Tampa Bay Lightning Vs. New York Rangers (6/1/22) Betting Odds, Prediction, Line Combination, Starting Goalies
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On the road Monday night, the New York Rangers beat the Carolina Hurricanes, 6-2 to advance to their first conference finals since 2015, when they were eliminated by the Tampa Bay Lightning in seven games. Chris Kreider scored two goals and Igor Shesterkin made 37 saves to help the Rangers eliminate the Carolina Hurricanes. Tampa Bay swept the Florida Panthers in the second round, who won the Presidents’ Trophy this season. Andrei Vasilevskiy allowed only three goals, including a shutout in the closeout fourth game of the series.
The Lightning have won 10 straight playoff series. Tampa Bay has captured the last two Stanley Cups and is currently +120 to win their third consecutive title; the last team to do so was the New York Islanders who won four straight Stanley Cups; 1979-80 through 1982-83. New York is currently listed at +550 to win the Stanley Cup this season. The Rangers last championship was 1993-94 when they beat the Vancouver Canucks, their only Stanley Cup victory since 1940.
Tampa Bay Lightning Vs. New York Rangers Betting Odds
Tampa Bay is -175 to beat New York and advance to their third consecutive Stanley Cup Final. The Lightning are 6-0 in their last six overall. Tampa Bay is 22-8 in their last 30 playoff games as a favorite. Under is 6-2-3 in the Lightning’s last 11 Conference Finals games. Over is 10-3 in Tampa Bay’s last 13 games as a favorite.
The Rangers are +150 to beat the Lightning and advance to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2013-14 when they lost to the Los Angeles Kings. New York is 4-1 in their last five contests overall. The Rangers are 15-38 in their last 53 playoff games as an underdog. Under is 7-2-1 in New York’s last 10 playoff games as an underdog. The Rangers are 6-2 in their last eight games as a home underdog.
Tampa Bay Lightning Analysis
Nikita Kucherov played in 47 games this season after missing the beginning of the season due to injury and was the club’s third leading scorer with 69 points (25 goals and 44 assists). The 2018-19 Hart Trophy winner is Tampa Bay’s leading scorer in the playoffs with 15 points (four goals and 11 assists). Kucherov is +900 to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP this season. Ross Colton is tied with third on the Lightning in postseason scoring with eight points (five goals and three assists). Ondrej Palat had 49 points during the regular season, has eight points this postseason (four goals and four assists); tied with Colton for third in playoff scoring. Steven Stamkos led the team in goals with 42 and points with 106 points during the regular season. The center had 16 power play goals and an incredible 11 game winning goals in 2021-22. The two-time Stanley Cup champion has eight points (four goals and four assists) in 11 playoff contests this year. The Lightning captain is +2200 to win the Conn Smythe Trophy.
Victor Hedman was the second leading scorer for Tampa Bay in 2021-22 with 85 points (20 goals and 65 assists). The 2017-18 Norris Trophy winner is second on the Lightning in postseason scoring with 10 points (two goals and eight assists). Additionally, Hedman is averaging 25:03 of ice time per contest in the playoffs. He’s +1200 to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.
Andrei Vasilevskiy, the 2018-19 Vezina Trophy winner was 39-18-5 this season (tied for first in wins) in 63 games. Tampa Bay’s number 88 had a .916 save percentage and a 2.49 GAA in 2021-22. Through 11 playoff games this year, which he’s 8-3, he has a .932 save percentage and a 2.22 GAA. Against Florida in the second round, he had 0.75 GAA. The 2020-21 Conn Smythe Trophy winner is +550 to repeat as Conn Smythe Trophy winner.
New York Rangers Analysis
Igor Shesterkin was 36-13-4 with a .935 save percentage (first in the league) and a 2.07 GAA (first in the NHL) in the 2021-22 regular season. Through 14 playoff games this year, the New York’s goaltender has a .928 save percentage and a 2.68 GAA. Shesterkin is +650 to win the Conn Smythe Trophy this season.
Adam Fox had been dominant on the blueline throughout the playoffs for the Rangers. The 23-year-old is second on the club in postseason scoring with 18 points; in Game Seven at Carolina, he had a goal and an assist. Fox is the first Rangers defenseman with at least 10 playoff assists or more in a season since Ryan McDonagh had 13 in 2014. The 2020-21 Norris Trophy winner is +3500 to win the Conn Smythe Trophy has playoff MVP.
Mika Zibanejad finished the season as the Rangers second leading scorer with 81 points (29 goals and 52 assists) and led New York in plus/minus at +30. He had three big assists in the New York’s stunning win over Carolina on Monday. Zibanejad leads the team in postseason scoring with 19 points (seven goals and 12 assists). The Rangers number 93 is +3000 to win the Conn Smythe Trophy. Andrew Copp has been fantastic in his first postseason with New York; after coming over via a trade in March. In Game Seven against the Hurricanes, he had a goal and an assist. In 14 postseason games he has 12 points (six goals and six assists). Chris Kreider scored 52 goals this year, third in the NHL. New York’s number 20 led the NHL in power play goals with 26. He’s scored eight goals during the playoffs and has 11 points overall in the postseason. Artemi Panarin was New York’s leading scorer in the regular season with 96 points. He tallied an assist in Monday’s series clinching win at Carolina. Overall, in the 2021-22 postseason he has 11 points (four goals and seven assists).
Tampa Bay Lightning Vs. New York Rangers Picks & Prediction
Tampa Bay has scored 36 goals in the 2021-22 postseason: averaging 3.3 goals per game. The Lightning are 4-1 in their last five road games. Tampa Bay is 1-4 in the last five meetings with New York. The Rangers have scored 48 goals during the first two rounds of playoffs: averaging 3.4 goals per contest. New York is 1-6 in their last 7 games as an underdog. Over is 5-2 in the Rangers last seven home games. New York went an impressive 7-for-21 on the power play in the series vs. Carolina.
This is a series that pits two of the best goalies in the NHL, Andrei Vasilevskiy and Igor Shesterkin who’ve combined for 16 postseason wins in 2021-22, two spectacular defensemen in Victor Hedman and Adam Fox, each the second leading playoff scorer for their respective clubs and three of the most dynamic offensive players in the league: Nikita Kucherov, Steven Stamkos and Artemi Panarin. The crowd at Madison Square Garden will be intense as the Rangers play in the conference finals for the first time in almost seven years. I’m going with the underdog, New York beating Tampa Bay, 4-2 in Game One as the teams combine to score over 5.5 goals.
Tampa Bay Lightning Vs. New York Rangers Starting Goalies & Line Combination
