Devils vs. Lightning: Game 2 Prediction, NHL Playoffs Odds
The Tampa Bay Lightning looked every part the top seed in the Eastern Conference when they clobbered the No. 8 New Jersey Devils in Game 1 of their first-round series. The Bolts look for a 2-0 edge in this NHL matchup on Saturday before the series shifts to New Jersey.
Devils vs. Lightning Betting Analysis
It would be inaccurate to say that the NHL’s regular season means nothing when it comes to the postseason. Home-ice advantage in a series means just one extra game there, but potentially a Game 7. And strategically, home ice is big in the NHL because the host teams get the final line change after a stoppage in play.
That said, the regular season often does mean little when it comes to the playoffs because the level of play is lifted up a notch or two. In the matchup between the East’s top-seeded Lightning and No. 8 New Jersey Devils, Tampa Bay is loaded with guys having playoff experience. The Devils are a young team that hadn’t played postseason hockey since 2012. So this is new to most of their guys.
New Jersey was won all three regular-season meetings vs. Tampa, but the Lightning were clearly the superior club in Thursday’s 5-2 victory to take a 1-0 series lead. That has improved Tampa’s Sports Interaction odds to win the East to +225, just ahead of Boston (+250), which routed Toronto in Game 1 on Thursday. The Bolts are +500 second-favourites for the Cup. The Devils are +2500 in the East and +5000 for the Cup now – long shots on both.
New Jersey Devils
New Jersey isn’t in the postseason without former No. 2 netminder Keith Kinkaid, who had been spectacular since taking over in late January for an injured Cory Schneider and stealing Schneider’s job even when he was back healthy. However, Kinkaid had no playoff experience, and he allowed four goals on 31 shots in Game 1 – including an eight-minute stretch between the first and second period where he allowed three. There has been no talk from Coach John Hynes about making a change in net, but Kinkaid could have a short leash in Game 2. New Jersey superstar Taylor Hall had a goal and an assist in his first-ever playoff game. Travis Zajac had the other goal, his first in the postseason since the 2012 Eastern Conference Finals. New Jersey has won 13 of its past 19 games following a loss of at least three goals.
Tampa Bay Lightning
They are simply much more talented than the Devils, the regular-season series notwithstanding. The Bolts have two of the best forwards in the NHL in Nikita Kucherov and Steven Stamkos (who returned from missing the final three games of the regular season due to injury), but it was largely other guys who stepped up in the opener, although Kucherov did have an empty-net goal. Rookie Yanni Gourde was the No. 1 star with a goal and an assist. Tyler Johnson (No. 2 star) had a goal and an assist, and Ondrej Palat (No. 3) a goal and two assists. Tampa was 1-for-1 on the power play. Andrei Vasilevskiy, who had been shaky in the second half of the season, stopped 29 shots. The Lightning have now won nine of their past 12 vs. Metropolitan Division foes.
