Let’s take a look at the top picks, plays and predictions for the Eastern Conference Final.
| Lightning vs Penguins ML +180 / -210 O/U 5 |
Here are tonight’s starting goaltenders, courtesy of LeftWingLock.
We have finally reached that point. The point where Mike Sullivan has legitimate concern over who he starts in net. His decision for starting goaltender was considered to be a no-brainer for the first four games of the series. After a somewhat shaky performance in Game 4, however, Sullivan yanked Matt Murray for the start of the third period in what was almost a tremendous comeback.
Now, we have reached the midway point in the series with things tied up at two games a side. The Penguins’ head coach has yet to name a starting goaltender.
Game 4 looked to be all Tampa Bay from the outset. Less than 30 seconds into the game, a nice takedown behind Pittsburgh’s net led to puck possession by J.T. Brown. Brown dished the puck to the blueline, where Victor Hedman launched a wrist shot. Ryan Callahan had planted himself in front of the net to tip the puck past Murray.
Later in the first period, the Bolts capitalized on what they do best: transition rushes. Vladislav Namestnikov started the rush by finding Alex Killorn up ice. Killorn then dropped it back to Nikita Kucherov as he entered the offensive zone. Kucherov, sensing that the Penguins defense had shifted entirely to the puck-side of the ice, found a seam to Andrej Sustr, who joined the rush on the opposite side of the ice. Sustr buried his first goal of the postseason and the Bolts went up 2-0 at the end of the first.
Jonathan Drouin banged home a rebound on the man advantage to put the Lightning on top 3-0. Tampa played keep-away at the blueline and Hedman was finally able to find Drouin down low. Drouin tried to feed it across the crease to Ondrej Palat but was able to stuff in the loose puck as Murray nearly got a pad on the shot.
Minutes later, Kucherov sped into the zone and looked like he had a chance at a breakaway. He peeled off and waited for reinforcements. Kucherov left the puck back for Killorn, who quickly tapped it back wide for Kucherov. Again, with his innate ability to find a hole, Kucherov dished it to Tyler Johnson on the doorstop, who deflected it in. The goal came late in the second and would doom Matt Murray.
The ironic thing is that most of the goals Murray allowed were either sheer luck and opportunistic deflections or picture perfect passing plays. Murray stopped 26 of 30 shots in two periods.
Enter Marc-Andre Fleury. Fleury stopped all seven shots thrown his way in the third period.
The Penguins roared back in the third. Phil Kessel scored his eighth of the postseason with a beautiful snipe from the high slot off a feed from Nick Bonino.
Evgeni Malkin then used his stickwork to dangle past the Bolts defenders and get the Pens within two. The goal was his first in eight postseason games.
Minutes later on the powerplay, Chris Kunitz officially put a scare into Tampa Bay. A shot from Connor Sheary at the near circle generated a juicy rebound for Kunitz to bang home. Just like that, the Pens had seven minutes to tie things up.
They never could find the equalizer.
Andrei Vasilevskiy would wind up stopped 35 of 38 shots on goal. Victor Hedman, Alex Killorn and Nikita Kucherov both wound up with two points. No one on Pittsburgh had a multi-point game. Hedman has 12 points in nine games.
The series heading back to Pittsburgh tied is huge for Tampa. The Bolts are huge underdogs tonight and for good reason. The Pens are tough to beat at home. They did it in Game 1 with a healthy Ben Bishop starting the game. Game 2 was a much different story.
No matter who Pittsburgh starts in goal, it is going to be a tough time for Tampa Bay on the road tonight. Their best bet is taking Game 6 at home and rolling on the unpredictability of Game 7s.
Prediction: Take the Penguins to win. Play the over.
