NHL Playoff Schedule 2015: Latest Odds, Viewing Guide and Predictions for Friday
The 2015 NHL playoffs are evolving by the game, with two gripping conference finals series the only things separating us from what promises to be a star-studded Stanley Cup Final.
The top seed took control in the Western Conference Final after the Anaheim Ducks overcame the Chicago Blackhawks 2-1 in Game 3 to take that same lead in the series. While Jonathan Toews and Co. will have the shot to even the score on their home ice, the down team out East will have to beat the odds to tie things up in a raucous road environment.
Let's take a closer look into Tampa Bay's hosting of the New York Rangers for Game 4.
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Friday, May 22 NHL Playoffs
| 4 | 8 p.m. | New York Rangers (28-25) at Tampa Bay Lightning (25-31) | NBCSN | TBL leads 2-1 |
Odds courtesy of Odds Shark
Live Stream
Latest Odds to Win Stanley Cup
| Tampa Bay Lightning | 37-20 |
| Chicago Blackhawks | 23-10 |
| Anaheim Ducks | 29-10 |
| New York Rangers | 4-1 |
Odds courtesy of Odds Shark, last updated May 22
Game 4: New York Rangers at Tampa Bay Lightning
Well, that escalated quickly.
There was no denying the goal-scoring ability and prowess of the Tampa Bay Lightning entering this Eastern Conference Final. But expectations were tempered even after their impressive dispatching of the Montreal Canadiens. After all, they were playing the Presidents' Trophy-winning New York Rangers, fresh off an emotional comeback from down three games to one against the Washington Capitals.
As they're known to do, the Rangers started things off in style with a gritty defensive performance in a Game 1 victory. Since then, it's been all Lightning.
Tampa Bay has scored 12 goals in the last two contests since being held to just one in Game 1, as the Lightning's top two lines wreaked havoc and scored goals at will. A Rangers defense with an identity of being tough-nosed and impenetrable is now being steamrolled.
Perhaps the most impressive part of the Lightning's dominance has been who it is coming against. Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist was his usual dominant self up until Game 2, but now the Lightning's vaunted "triplets" line has Lundqvist in shambles, as Grantland's Sean McIndoe noted:
It's no secret that Lundqvist will have to hold his own against that line of youngsters—Tyler Johnson, Ondrej Palat and Nikita Kucherov, to be specific—if the Rangers have any chance of holding on. The trio combined for four of the six goals in Game 3, which came after Johnson logged a hat trick in Game 2.
All in all, Palat, Johnson and Kucherov have combined for a whopping 25 of Tampa Bay's 47 goals this postseason. One more from Johnson and he'll break the franchise's single-postseason record, as told by ESPN Stats and Info:
For all of the Lightning's impressive play over the last two contests, a worrying sign popped up in Game 3, as New York got its footing on offense and slipped five goals past Tampa Bay goalie Ben Bishop. And those five goals came on just 28 shots.
The success on net had Rangers head coach Alain Vigneault confident despite the defeat, per the New York Daily News' Pat Leonard and Stephen Lorenzo: “We scored five on (Ben) Bishop last night. That’s pretty good. He’s been an outstanding goaltender in this series and in these playoffs.”
A repeat performance from the 6'7" Tampa Bay netminder can't be expected, not after he posted his worst outing of his short playoff career. But there's no understating the fact that he gave a potentially deadly New York offense just the confidence it needed to get going.
The rowdy environment of Amalie Arena should make things difficult on the Rangers, but this is the same team that has already taken three road contests in these playoffs. That includes a must-win game in Washington in which Lundqvist conceded three goals but still allowed the Rangers to emerge victorious.
A similar outing should be in the cards Friday night, as the Lightning offense figures to slip a few more past Lundqvist. But his experience and poise will come to the surface as he outplays Bishop in Game 4.
The Lightning look unstoppable now, and they will continue to be if the Rangers defense doesn't get it together. But the familiar trend of Lundqvist bailing the team out will return Friday when New York needs it most.
Prediction: Rangers 4, Lightning 3
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