central Division, holding a 12th place in their conference and 6th in their division.

Lightning vs Blackhawks Game Day Info

  • Sport: NHL
  • Teams: Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Chicago Blackhawks
  • Venue: United Center
  • Date: Friday, January 23, 2026
  • Betting Odds: Tampa Bay Lightning MoneyLine -250, Chicago Blackhawks MoneyLine +207

Tampa Bay Lightning Team Preview

The Tampa Bay Lightning have been on a strong run recently. They have won four of their last five games. Their most recent victory came against the San Jose Sharks with a score of 4-1.

In the game against the Sharks, Brandon Hagel led the team with two goals and an assist. Jake Guentzel also added a goal and an assist. Nikita Kucherov contributed with three assists.

Andrei Vasilevskiy has been solid in the net for the Lightning. He made 22 saves on 23 shots against the Sharks. Vasilevskiy has been a key player in their recent success.

Chicago Blackhawks Team Preview

The Chicago Blackhawks have had mixed results in their recent games. They secured a 4-3 win against the Carolina Hurricanes. However, they faced losses against the Boston Bruins and Calgary Flames.

Spencer Knight has been in goal for most of the season. He has played 34 games with 15 wins and 13 losses. Knight’s performance included a shutout against the Winnipeg Jets, saving all 32 shots.

Connor Bedard is a key player for the Blackhawks. He has 48 points in 37 games, with 20 goals and 28 assists. Tyler Bertuzzi also contributes with 24 goals and 14 assists in 47 games.

BTB Betting Pick

The Tampa Bay Lightning are favored to win against the Chicago Blackhawks. The Lightning’s moneyline is set at -250, while the Blackhawks’ moneyline is +207. Given the Lightning’s strong season performance, including 168 goals and 298 assists, they are likely to outscore the Blackhawks, who have 137 goals and 227 assists. The projected score is Tampa Bay 4, Chicago 2.

The over/under for this game is set at 6.0. With the Lightning’s high-scoring ability and the Blackhawks’ defense allowing 148 goals, the game is likely to go over. The projected total is 6 goals, making the over 6.0 (-114) a reasonable pick. Both teams have shown they can score, with the Lightning ranked 4th in goals and the Blackhawks not far behind in power play goals.