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Andrew Rogers
Lightning vs. Bruins: Game 3 Prediction, NHL Playoff Odds
The Boston Bruins couldn’t make it a two-game sweep in Tampa, but they’ll gladly settle for a split as they now own the home-ice edge into Game 3 of their Stanley Cup second-round series against the visiting Lightning on Wednesday night. Tampa Bay salvaged a split of the first two games with a 4-2 triumph in Game 2 on Monday, but are now underdogs in this NHL matchup as they look to regain control of the best-of-seven with a win at hostile TD Garden.
Lightning vs. Bruins Stanley Cup Playoffs Betting Analysis
Boston has been one of the toughest teams to beat in its own building over the second half of the season, having won 22 of its previous 28 games at TD Garden. And the Lightning have been one of the Bruins’ most popular home victims in recent years, having won just seven times in their previous 44 visits to Beantown. Boston has also bounced back nicely from poor offensive efforts, having won 21 of 26 after scoring two or fewer goals in its previous outing.
The teams have combined to score 14 goals through the first two games of the series, and recent trends on both sides suggest the over will be in play again in Game 3. The Bruins have gone 11-2-4 O/U in their previous 17 home games and have six overs and three pushes in their previous 11 games overall. The Lightning, meanwhile, are 16-5-2 O/U in their previous 23 road games and have gone over 22 times in their last 29 outings following a victory.
Tampa Bay Lightning
Oddsmakers still have faith in the Lightning, making them ever-so-slight -111 underdogs to claim the series compared to the Bruins at -125 – but to do so, they’ll need to figure out how to win at TD Garden. And it starts with solid penalty killing: Tampa held Boston without a man-advantage goal in its Game 2 victory and is now 3-0 in the playoffs when not giving up a power-play goal. The Bruins are 4-1 in games where they convert at least once with the man advantage.
Boston Bruins
Do the Bruins have a minor concern in goal? Tuukka Rask has looked quite beatable since the middle of Boston’s first-round slugfest with Toronto, having surrendered 15 goals while posting a mediocre .886 save percentage over his previous five games. Boston’s prolific offence has masked some of those struggles, but with the Bruins averaging just 22 shots over the first two games vs. Tampa, that high-powered attack can’t save Rask forever.
