Feb. 1, 2026, 12:56 a.m. ET<\/p>\n
The Boston Bruins<\/a> (32-20-3) and Tampa Bay Lightning<\/a> (34-14-4) meet Sunday in a Stadium Series game outdoors. Puck drop at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET (ESPN). Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s<\/a> NHL odds around the Bruins vs. Lightning and make our expert NHL picks and predictions<\/a>.<\/p>\n Season series: Lightning lead 1-0, a 4-3 road win on Oct. 13<\/p>\n Temperatures are forecast to be 42 degrees at puck drop, with a 10-12 MPH wind, and humidity between 60-70 percent. The temperatures are unseasonably cool, even for Central Florida, and there were even brief rumors of snow flurries in the area, but that likely won’t come into fruition.<\/p>\n The only other time the Lightning played in an outdoor game was Feb. 26, 2022, at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee, in a Stadium Series game, and they won 3-2 as the Under cashed.<\/p>\n The Bruins last played an outdoor game at Fenway Park in the Winter Classic on Jan. 2, 2023, edging the Pittsburgh Penguins<\/a> 2-1 as the Under easily came through. Prior to that, the B’s topped the Flyers 7-3 in an NHL Outdoors game at Lake Tahoe on Feb. 21, 2021, as the Over cashed. Boston has won 3 straight outdoor games since losing 5-1 in the Winter Classic on Jan. 1, 2016, against the Montreal Canadiens<\/a> at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. They’re 4-1 all-time in 5 outdoor games, though.<\/p>\n Both of these teams come in on fire, as the Bruins are 4-0-1 in the past 5 games, while posting a 12-2-1 mark in the past 15 games, with the Over going 6-1 in the past 7 outings. The B’s topped the Philadelphia Flyers<\/a> 6-3 Thursday, as C Fraser Minten and C Casey Mittelstadt each had a goal and 3 points in the win.<\/p>\n The Lightning topped the Winnipeg Jets<\/a> 4-1 Thursday, moving to 16-1-1 in the past 18 games since Dec. 20. The lone regulation loss was with backup G Jonas Johansson in between the pipes. Starter G Andrei Vasilevskiy is expected to be in there for this one.<\/p>\n Watch the NHL on Fubo!<\/a>Bruins at Lightning odds<\/p>\n Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook<\/a>; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub<\/a> for a full list. Lines last updated at 12:43 a.m. ET.<\/p>\n Moneyline (ML): Bruins +180 (bet $100 to win $180) | Lightning -220 (bet $220 to win $100)Puck line (PL)\/Against the spread (ATS): Bruins +1.5 (-145) | Lightning -1.5 (+120)Over\/Under (O\/U): 6 (O: -105 | U: -115)Bruins at Lightning projected goalies<\/p>\n Jeremy Swayman (22-12-2, 2.87 GAA, .903 SV%, 1 SO) vs.\u00a0Andrei Vasilevskiy (23-7-3, 2.10 GAA, .917 SV%, 1 SO)<\/p>\n Swayman allowed 3 goals on 36 shots in a 6-3 victory over the Flyers last time out Thursday. He is 7-2-0 with a 2.96 GAA and .902 SV% with 1 shutout in 9 starts in January. He did not face the Lightning in the first meeting in October.<\/p>\n Vasilevskiy has been on fire in January, allowing 1 or no goals in each of his past 5 starts, all victories. He is 9-0-1 with a 1.37 GAA and .941 SV% with 1 shutout in 10 starts in the month.<\/p>\n Bruins at Lightning picks and predictionsPrediction<\/p>\n Lightning 3, Bruins 2<\/p>\n The Lightning (-220) will cost you more than 2 times your potential return, and that’s a little too expensive for a standalone game.<\/p>\n It’s expensive, as it is, but especially so for an outdoor game, which can be somewhat unpredictable.<\/p>\n PASS, and look to the puck line instead.<\/p>\n The BRUINS +1.5 (-145) are a decent play for a little bit of insurance in this outdoor game.<\/p>\n If you like the home team instead, the Lightning have won 9 times by 2 or more goals in 11 victories across the past 13 games since flipping the calendar from December to January.<\/p>\n However, we should get a lower-scoring game in the outdoor contest, and it should be close, too.<\/p>\n UNDER 6 (-110) is worth a look in this outdoor game.<\/p>\n For the Lightning, Vasilevskiy has been a brick wall, allowing next to nothing in January, and the Under is 7-1 across the past 8 games.<\/p>\n The Bruins have cashed high in 6 of the past 7 games, but the Over-Under have split in the past 2 outings. Outdoors, in Florida, we should have somewhat sticky ice, and a slow start before the action picks up. In fact, going UNDER 1.5 – 1ST PERIOD (+100) at even-money is a strong play.<\/p>\n For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com<\/a> and BetFTW<\/a>.<\/p>\n Follow @danieledobish<\/a> on\u00a0Twitter\/X.\u00a0Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter\/X<\/a> and like us on Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n