Preview: Canadians vs Lightning Game 3 and Rangers vs Capitals Game 4
The NHL postseason continues on Wednesday night with two conference semifinal matchups. In one, the Montreal Canadians visit the Tampa Bay Lightning for Game 3 of their best of seven series. Tampa Bay leads the series 2-0 after winning Games 1 and 2 in Montreal.
The current best line on Montreal is +135, while on Tampa Bay, it is -140. The total for the game is 5.
Montreal has just one way to win the series: Carey Price its goalie. The Canadians lost the two first games of the series on their home ice including a shelling in Game 2 of 6-2. Montreal will need to turn things around starting tonight and Price is the type of player who can at least keep Tampa Bay off the scoreboard and give his team an opportunity to win.
Over the past few decades, Stanley Cup runs did not always have great goaltending, but it was the most common thread amongst all the Cup winners. A goalie that is red hot can easily trump another other type of edge.
During the just completed regular season, Price was the best goalie in the league and needs to return to being that goalie. The defense playing in front of him has not been that solid either.
Montreal on offshore books is at +450 to win the seven game series, while Tampa Bay is -700. Only about 14% of NHL teams have been able to come back from a deficit of 2-0 to win and that is even lower when the team loses the first two on its home ice
The second game on tap Wednesday features the New York Rangers at the Washington Capitals. The series has Washington leading 2-1. The best line for New York is +105, for Washington -110 and the total is sitting on 4.5.
This has been one of the most tightly played series to date in this year’s NHL playoffs. It is the first time this season during the playoff that the point total dropped to 4.5. Braden Holtby and Henrik Lundqvist the two goalies have played impressively in each of the first three games.
The only thing that has separated the two teams is a wraparound goalie by Jay Beagle that banked off Keith Yandle’s skate and in for a score for the Capitals in Game 3 during the second period. The game ended at 1-0.
The offense for New York has not got on track in the playoffs with only 15 goals over eight games. Their total has cashed UNDER in six of eight games.
Rick Nash has just one goal, while Martin St. Louis just two assists.
Holtby looks strong in net for Washington, but it has been the defense of the Capitals that have shut the Rangers offense down.
This game will be another tough low scoring affair and should end 2-1 in New York’s favor.
