The Minnesota Wild (18-20-5) will try their luck a second time against the Tampa Bay Lightning (22-17-5) on Thursday, January 18, at 7:00 PM ET at the Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida. The Lightning are moneyline favorites to find success with their odds currently at -140.

The Wild recently won their last game and it snapped a four-game losing skid. Over their last 10 games, they have gone 2-8, which shows they desperately need to get back on track. Their previous success was a 5-0 shutout over the New York Islanders.

Kirill Kaprizov is leading the Wild with 35 points so far this season. They also have Joel Eriksson Ek leading with 17 goals and ranking 37^th in the league for his efforts here.

The Wild are getting just 2.86 goals and 30.3 shots a game. They are not so hot at power play performances, as they have scored 27 times and have allowed 40 goals overall in these situations. So far, their power play percentage stands at 18.8.

They are giving up 3.30 goals and 30.1 shots to opposing teams. They also reveal a penalty kill percentage at 72.8, such could cause issues here.

The Lightning have won their last three games and are 4-1 in their last five heading into this matchup. Their previous win was a 5-1 performance over the Anaheim Ducks and their second straight game of scoring four goals or more.

Nikita Kucherov leads the Lightning in all major offensive situations, with 28 goals, 44 assists, and 72 points. In order from what was just listed, he ranks third, second, and tied for first in those categories in the league, respectively.

The Lightning are averaging 3.30 goals and 30.2 shots a game heading into this matchup. Their power play performances have been great, with 41 goals scored and 24 allowed. This has resulted in a power play percentage at 29.5.

They are not doing as well defensively, as they allow 3.39 goals and 30.0 shots from opposing teams. They also have a penalty kill percentage at 80.3, which is slightly better than the Flames’.

MyBookie has the betting odds ready for this NHL showdown, with the Tampa Bay Lightning as slight favorites (-140) to succeed. It makes sense to choose the Lightning here, especially with the struggles lately from the Wild.

The last time these two met, the Lightning won 4-1 on the road earlier this month. The Lightning have looked great on paper with their offense, but must keep this game at a distance with their defense. Overall, the Lighting have the most appealing chances at winning.