Tampa Bay Lightning defeat Minnesota Wild 3-2: Recap, Betting Results & AiQ Picks
Thu, Oct 8, 2026 · NHL · Minnesota Wild 2, Tampa Bay Lightning 3
The Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Minnesota Wild 3-2 on Thursday, October 8, 2026, at Benchmark International Arena. The Minnesota Wild covered the puck line as 1.5-goal underdogs. The game went under the closing total of 6.5, with 5 goals combined. AiQ's moneyline pick in this game won, and its player props went 70-29.
Minnesota Wild vs. Tampa Bay Lightning final score and game recap
The Tampa Bay Lightning led 2-0 after the first period and 3-2 after two periods. Neither team scored in the third period. The Tampa Bay Lightning led at the end of every period.
The leading performers, from the box score:
- Jesper Wallstedt (Minnesota Wild): 32 saves on 35 shots.
- Quinn Hughes (Minnesota Wild): 1 goal, 1 assist.
- John Carlson (Tampa Bay Lightning): 2 goals.
- Dennis Hildeby (Tampa Bay Lightning): 34 saves on 36 shots.
Who covered the spread in Minnesota Wild vs. Tampa Bay Lightning?
The Minnesota Wild covered the puck line as 1.5-goal underdogs, losing by 1 goal.
The puck line opened and closed at Tampa Bay Lightning -1.5.
Did Minnesota Wild vs. Tampa Bay Lightning go over or under the total?
The game went under: 5 goals combined against a closing total of 6.5, under by 1.5.
The total opened at 5.5 and closed at 6.5.
How did AiQ's Minnesota Wild vs. Tampa Bay Lightning predictions do?
AiQ's moneyline pick in this game won, and its player props went 70-29.
- Moneyline: the Tampa Bay Lightning to win at -142, a win (+$70.42 on a $100 bet).
- Player props: 70-29.
Minnesota Wild vs. Tampa Bay Lightning player prop results
AiQ's player prop picks went 70-29 in this game.
- Zemgus Girgensons (Tampa Bay Lightning): under 1.5 goals, finished with 0, a win.
- Ilya Mikheyev (Tampa Bay Lightning): under 1.5 goals, finished with 0, a win.
- Jeffrey Viel (Tampa Bay Lightning): under 1.5 goals, finished with 0, a win.
- Quinn Hughes (Minnesota Wild): under 1.5 goals, finished with 1, a win.
- Conor Geekie (Tampa Bay Lightning): under 1.5 goals, finished with 0, a win.
- Danila Yurov (Minnesota Wild): under 1.5 goals, finished with 0, a win.
- John Carlson (Tampa Bay Lightning): under 1.5 goals, finished with 2, a loss.
- Bobby Brink (Minnesota Wild): under 1.5 goals, finished with 0, a win.
- Michael McCarron (Minnesota Wild): under 1.5 goals, finished with 0, a win.
- Pontus Holmberg (Tampa Bay Lightning): under 1.5 goals, finished with 0, a win.
- Marcus Foligno (Minnesota Wild): under 1.5 goals, finished with 0, a win.
- Kirill Kaprizov (Minnesota Wild): to score a goal at +155, a loss.
- 87 more picks are in the record above but not listed.
Minnesota Wild vs. Tampa Bay Lightning game prop results: team totals and first period
AiQ does not pick game props. This is how the sportsbook markets settled.
- Tampa Bay Lightning team total 3.5: the under, paying -136, with 3 scored.
- First-period moneyline: Tampa Bay Lightning won the first period, paying -140.
- Tampa Bay Lightning team total 2.5: the over, paying -235, with 3 scored.
- First-period total 1.5: the over, paying -135, with 2 goals scored.
- Minnesota Wild team total 3.5: the under, paying -220, with 2 scored.
Minnesota Wild vs. Tampa Bay Lightning odds: sportsbook value and line movement
Shortly before the start, the consensus moneyline had the Minnesota Wild at +120 and the Tampa Bay Lightning at -145. With the bookmaker's margin removed, that made the Tampa Bay Lightning a 57% favorite. The Tampa Bay Lightning won as the favorite at -145: $68.97 profit on a $100 bet. On AiQ's moneyline pick, the Tampa Bay Lightning, the price before the game was -142: priced below fair (−2.4% value).
The total moved up from 5.5 to 6.5, and the game went under.
Minnesota Wild and Tampa Bay Lightning betting trends: 2026-27 season
This result left the Minnesota Wild 2-2 in the 2026-27 regular season (1-0 at home, 1-2 away or at neutral sites). Against the puck line, they covered in 3 of 3 games with a closing line on file. All three of their games with a closing total went under. That made it two straight losses for the Minnesota Wild.
This result left the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-1 in the 2026-27 regular season (3-0 at home, 0-1 away or at neutral sites). Against the puck line, they covered in 2 of 4 games with a closing line on file. Their games went over the closing total 1 time and under 3 times. That made it three straight wins for the Tampa Bay Lightning.
What's next for Minnesota Wild and Tampa Bay Lightning?
Next for the Minnesota Wild: at the Florida Panthers on Saturday, October 10, 2026. Next for the Tampa Bay Lightning: at the New York Islanders on Saturday, October 10, 2026.