PREMIUM
Stephen Nover's Monday NHL Destroyer
(NHL) Tampa Bay vs. Pittsburgh,
Money Line: 192.00 Tampa Bay (Away)
Result: Loss
Money Line: 192.00 Tampa Bay (Away)
Result: Loss
The combination of the Penguins being down 0-1 in this Western Conference Stanley Cup final while having home ice and likely drawing the Lightning minus star goalie Ben Bishop has bumped this price into the stratosphere.
I say not so fast. I understand the zig-zag firmly is in place here. The Penguins desperately need this game. They likely lose the series without beating Tampa Bay here.
But that is far from a given. I don't expect Bishop to play even though he hasn't been ruled out. It's a bonus if he does play. I like the Lightning either way. This is one of the top value plays of the season - and I'm not going to pass it up.
Tampa Bay has won nine of its 11 playoff games. The Lightning are 4-0 during their past four away matchups and have defeated Pittsburgh in the past four meetings.
Only twice in their 11 playoff games have the Lightning allowed more than two goals. Their 1.82 GAA is the best in the playoffs. This has been accomplished not just by good goaltending, but by a solid defensive system that has proven nearly impenetrable with forwards doing a good job of backchecking and a tall defensive corps that could be further strengthened with the real possibility of Anton Stralman playing for the first time since suffering a broken leg seven weeks ago. He's been skating in full since last week and appears ready to go. Center Tyler Johnson also should be good to go after missing part of Game 1 after suffering a knee bruise.
The Penguins have to pick up their offense to dent this unit and their two key centers, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, are both cold. They are dealing with three Tampa Bay defensemen that are 6-feet-5 or taller.
Bishop is a sky scraper himself at 6-7. But 21-year-old Andrei Vasilevskiv turned in a sharp 25-save performance following Bishop's injury in the Lightning's 3-1 Game 1 win this past Friday. The Penguins also have a young goalie as Matthew Murray doesn't turn 22 for another nine days.
Tampa Bay is playing on house money for this game. All the pressure is on Pittsburgh. This isn't going to be an easy task for the Penguins. The line is way out of whack so I'm involved.
I say not so fast. I understand the zig-zag firmly is in place here. The Penguins desperately need this game. They likely lose the series without beating Tampa Bay here.
But that is far from a given. I don't expect Bishop to play even though he hasn't been ruled out. It's a bonus if he does play. I like the Lightning either way. This is one of the top value plays of the season - and I'm not going to pass it up.
Tampa Bay has won nine of its 11 playoff games. The Lightning are 4-0 during their past four away matchups and have defeated Pittsburgh in the past four meetings.
Only twice in their 11 playoff games have the Lightning allowed more than two goals. Their 1.82 GAA is the best in the playoffs. This has been accomplished not just by good goaltending, but by a solid defensive system that has proven nearly impenetrable with forwards doing a good job of backchecking and a tall defensive corps that could be further strengthened with the real possibility of Anton Stralman playing for the first time since suffering a broken leg seven weeks ago. He's been skating in full since last week and appears ready to go. Center Tyler Johnson also should be good to go after missing part of Game 1 after suffering a knee bruise.
The Penguins have to pick up their offense to dent this unit and their two key centers, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, are both cold. They are dealing with three Tampa Bay defensemen that are 6-feet-5 or taller.
Bishop is a sky scraper himself at 6-7. But 21-year-old Andrei Vasilevskiv turned in a sharp 25-save performance following Bishop's injury in the Lightning's 3-1 Game 1 win this past Friday. The Penguins also have a young goalie as Matthew Murray doesn't turn 22 for another nine days.
Tampa Bay is playing on house money for this game. All the pressure is on Pittsburgh. This isn't going to be an easy task for the Penguins. The line is way out of whack so I'm involved.
