Do the Bolts make the Stanley Cup Finals?
The Tampa Bay Lightning went from 0-2 to 3-2 in their Conference Finals series against the New York Rangers. As an added bonus, they now have home ice advantage in Game 6 and everything in their own hands to celebrate a spot in the Stanley Cup Finals on Saturday night.
As they did in Game 5, it’s hard to imagine them passing up that chance in Game 6. Tampa is currently too superior to New York, whose players also seem more preoccupied with themselves than with the opponent.
27 Give-aways were on the books on Thursday. A value with which it is difficult to impossible to win a game in the NHL. That they were still in the game until two minutes left was amazing.
For Bolts vs. Rangers, however, our forecast for Game 6 is now another success for the favoured Lightning, who should thus reach the Finals against the Avalanche. As is usual for an elimination game, we also expect low total goals again.
Tampa Bay Lightning – Statistics & Current Form
Ever since the turned Game 3, everything has been going in the direction of a Stanley Cup Final Colorado vs. Tampa. Still, the Bolts made it more exciting than it needed to be at times, again tied 1-1 until two minutes left in Thursday’s game.
Then Ondrej Palat came and hit the Rangers with his late 2:1. It seems doubtful that they will be able to pull themselves together again. Palat, incidentally, is the only player in this series to have scored in four of the five games.
Freshness pays off
So once again it was close and once again the Lightning got the better end of the deal – away to the Rangers, who are so strong at home. It’s no surprise, though, as the Bolts have been known for late goals for years.
Hardly any team in the league has such a late push in games as the men from Florida, which apart from individual class also clearly speaks for the fitness of the troops. Towards the end of almost every game in this series, they looked fresher at the end.
In the meantime, it pays off that they only had to go over four games against the Panthers in the previous round (4:0). The Rangers, on the other hand, have already gone the full distance twice (4:3 against Pittsburgh and Carolina).
Defence, Defence and Vasilevskiy
Meanwhile, it’s also clearly a low scoring series, which was expected by many anyway. Conceding 2.50 goals per game (second best in the postseason), the Bolts have actually managed to push that to 1.75 goals conceded in their last four games.
With New York conceding 3.0 goals per game in that span, Tampa’s superiority here is obvious. This is likely to be the deciding factor again on Saturday, which is why the odds on Tampa are clearly to be favoured for Lightning vs Rangers.
Key Players:
G: Andrei Vasilevskiy
D: Victor Hedman
D: Jan Rutta
LW: Ondrej Palat
C: Brayden Point
RW: Nikita Kucherov
New York Rangers – Statistics & current form
It’s going there for the Rangers and it doesn’t really come as a surprise. How many times have we seen this happen in major US sports playoff series, that one play and sometimes just one situation has caused a complete turnaround.
In this series, it was Jacob Trouba’s two penalties that Tampa used to score two goals and make a comeback in Game 3. If it wasn’t for that gaffe, the Rangers might already be in the Finals.
Rangers mentally battered
The feeling of having been so close and then to fail weighs heavily, which we can also see in the body language of the New Yorkers. Even though they try everything, they are often one step too late.
27 puck losses (give-aways) in Game 5 speak for themselves and also for the battered nerves of the men from the Big Apple. We dare to doubt that this will now change in Tampa’s Amalie Arena of all places.
Away weakness as a neckbreaker
Now they’d have to win away in Tampa, which they haven’t managed to do at all in this series. But even worse is their overall record on foreign ice this postseason, which now stands at 2-6. That’s not a glimmer of hope.
So for Lightning vs Rangers, a bet on Tampa is recommended in every way. Even a -1.5 to -2 handicap would still be justifiable. We even recommend a win bet + Under 6.5 total goals, as these are highly unlikely to be exceeded.
Key Players:
G: Igor Shesterkin
D: K’Andre Miller
D: Jacob Trouba
LW: Chris Kreider
C: Mika Zibanejad
RW: Frank Vatrano
Statistics Highlights for Tampa Bay Lightning vs New York Rangers
After five straight wins in 2022 against the Bolts, the Rangers slumped in their last three games. Especially towards the end they had little to offer the reigning champions.
The Rangers’ goal difference in the third periods of the last three games is 1:6, which is very significant for this series. The Bolts seem fresher and in the decisive moments also a bit quicker in the head.
So for Tampa against New York, the odds on a Bolts win in the third period are also worth considering. However, we favour a bet on a win for the Lightning, who would clinch a spot in the Stanley Cup Finals, as our main bet.
Tampa Bay Lightning – New York Rangers Pick
Lately, we couldn’t go far wrong with our picks, as both Lightning wins and few total goals were expected – and came true. It should be a similar story now in Game 6, where Tampa is once again considered the heavy favourite.
So for Bolts vs. Rangers, the prediction on Tampa + Under 6.5 goals is again our No.1 betting option, as it was on Thursday. In addition, of course, pure under point bets are also an option, as total goals do not usually go up in Elimination Games.
Which Tampa player are we most likely to trust to score in Game 6? This answer is: Ondrej Palat. The Czech is in absolute top form on the road and is the only player to score in four of the five duels so far. In the game Tampa Bay Lightning vs. New York Rangers the betting odds on a goal by him also seem interesting.
