Carolina Hurricanes vs. Tampa Bay Lightning Game 4 Prediction, Playoff Odds
The home teams have yet to get a win in this neck-and-neck series.
Hurricanes vs. Lightning Stanley Cup Odds
Game 3 needed overtime for the first time in this series, as it has been neck-and-neck since the puck dropped in Game 1. The road team is 3-0 so far in the series, but both teams were better at home this year than during the regular season. Tampa Bay will be the -155 favourite and they have not lost back-to-back at the Amalie Arena all season.
The over/under is set at 5.5 again for Game 4. The series opened with 3 straight games playing the under and the last 13 times these teams matched up, they only once hit the over. The goaltenders have been stealing the show thus far as both offences have been kept quiet.
Tampa Bay has only played the over in three of their games so far this postseason and are 5-4 against the spread.
Carolina covered the spread Thursday for the first time since Game 2 of the first round. The Canes past seven games were all decided by a single goal which takes a toll on a team.
Carolina Hurricanes
The Hurricanes swapped goalies for the first time this postseason starting Petr Mrazek over their rookie netminder Alex Nedeljkovic. Nedeljkovic lost the first two games of the series through no fault of his own, but head coach Rod Brind’Amour wanted to jolt his lineup.
The game plan paid off the Canes as Mrazek proved to be a great option in goal, he stopped 35 shots in his first game back in goal since giving up five goals back on May 10th.
Sebastian Aho had his best game so far these playoffs, picking up two points in the second period before shooting the puck off of Jordan Staal and in for the overtime winner.
Staal has now scored the overtime winner in back-to-back Game 3’s for Carolina. The 32-year-old captain has been huge for his team so far this playoffs scoring five goals and seven points in nine games.
Carolina forwards have taken a beating versus the Bolts thus far. Warren Foegele left game three, Vincent Trocheck went down in game two and Nino Niederreiter got hurt in practice before the opener. Down three key forwards, Brind’Amour will need someone to step up if they want to tie the series.
Tampa Bay Lightning
The Lightning came back from a 2-0 deficit, but it was not enough to push the Hurricanes to the brink of elimination in Game 3.
Nikita Kucherov had a pair of powerplay assists to put himself back into the scoring lead with 14 points. The emotions were high Thursday night and Kucherov was involved in more ways than just getting points. He took an interference penalty in the first and found himself on the ice for two Hurricanes goals in the second. He ended the night by taking another seat in the penalty box to watch the Canes score the winner.
Long time Bolt Alex Killorn now has goals in back-to-back games. His six goals and 10 points through the first nine games are pretty impressive. He might not get much attention considering how good some of his teammates have been, but he brings a lot to the table for Tampa Bay.
Defenceman David Savard has still yet to make his series debut in round two. The 233 pounder, was picked up at the deadline for this years playoff push. He was pointless in round one with a minus one rating.
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