OVERVIEW:
The New York Rangers silenced the Tampa Bay Lighting in Game 1 with a decisive 6-2 victory to take a 1-0 lead in the Eastern Conference Finals. Puck drops for Game 2 at 8PM ET from Madison Square Garden and the game will be on ESPN. The Lightning open up as -130 favorites while the Rangers are +110 underdogs again at home.
RECENT TRENDS:
The Bolts suffered a lopsided 6-2 loss in the series opener. Andrei Vasilevskiy, who only gave up three total goals in round two against the Florida Panthers, gave up double that to the Rangers in just 60 minutes on 34 shots. Steven Stamkos and Ondrej Palat each had goals in the contest. Still, Lighting fans have hope as Tampa has won 18 straight games the day after a loss in both the regular season and postseason.
As for New York, they came out hot with Chris Kreider scoring in the opening two minutes and five other Rangers lighting the lamp in a Game 1 win. The Blueshirts power play has been electric as of late with the unit scoring in their sixth straight game, a new team record. Filip Chytil led the way in the series opener with two goals, while in net, Igor Shesterkin had 37 saves. New York has not suffered a loss to Tampa Bay this season, winning all four matchups to date.
BETTING ANGLES:
After three low scoring affairs earlier this season, Game 1 erupted for eight goals, so calling an over/under on tonight's contest is a tough. Instead, take a look at the Lighting moneyline (-130) or their puck line (+200). As mentioned earlier, Tampa Bay has won 18 straight after a loss, and in the playoffs after a loss, their average margin of victory is two goals. That margin is more than enough to cover the puck line, so consider this a safe pick.
If you're looking for a goalscorer, we advise Chris Kreider, Mika Zibanejad, or Artemi Panarin of the Rangers to find the back of the net. These three skaters shoot at a high clip for the Blueshirts and typically are left open on the power play.
RECENT INJURIES:
There are no recent injuries to report for either team.
WHY THE LIGHTING CAN WIN:
18 straight wins after a loss is a tall feat to accomplish, but the Lighting have done it. If the Bolts want to win today, it goes back to their goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy. Typically following a loss in the playoffs, he's allowed only three goals, so the Russian netminder can find his footing fast after facing a setback. To even the series at a game a piece, the Bolts also have to stymie the Rangers power play, which accounted for a 3rd period goal in Game 1.
WHY THE RANGERS CAN WIN:
It is tough to beat a team twice in a season, but the Rangers have done it four times now. If the Blueshirts want to head to Tampa Bay ahead 2-0 in the series, they need to continue to get scoring from multiple players. The Rangers didn't need to rely on Zibanejad or Kreider in the series opener, which helped open up the ice for other players to score. If goalie Igor Shesterkin continues his top play in net and New York's diverse scoring continues, the Rangers can easily take a 2-0 lead over the Bolts.
BEST BET: Tampa Bay -1.5 Puck Line +200
