The Boston Bruins host the Tampa Bay Lightning tonight, Saturday May 14th, for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals. Boston has won three straight of their last five meetings over Tampa. NHL oddsmakers have the Bruins as -145 moneyline home favourites over the Lightning (+125) with the over/under set at 5.5 goals. Be sure to check the Lightning vs Bruins NHL Point Spreads and get your predictions in early.
Tampa Bay (8-3, 5-1 V) knocked out Washington in four straight outscoring them 16-10, for their seventh consecutive win. Goalie Dwayne Roloson has been hot in net with an 8-3 record, 2.01GAA with one shutout. Roloson played in the Cup final when he was an Edmonton Oiler in 2005-06. He played 18 playoff games posted a 12-5 record and a 2.33GAA. The Lightning will still be without defenseman Pavel Kubina, although it looks like Simon Gagne will return to start the series. Kubina is dealing with a head injury and should return eventually. The Lightning's ability to keep the Caps at bay on the power play was the deciding factor in their sweep (Washington scored just twice on 19 attempts in the second round, and one of those goals was a 5-on-3 effort). That came after Tampa Bay killed off 34 of 35 penalties against Pittsburgh in the first round. The Lightning have scored at least one power-play goal in six of their 11 postseason games and are 5-1 when they score on the man advantage. Martin St. Louis and Vincent Lecavalier are enjoying terrific playoffs, combining for 25 points in 11 games. They represent two-thirds of the holdovers from the Lightning's 2004 run to the Cup.
Boston (8-3, 4-2 H) eliminated Philadelphia in four straight outscoring them 20-7, for their fifth consecutive win. Goalie Tim Thomas has been just as good with an 8-3 record, 2.03GAA. This is Thomas’s third season in the playoffs and can handle the pressure when it’s on. The Bruins likely will start the series without their best all-around center and leading playoff point producer, Patrice Bergeron, which will open the door for rookie Tyler Seguin to see his first NHL playoff action. Bergeron suffered a mild concussion during Game 4 against the Flyers. The Bruins' blue line begins and ends with captain Zdeno Chara. After a so-so start to the playoffs against Montreal, Chara was a beast against Philadelphia. He leads all Eastern Conference players in average ice time per night (28:41) and leads the playoff field with a plus-11 rating. But what is perhaps more impressive is that Dennis Seidenberg, a deadline acquisition last season who was injured during last year's playoff run, ranks right behind Chara at 28:34 a night. Seidenberg has a goal and five assists but also logs the toughest minutes against opposing teams' top lines. The Bruins have gone nine straight playoff games without a power-play goal and didn’t score without a man-advantage goal until Game 3 against Philadelphia. They did score twice on their past nine attempts against the Flyers, but the task becomes significantly more challenging against a Tampa Bay team that has dominated on the penalty kill this spring.
Recent Trends to Consider:
Home team is 8-3 in the last 11 meetings.
Lightning are 13-32-5 in the last 50 meetings.
Lightning are 3-18-4 in the last 25 meetings in Boston.
Lightning are 6-0 in their last 6 games as an underdog.
Lightning are 5-0 in their last 5 road games.
Lightning are 4-0 in their last 4 games as an underdog of +110 to +150.
Lightning are 7-0 in their last 7 vs. a team with a winning record.
Bruins are 4-0 in their last 4 games as a home favorite.
Bruins are 5-0 in their last 5 vs. a team with a winning record.
Bruins are 4-0 in their last 4 games following a win.
Lightning vs Bruins
When: Saturday, May-14, 8:00 PM ET
Pick: Lightning +125
Point-Spreads.com recommends you check out NHL Point Spreads before Lightning vs Bruins game.
The Bottom Line: Tampa Bay's determination and blend of youth along with battle-tested veterans will get them to the Cup finals. Be sure to check Lightning vs Bruins Hockey Point Spreads and get your predictions in early.
