With the series tied at five games apiece, the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Washington Capitals square off at Amalie Arena in first game of the Eastern Conference Finals. NBC Sports Network will broadcast the matchup, and the action gets going at 8 p.m. ET on Friday, May 11.
Washington Capitals at Tampa Bay Lightning Odds
Tampa Bay (-180) is currently favored over Washington (+160) and the oddsmakers have put the Over/Under (O/U) at an even 6 goals (-110 for the over, -110 for the under).
The Lightning are 62-30 straight up (SU) and have earned moneyline bettors 13.8 units this year. That winning percentage, ranked first in the league so far this season, is a solid improvement compared to how the team performed during the 2016-17 season (42-40). Through 92 regular season outings, 54 of its games have gone over the total, while 35 have gone under and just three have pushed. The team is 34-13 SU at home this season.
Tampa Bay’s offense attempted 32.6 shots per game in the regular season, resulting in 3.6 goals per outing (ranked first overall in the NHL). In the playoffs, the club’s maintaining an average of 32.2 shots on goal ( 3.5 goals per game).
Following a regular season where they found the net on 24.3 percent of all power-play chances (the third-best), the Lightning have been able to score on 26.3 percent of their power plays in the postseason. Their penalty kill has gone from 75.8 percent in the regular season to 74.2 percent in the playoffs.
Averaging 29.2 saves per game with a .920 save percentage, Andrei Vasilevskiy (52-23-3) has been the best option in goal for the Lightning this year. If head coach Jon Cooper decides to give him the night off, however, the team might roll with Louis Domingue (7-12-12 record, .894 save percentage, 3.41 goals against average).
Nikita Kucherov and Steven Stamkos will each lead the offensive attack for the Lightning. Kucherov (112 points) has tallied 45 goals and 67 assists and has recorded two or more points on 34 separate occasions this year. Stamkos has 30 goals and 66 assists to his credit and has notched at least one point in 59 contests.
Washington is 57-37 straight up (SU) and has earned moneyline bettors 14.7 units this season. Through 94 regular season matches, 52 of its games have gone over the total, while 40 have gone under and just two have pushed. As the road team, Washington is 26-21 SU.
Washington has converted on 23.8 percent of its power play chances this season, a mark that’s good enough for seventh-best in the NHL. On the other hand, its penalty kill unit is ranked 16th overall and it’s successfully defended 80.1 percent of all penalties.
Washington’s players have been penalized 4.1 times per game this season, 4.4 per game over their past five games total, and 4.0 per game over their last five on the road. The team has been forced to kill penalties 8.5 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Braden Holtby (.910 save percentage and 2.82 goals against average) has been the primary option in goal for Washington. Holtby is averaging 27.4 saves per game and owns a 42-23-5 record.
Alex Ovechkin (57 goals, 45 assists) will lead the attack for the visiting Capitals.
Washington Capitals at Tampa Bay Lightning Free Picks
Pick: SU Winner – Lightning, O/U – Under
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Notes
Betting Notes
The total has gone under in three of Washington’s last five outings.
Washington has attempted 29.5 shots per contest overall this season (ranked 31st in the NHL), and 26.8 in its last five road games.
Over Washington’s last ten games, five of them have been decided by two or more goals (the team is 4-1 in those games).
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