Venue: Nassau Coliseum Stadium.
Game 3. The score in the series is 1-1.
Tampa expectedly won the second game after losing the first game of the series with the Islanders. Now the series moves to the Nassau Coliseum, where Barry Trotz’s team will try to build on their success. How big of a problem will the Lightning be following a home defeat? Our betting options for the third leg of this semi-final clash are as follows.
It’s too early to praise the Islanders
Barry Trotz is in his third season with the Islanders. The first was a playoff run, but it didn’t go far, and the last championship ended in a conference final loss to Tampa. Now it’s the same stage, the Stanley Cup semi-finals, and the same opponent. The next step is to win and reach the grand final.
Since last year’s series, the Islanders seem to have gotten stronger. The roster has become deeper, consequently, hockey has become more varied. As a result, a tie after two games in Tampa. However, there’s no point in singing the Islanders’ praises and insisting they’re ready to beat the Lightning right here and now. While their defence is still excellent, the Islanders’ offence, which has looked better on offence this season than it has in recent seasons, still has not been able to find a scoring chance against Andrei Vasilevskiy. Just two pucks, albeit a win, in Game 1, and the same two in Game 2. Of course, with that kind of performance in the series with Tampa, there’s not much to look forward to.
Tampa get their way sooner or later
Talking about the Islanders’ attack is no coincidence. The fact is, the Islanders can only beat Tampa with their offence. The Lightning, no matter how good their defence is, can almost always find their offensive options. The second game confirmed that statement. Yes, their opponents had their goalie replaced in the first period, but it’s not certain that the Lightning would not finish off Semyon Varlamov, as they did with Ilya Sorokin.
What may reassure Tampa fans is not the mere fact of victory, but rather the team’s 3 goals on the power play. The Lightning also managed a power-play goal of their own, but the 5-on-5 attack in the run-up to the series with the Islanders looked like a point where Tampa should add.
Expert Betting Tips
Tampa are not just the reigning champion, but arguably the strongest team in the league right now. To beat them, the Islanders will have to jump over their heads. The reserve, where the Islanders vitally need to add, is their offensive work. Barry Trotz’s team has the resources. Both the series with Pittsburgh and the games with Boston showed that. For once, the Islanders should also prove themselves on the attack in their clash with Tampa. Where else but at home to live up to their potential? Yes, but in Game 4! In Game 3, Tampa, due to extra motivation, will surely pick up the win and again miss very little. We predict that Tampa Bay will win and regain the home-ice advantage.
Betting options:
- Tampa to win in regular time for 2.24;
- Islanders Individual Total Under 2 for 2.23;
- Tampa to win and Total Under 6.5 for 2.65.