NHL Playoffs 2015: Wednesday Vegas Odds, Schedule and Predictions

The 2015 NHL playoffs skate forward at a bristling pace into Wednesday night's action, which features a Game 3 in the Eastern Conference Final not short on implications moving forward.  

The Tampa Bay Lightning snatched the momentum away from the New York Rangers in Game 2 with a dominant victory after the Presidents' Trophy winners took the opener, evening the series at 1-1 before heading south for Games 3 and 4. But all the Rangers need is one victory in Tampa Bay to retake home-ice advantage and put the pressure back on the Lightning.

Let's take a look at everything to know for Wednesday's action.

Wednesday, May 20 NHL Playoff Schedule and Odds

Time (ET)	Matchup	TV	Odds
8 p.m.	Game 3: New York Rangers at Tampa Bay Lightning	NBCSN	Rangers 29-25, Lightning 25-32

Odds courtesy of Odds Shark

Game 3: New York Rangers at Tampa Bay Lightning

Jared Silber/Getty Images

A gut-check performance loomed in Game 2 with the Lightning needing to muster up some belief in themselves before heading back to Tampa Bay. That's exactly what followed, and now they're in the driver's seat returning home.

A goal-scoring explosion seemed inevitable for the Lightning at some point, even going up against stud goaltender Henrik Lundqvist. They got it in Game 3, slipping six goals past the netminder in a 6-2 victory.

A hat trick from Tyler Johnson paved the way for Tampa Bay, which has been a familiar sight this postseason—not the hat tricks per se, but the scoring. As ESPN's John Buccigross noted, he's just one goal away from tying the franchise's single postseason record:

As for the Rangers, they can take some pride in knowing they can't play much worse. Uncharacteristic errors from New York helped the opponents get some of their scoring chances, and a defense that had kept every postseason game to a one-goal affair got considerably exposed.

The players are taking solace in knowing they are still three wins away from returning to the Stanley Cup Final, as the team's Twitter noted:

The Rangers have endured too much success throughout adversity—even in these playoffs—to press the reset button now, but that's not to say they aren't in danger as Wednesday's pivotal Game 3 looms.

As scary as it seems, Game 2 wasn't even Tampa Bay at its best. The Lightning were simply at their most opportunistic and built the confidence they will need throughout the rest of the series.

That momentum should materialize in Game 3 with an early lead at home against a goaltender whose number they've had lately. And as these playoffs have indicated, the Lightning are unbeatable after notching the first goal, as Yahoo Sports NHL noted:

The Rangers should play much more inspired hockey in Game 3 than they posted the last time out, but that won't keep the Lightning's potent attackers at bay. Steven Stamkos and Co. are flying high after scoring at will in Game 2, and that should continue as they open their home slate of the Eastern Conference Final.

Prediction: Lightning 4, Rangers 2