by Chuck Sommers
Wednesday, May 18, 2022
Eastern Conference Second Round, Game 2 -- Lightning lead 1-0
Eastern Conference Second Round – Game 1
Eastern Conference Second Round – Game 1
Time: 7 p.m. ET
Venue: FLA Live Arena, Sunrise, FL
Where to watch: TNT
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Panthers -160, Lightning +140
BetMGM: Panthers -155, Lightning +125
Caesars: NL
Al McMordie has reeled off a strong 20-8-0 run over the last month in the NHL. Man, what a start to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Did you enjoy all those Game Sevens? Because we sure did. You think all that fun in Round 1 was great? How about these next four matchups? It’s going to be a wild ride. You need to be tuned in here to find out all the expert analysis. Catch Al’s plays available right now at the Shop Picks page, where you can find all of the Best Bets from our champion sports handicappers.
Lightning - Panthers preview and analysis
Never count the champs out unless they're finally counted out. And after Game 1, it would appear that the Tampa Bay Lightning aren't going anywhere any time soon.
The Lightning took a 1-0 lead in the best-of-7 with a 4-1 victory over the Florida Panthers in Game 1 on Tuesday. It was a clinic from the likes of Nikita Kucherov, and the Lightning have stolen home-ice advantage against the top team in the league.
And now with Game 2 set for Thursday night, one can rest assure that the Lightning are not feeling the aftershock of going through a grueling seven-game series in the first round against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Alas, here we are after a dominant performance from Andrei Vasilevskiy and crew to get on the board. Corey Perry added a goal and an assist for his troubles. Pierre-Edouard Bellemare scored the go-ahead goal in the third period, as well.
"It's fun to be able to help the team offensively at times," Bellemare said. "Our line, last series we had to kind of manage when we were on the ice, and tonight it was more about trying to build momentum for the team when we're out there. Corey got a big goal, and my goal was just a simple play. Credit to the coach for putting us in an offensive face-off."
Right after Anthony Duclair opened the scoring, Florida couldn't get anything else going after that. Sergei Bobrovsky did have 32 saves, but there was nothing else to be had on this night.
"I was happy with our game," Panthers coach Andrew Brunette said. "It was the little things. And that's what they do so well, that's why they have won a couple of Cups. It's the little things. It's a little face-off, it's shorthanded trying to score out of nothing. It's special teams. It is all these little things that they excel at and we're still learning. Again, unfortunately, we have to learn again tonight. We'll be better next game."
One way to learn from that is staying out of the box. The Lightning went 3-for-6 on the power play, and any time you give the Lightning a man advantage numerous times, they're bound to take over to some extent. And if they get those opportunities again, it wouldn't shock me to see Vasilevskiy playing with a lead and taking advantage.
And when you get Kucherov putting Aaron Ekblad in a blender and finding Perry for the tying goal, it's just ridiculous.
"Yeah, that was effortless," Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. "I've always said about 'Kuch,' he knows what the guy he's going against will do before they do, and he made that one look easy.
"It's a 1-0 game and the second period is dwindling down, and for us to get that goal, special teams have been a big part of these playoffs so far and that was another big play. But to give us a little boost going in after the second all tied up, now it's a 20-minute game and we won the period."
The Lightning took a 1-0 lead in the best-of-7 with a 4-1 victory over the Florida Panthers in Game 1 on Tuesday. It was a clinic from the likes of Nikita Kucherov, and the Lightning have stolen home-ice advantage against the top team in the league.
And now with Game 2 set for Thursday night, one can rest assure that the Lightning are not feeling the aftershock of going through a grueling seven-game series in the first round against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Alas, here we are after a dominant performance from Andrei Vasilevskiy and crew to get on the board. Corey Perry added a goal and an assist for his troubles. Pierre-Edouard Bellemare scored the go-ahead goal in the third period, as well.
"It's fun to be able to help the team offensively at times," Bellemare said. "Our line, last series we had to kind of manage when we were on the ice, and tonight it was more about trying to build momentum for the team when we're out there. Corey got a big goal, and my goal was just a simple play. Credit to the coach for putting us in an offensive face-off."
Right after Anthony Duclair opened the scoring, Florida couldn't get anything else going after that. Sergei Bobrovsky did have 32 saves, but there was nothing else to be had on this night.
"I was happy with our game," Panthers coach Andrew Brunette said. "It was the little things. And that's what they do so well, that's why they have won a couple of Cups. It's the little things. It's a little face-off, it's shorthanded trying to score out of nothing. It's special teams. It is all these little things that they excel at and we're still learning. Again, unfortunately, we have to learn again tonight. We'll be better next game."
One way to learn from that is staying out of the box. The Lightning went 3-for-6 on the power play, and any time you give the Lightning a man advantage numerous times, they're bound to take over to some extent. And if they get those opportunities again, it wouldn't shock me to see Vasilevskiy playing with a lead and taking advantage.
And when you get Kucherov putting Aaron Ekblad in a blender and finding Perry for the tying goal, it's just ridiculous.
"Yeah, that was effortless," Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. "I've always said about 'Kuch,' he knows what the guy he's going against will do before they do, and he made that one look easy.
"It's a 1-0 game and the second period is dwindling down, and for us to get that goal, special teams have been a big part of these playoffs so far and that was another big play. But to give us a little boost going in after the second all tied up, now it's a 20-minute game and we won the period."
Prediction
I have a hard time believing that the Panthers will drop both games on home ice. It's not out of the realm of possibility, especially with the Lightning on the other end, but I am one to think the Panthers will stay out of the box and find a way to win. Stay out of the box, get solid goaltending and go to Tampa tied 1-1. Simple as that. Panthers win 4-2
Betting trends
Lightning are 40-26 since 1996 when leading in a playoff series.
Lightning are 8-2 this season after a road win by three goals or more.
Panthers are 12-4 this season when revenging a loss as an opponent.
Lightning are 8-2 this season after a road win by three goals or more.
Panthers are 12-4 this season when revenging a loss as an opponent.
Projected lines
Lightning:
Ondrej Palat -- Steven Stamkos -- Nikita Kucherov
Alex Killorn -- Anthony Cirelli -- Brandon Hagel
Nicholas Paul -- Brayden Point -- Ross Colton
Pat Maroon -- Pierre-Edouard Bellemare -- Corey Perry
Victor Hedman -- Erik Cernak
Ryan McDonagh -- Cal Foote
Mikhail Sergachev -- Zach Bogosian
Andrei Vasilevskiy
Panthers:
Anthony Duclair -- Aleksander Barkov -- Claude Giroux
Jonathan Huberdeau -- Sam Bennett -- Sam Reinhart
Mason Marchment -- Anton Lundell -- Noel Acciari
Ryan Lomberg -- Eetu Luostarinen -- Patric Hornqvist
Ben Chiarot -- Aaron Ekblad
Gustav Forsling -- MacKenzie Weegar
Brandon Montour -- Radko Gudas
Sergei Bobrovsky
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Chuck Sommers
About the Author:
Chuck Sommers has camped outside of sportsbooks since he can remember, learning the tricks and nuances of the trade. He still has nightmares of betting $5,000 on the Raiders in the Tuck Rule game but has since turned that to 25 years of veteran handicapping greatness. You can find him mostly in the shadows at the Red Rock or Aliante casinos wondering if the over is cashing on any given Sunday.
