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NHL
Sunday, May 24
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What bettors need to know: Lightning at Rangers
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Tampa Bay Lightning at New York Rangers (-135, 5)
Series tied 2-2
The New York Rangers have been at their best when backed into a corner in the postseason and continued that trend by reclaiming home ice in the Eastern Conference final. With the series now down to a best-of-three, the Presidents' Trophy-winning Rangers look to make it two straight wins in Game 5 on Sunday night against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Henrik Lundqvist was torched for 12 goals in back-to-back games but responded with a magnificent performance in Friday's 5-1 victory, making 38 saves to cool off the potent Lightning. "There was a lot of talk about him and about his play, but there wasn't any doubt from within our dressing room," New York coach Alain Vigneault said. Tampa Bay has scored six goals in each of its victories and tallied once in both of its defeats, but there was no loss of confidence after unleashing 79 shots on goal in the past two contests. "People are going to wake up in the morning and look at the box score and say, 'Oh, wow, Tampa got waxed,' " Lighting coach Jon Cooper said after the Game 4 loss. "But if you were in the building, you probably didn't see it that way."
TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBCSN, CBC, TVA
LINE HISTORY: The lines opened at NYR -135 with a total of 5.
INJURY REPORT: Lightning - D Matt Carle (Ques-Undisclosed) Rangers - LW Mats Zuccarello (Ques-Head)
ABOUT THE LIGHTNING: While the buzz after Game 3 centered Lundqvist's shaky play, there are suddenly questions surrounding Tampa Bay counterpart Ben Bishop after he surrendered five goals for the second consecutive outing. While Cooper dismissed questions of switching netminders, calling it "asinine," there are legitimate concerns over the Lightning's penalty-killing unit after allowing two power-play goals for the third straight game. "The penalty kill needs to be better," said Bishop, who lost for only the second time in 12 career starts against the Rangers. "It starts with me. Six goals in three games is unacceptable."
ABOUT THE RANGERS: While Lundqvist stole the headlines, an equally important development for New York was the revival of Rick Nash, who notched 42 goals in the regular season but had tallied only twice in the postseason before matching the total with a pair of goals Friday. "It's just natural to grip your stick a little bit tighter and to not see the ice as well when you're struggling," Nash said. "The puck doesn't feel comfortable on your stick, so any time you can get a goal and get a little confidence it helps." Former Lightning captain Martin St. Louis also broke through with his first tally of the postseason, ending an 18-game drought.
TRENDS:
*Lightning are 10-3 in their last 13 games playing on 1 days rest.
*Rangers are 11-3 in their last 14 after scoring 5 goals or more in their previous game.
*Over is 6-1 in the last 7 meetings.
*Under is 5-1-1 in Rangers last 7 home games.
CONSENSUS: 70 percent of users are backing the Rangers with 53 percent on the over.
Sunday, May 24
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What bettors need to know: Lightning at Rangers
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Tampa Bay Lightning at New York Rangers (-135, 5)
Series tied 2-2
The New York Rangers have been at their best when backed into a corner in the postseason and continued that trend by reclaiming home ice in the Eastern Conference final. With the series now down to a best-of-three, the Presidents' Trophy-winning Rangers look to make it two straight wins in Game 5 on Sunday night against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Henrik Lundqvist was torched for 12 goals in back-to-back games but responded with a magnificent performance in Friday's 5-1 victory, making 38 saves to cool off the potent Lightning. "There was a lot of talk about him and about his play, but there wasn't any doubt from within our dressing room," New York coach Alain Vigneault said. Tampa Bay has scored six goals in each of its victories and tallied once in both of its defeats, but there was no loss of confidence after unleashing 79 shots on goal in the past two contests. "People are going to wake up in the morning and look at the box score and say, 'Oh, wow, Tampa got waxed,' " Lighting coach Jon Cooper said after the Game 4 loss. "But if you were in the building, you probably didn't see it that way."
TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBCSN, CBC, TVA
LINE HISTORY: The lines opened at NYR -135 with a total of 5.
INJURY REPORT: Lightning - D Matt Carle (Ques-Undisclosed) Rangers - LW Mats Zuccarello (Ques-Head)
ABOUT THE LIGHTNING: While the buzz after Game 3 centered Lundqvist's shaky play, there are suddenly questions surrounding Tampa Bay counterpart Ben Bishop after he surrendered five goals for the second consecutive outing. While Cooper dismissed questions of switching netminders, calling it "asinine," there are legitimate concerns over the Lightning's penalty-killing unit after allowing two power-play goals for the third straight game. "The penalty kill needs to be better," said Bishop, who lost for only the second time in 12 career starts against the Rangers. "It starts with me. Six goals in three games is unacceptable."
ABOUT THE RANGERS: While Lundqvist stole the headlines, an equally important development for New York was the revival of Rick Nash, who notched 42 goals in the regular season but had tallied only twice in the postseason before matching the total with a pair of goals Friday. "It's just natural to grip your stick a little bit tighter and to not see the ice as well when you're struggling," Nash said. "The puck doesn't feel comfortable on your stick, so any time you can get a goal and get a little confidence it helps." Former Lightning captain Martin St. Louis also broke through with his first tally of the postseason, ending an 18-game drought.
TRENDS:
*Lightning are 10-3 in their last 13 games playing on 1 days rest.
*Rangers are 11-3 in their last 14 after scoring 5 goals or more in their previous game.
*Over is 6-1 in the last 7 meetings.
*Under is 5-1-1 in Rangers last 7 home games.
CONSENSUS: 70 percent of users are backing the Rangers with 53 percent on the over.
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