NHL Playoffs 2022: Odds, Hot Takes, Top Storylines for Lightning vs. Rangers Game 5

Through the first four games of the Eastern Conference Final, the New York Rangers and Tampa Bay Lightning have each shown how well they're capable of playing—but only on their respective home ice.

The Rangers opened the series by winning the first two games at Madison Square Garden. But when the series shifted to Tampa, the Lightning began playing much better, winning Games 3 and 4 at Amalie Arena. That's set up an important Game 5 for Thursday night.

The series is returning to New York, where the Rangers are 8-1 during this year's Stanley Cup playoffs. But the Lightning, the two-time defending champions, now have the momentum in addition to their wealth of postseason experience.

What will happen in the most important matchup of the series thus far? Here's everything you need to know heading into Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final.

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Thursday Schedule, Odds

Game 5: Tampa Bay Lightning (-130; bet $130 to win $100) at New York Rangers (+110; bet $100 to win $110), 8 p.m. ET, ESPN

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

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The Lightning Aren't Going to Lose Again This Series

It was unusual to see Tampa Bay struggle the way it did over the first two games of the Eastern Conference Final. Not only did the Lightning lose both, but goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy wasn't nearly as strong in the net as he typically is.

In Games 3 and 4, Vasilevskiy and the rest of the Lightning looked much more like themselves. They held the Rangers to three goals between the two games, while Vasilevskiy tallied 62 saves between the pair of contests.

With how the first two games went, Tampa Bay knew it needed to turn things around on its home ice.

“We’ve been desperate the last couple of games,” Lightning captain Steven Stamkos said, per Vin A. Cherwoo of the Associated Press. “We knew how important they were to get back in this series, and we’ve done it. But we can’t sit on our hands now and be happy with that. We got to keep moving forward. ... I’m sure now that desperation is going to kick in for them.”

However, the Rangers could be without two important offensive players. Centers Ryan Strome (lower-body injury) and Filip Chytil (upper-body injury) are both game-time decisions for Thursday. Strome didn't play in Tuesday's Game 4, which is when Chytil suffered his injury.

If New York doesn't have either (or potentially both) of these players, it could continue to be difficult for it to generate scoring chances, especially if its top offensive line keeps struggling as it has the past two games.

Meanwhile, the Lightning could soon be getting a boost on their attack. Center Brayden Point, who has missed eight games this postseason because of a lower-body injury, may return for Thursday's Game 5. If he doesn't, then he could be back for Games 6 and/or 7.

"I'd be surprised if he plays this next game, honestly, but I'm not going to sit here and say he's out for the series anymore," Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper said, per NHL.com's Tom Gulitti.

Even if Point isn't back quite yet, he'll have plenty of time to rejoin the Lightning. That's because they're going to win Game 5, then cruise to victory in Game 6 back home as they'll advance to the Stanley Cup Final for a third consecutive year.

It'll be a challenge for Tampa Bay to win a third straight Cup, considering it will then be going up against the Colorado Avalanche, who were impressive during their four-game sweep of the Edmonton Oilers in the Western Conference Final. But the Lightning are at least going to have a chance to win another championship, as they'll keep the momentum vs. the Rangers and reel off four consecutive wins to move on.

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