Betting news, trends, odds and predictions from various handicappers and websites for Thursday 5/17/18
Tampa Bay Lightning at Washington Capitals (-110, 6)
Capitals lead series 2-1.
The Tampa Bay Lightning fought their way back in the series with a vastly improved performance and the reward is a chance to even the Eastern Conference finals Thursday night when they visit the Washington Capitals for Game 4. All-Stars Victor Hedman, Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov combined for seven points as the Lightning recorded a 4-2 victory Tuesday in Washington after dropping the first two games of the series at home.
“We believed all along,” Stamkos, who has scored a goal in five of the last six games, told reporters. “We knew we weren’t good enough, and credit to them, they played really good hockey the first two games. We needed to make adjustments. We did that. We worked on it. The players went out there and did what we needed to do.” Tampa Bay was much tighter defensively despite allowing 38 shots overall, and scored twice on the power play to improve to 5-for-12 with the man advantage in the series and extend their streak to eight games with at least one. Evgeny Kuznetsov finished with 12 shots on net and a goal for the Capitals in Game 3 while linemate Alex Ovechkin did not have a point despite accumulating nine shots, but coach Barry Trotz told the media his team was “off a little bit” and will be better Thursday. “We believe in each other,” Ovechkin told reporters. “We know exactly what we have to do. Nobody said it was going to be easy. They’re not going to give us two wins in a row in our house. We just have to play more desperate and play smarter.”
TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network, CBC, Sportsnet, TVA
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LINE HISTORY: Game 4 opened as a Pick 'Em and as of Wednesday night that number has not moved. The total hit betting boards at 6 and has been steady at the opening figure.
COVERS CONSENSUS: 59 percent of Covers Consensus moneyline wagers are coming in on the home favorite Capitals. The Over is seeing the edge in the total action with 52 percent of the bets. Check out the complete consensus data here.
INJURY REPORT:
Lightning - C Tyler Johnson (Questionable, Arm), LW Adam Erne (Questionable, Lower Body).
Capitals - C Nicklas Backstrom (Questionable, Hand).
ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (63-27-3-2, 55-35 O/U): Coach Jon Cooper shuffled his top three forward lines for Game 3, putting Ondrej Palat with Kucherov and Stamkos, flipping J.T. Miller to a unit with Anthony Cirelli and Alex KIllorn while moving Yanni Gourde in with Brayden Point and Tyler Johnson. “We needed to put guys in positions to succeed,” Cooper told reporters. “We probably needed to spring a little life into our group.” Point has four goals in his last five games and four of his 14 playoff points in the past two contests while Hedman owns a franchise-record eight-game point streak after scoring once and assisting on two Tuesday.
ABOUT THE CAPITALS (59-29-8-1, 53-40 O/U): Center Nicklas Backstrom (13 points, 11 playoff games) skated again Wednesday and could possibly return to the lineup Thursday after missing the last four contests with a hand injury. Kuznetsov boasts four goals and seven assists during a six-game point streak and owns 20 points overall - six in the series - while Ovechkin scored twice and set up two others in the first two contests against Tampa Bay. Goalie Braden Holtby owns an .899 save percentage in the series, but has stopped 57 of the 60 shots he has faced at even strength (.950) and leads the league with 10 playoffs wins entering Wednesday.
TRENDS:
* Lightning are 4-0 in their last 4 road games.
* Capitals are 22-8 in their last 30 overall.
* Over is 17-6-3 in Lightning's last 26 road games.
* Over is 4-0-3 in Capitals' last 7 vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
* Over is 20-7-3 in the last 30 meetings.
Preview: Lightning at Capitals
Gracenote
May 16, 2018
The Tampa Bay Lightning fought their way back in the series with a vastly improved performance and the reward is a chance to even the Eastern Conference finals Thursday night when they visit the Washington Capitals for Game 4. All-Stars Victor Hedman, Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov combined for seven points as the Lightning recorded a 4-2 victory Tuesday in Washington after dropping the first two games of the series at home.
“We believed all along,” Stamkos, who has scored a goal in five of the last six games, told reporters. “We knew we weren’t good enough, and credit to them, they played really good hockey the first two games. We needed to make adjustments. We did that. We worked on it. The players went out there and did what we needed to do.” Tampa Bay was much tighter defensively despite allowing 38 shots overall, and scored twice on the power play to improve to 5-for-12 with the man advantage in the series and extend their streak to eight games with at least one. Evgeny Kuznetsov finished with 12 shots on net and a goal for the Capitals in Game 3 while linemate Alex Ovechkin did not have a point despite accumulating nine shots, but coach Barry Trotz told the media his team was “off a little bit” and will be better Thursday. “We believe in each other,” Ovechkin told reporters. “We know exactly what we have to do. Nobody said it was going to be easy. They’re not going to give us two wins in a row in our house. We just have to play more desperate and play smarter.”
TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network, CBC, Sportsnet, TVA
ABOUT THE LIGHTNING: Coach Jon Cooper shuffled his top three forward lines for Game 3, putting Ondrej Palat with Kucherov and Stamkos, flipping J.T. Miller to a unit with Anthony Cirelli and Alex KIllorn while moving Yanni Gourde in with Brayden Point and Tyler Johnson. “We needed to put guys in positions to succeed,” Cooper told reporters. “We probably needed to spring a little life into our group.” Point has four goals in his last five games and four of his 14 playoff points in the past two contests while Hedman owns a franchise-record eight-game point streak after scoring once and assisting on two Tuesday.
ABOUT THE CAPITALS: Center Nicklas Backstrom (13 points, 11 playoff games) skated again Wednesday and could possibly return to the lineup Thursday after missing the last four contests with a hand injury. Kuznetsov boasts four goals and seven assists during a six-game point streak and owns 20 points overall - six in the series - while Ovechkin scored twice and set up two others in the first two contests against Tampa Bay. Goalie Braden Holtby owns an .899 save percentage in the series, but has stopped 57 of the 60 shots he has faced at even strength (.950) and leads the league with 10 playoffs wins entering Wednesday.
OVERTIME
1. Washington C Lars Eller has posted two goals and three assists in the series, taking Backstrom’s spot on the second line.
2. Stamkos needs one power-play goal to pass Martin St. Louis (10) for first on the franchise’s all-time playoff list.
3. Capitals RW Brett Connolly, who was drafted sixth overall by the Lightning in 2010, boasts a point in each of the first three games of the series.
PREDICTION: Lightning 3, Capitals 2
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W/L Trends
Tampa Bay
Lightning are 4-0 in their last 4 road games.
Lightning are 5-1 in their last 6 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
Lightning are 21-5 in their last 26 Thursday games.
Lightning are 42-14 in their last 56 when their opponent scores 2 goals or less in their previous game.
Lightning are 41-16 in their last 57 games playing on 1 days rest.
Lightning are 5-2 in their last 7 vs. Eastern Conference.
Lightning are 35-16 in their last 51 after allowing 2 goals or less in their previous game.
Lightning are 35-16 in their last 51 vs. a team with a winning record.
Lightning are 13-6 in their last 19 vs. Metropolitan.
Lightning are 71-34 in their last 105 overall.
Lightning are 1-4 in their last 5 Conference Finals games.
Washington
Capitals are 6-2 in their last 8 Conference Finals games.
Capitals are 71-24 in their last 95 vs. Atlantic.
Capitals are 22-8 in their last 30 overall.
Capitals are 77-31 in their last 108 games playing on 1 days rest.
Capitals are 39-16 in their last 55 after scoring 2 goals or less in their previous game.
Capitals are 93-40 in their last 133 home games.
Capitals are 77-37 in their last 114 when their opponent allows 2 goals or less in their previous game.
Capitals are 74-36 in their last 110 vs. Eastern Conference.
Capitals are 1-4 in their last 5 Thursday games.
OU Trends
Tampa Bay
Over is 5-0-1 in Lightning last 6 Thursday games.
Over is 5-1-3 in Lightning last 9 Conference Finals games.
Over is 11-3-1 in Lightning last 15 after allowing 2 goals or less in their previous game.
Over is 3-1-3 in Lightning last 7 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
Over is 17-6-3 in Lightning last 26 road games.
Over is 22-8-3 in Lightning last 33 vs. Metropolitan.
Over is 23-9-1 in Lightning last 33 games following a win.
Over is 24-11-5 in Lightning last 40 vs. Eastern Conference.
Washington
Over is 4-0-3 in Capitals last 7 vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
Over is 2-0-2 in Capitals last 4 vs. Atlantic.
Over is 2-0-2 in Capitals last 4 Conference Finals games.
Under is 9-3-3 in Capitals last 15 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600.
Over is 6-2-1 in Capitals last 9 home games.
Under is 6-2-1 in Capitals last 9 after scoring 2 goals or less in their previous game.
Over is 18-7-2 in Capitals last 27 when their opponent allows 2 goals or less in their previous game.
Over is 5-2-1 in Capitals last 8 games playing on 1 days rest.
Head to Head
Under is 2-0-2 in the last 4 meetings in Washington.
Over is 20-7-3 in the last 30 meetings.
Lightning are 18-37 in the last 55 meetings.
Lightning are 17-37 in the last 54 meetings in Washington.
Road team is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings.
NHL(59) TAMPA BAY @ (60) WASHINGTON | 05/17/2018 - 8:05 PM
Play OVER TAMPA BAY using the puck line in Road games when trailing in a playoff series
The record is 14 Overs and 4 Unders since 1996 (+13.60 units)
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NHL(59) TAMPA BAY @ (60) WASHINGTON | 05/17/2018 - 8:05 PM
Play OVER WASHINGTON using the puck line in All games when playing against a team with a winning record
The record is 36 Overs and 20 Unders this season (+17.35 units)
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NHL(59) TAMPA BAY @ (60) WASHINGTON | 05/17/2018 - 8:05 PM
Play ON WASHINGTON using the money line in All games when playing against a team with a winning record
The record is 36 Wins and 20 Losses this season (+17.35 units)
NHL
Long Sheet
Thursday, May 17
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TAMPA BAY (63-27-0-5, 131 pts.) at WASHINGTON (59-29-0-9, 127 pts.) - 5/17/2018, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 60-38 ATS (+2.5 Units) in all games this season.
WASHINGTON is 36-22 ATS (+3.0 Units) second half of the season this season.
WASHINGTON is 27-11 ATS (+13.9 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent this season.
WASHINGTON is 18-4 ATS (+11.5 Units) in home games after a loss by 2 goals or more in their previous game over the last 3 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 36-20 ATS (+12.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
WASHINGTON is 21-12 ATS (+8.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season this season.
TAMPA BAY is 64-32 ATS (+9.9 Units) in all games this season.
TAMPA BAY is 24-11 ATS (+12.7 Units) when trailing in a playoff series since 1996.
TAMPA BAY is 233-236 ATS (+498.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season since 1996.
WASHINGTON is 8-14 ATS (-10.2 Units) in home games when leading in a playoff series since 1996.
Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 8-4 (+5.3 Units) against the spread versus TAMPA BAY over the last 3 seasons
WASHINGTON is 8-4-0 straight up against TAMPA BAY over the last 3 seasons
5 of 9 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+1.2 Units)
NHL
Thursday, May 17
Trend Report
Tampa Bay Lightning
Tampa Bay is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games
Tampa Bay is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
Tampa Bay is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
Tampa Bay is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Tampa Bay is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games when playing Washington
Tampa Bay is 4-10 SU in its last 14 games when playing Washington
The total has gone OVER in 15 of Tampa Bay's last 23 games when playing Washington
Tampa Bay is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Washington
Tampa Bay is 3-11 SU in its last 14 games when playing on the road against Washington
Washington Capitals
Washington is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
Washington is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
Washington is 3-9 ATS in its last 12 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Washington's last 9 games at home
Washington is 6-2 ATS in its last 8 games when playing Tampa Bay
Washington is 10-4 SU in its last 14 games when playing Tampa Bay
The total has gone OVER in 15 of Washington's last 23 games when playing Tampa Bay
Washington is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Tampa Bay
Washington is 11-3 SU in its last 14 games when playing at home against Tampa Bay