Detroit Red Wings vs. Tampa Bay Lightning Predictions, Picks and Preview – 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Eastern Conference First Round Game 2 – April 18, 2015

The Detroit Red Wings are old, and they just schooled their much younger counterparts Tampa Bay in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference Playoffs series. The Lightning dominated possession, pouring on a steady stream of shots on goal but could not put away the pesky Red Wings.

Can the Red Wings cause another Tampa Bay meltdown? Read on for everything you need to know heading into Game 2 of this intriguing series. Get your fix of Stanley Cup Playoffs action. Check out our complete preview for the second game of the Penguins vs. Rangers.
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Detroit Red Wings vs. Tampa Bay Lightning Preview

Series Scores & Schedule

Game 1 — April 16, 7:30 PM ET, Detroit Red Wings 3, Tampa Bay Lightning 2

Game 2 — April 18, 3:00 PM ET, Detroit Red Wings at Tampa Bay Lightning – view all NHL lines

Game 3 — April 21, 7:00 PM ET, Tampa Bay Lightning at Detroit Red Wings

Game 4 — April 23, 7:00 PM ET, Tampa Bay Lightning at Detroit Red Wings

Game 5 — April 25, Time TBD, Detroit Red Wings at Tampa Bay Lightning

Game 6 — April 27, Time TBD, Tampa Bay Lightning at Detroit Red Wings

Game 7 — April 29, Time TBD, Detroit Red Wings at Tampa Bay Lightning

Betting on the Detroit Red Wings

Pavel Datsyuk is one savvy hockey player. The 13-year veteran had just two shots in Game 1. Both times the puck found its way in the Tampa Bay net. Datsyuk now has 41 career playoff goals, tied for the ninth-most among active players. Luke Glendening extended Detroit’s advantage to 3-1 with a short-handed goal in the third to essentially seal the deal.

[sc:NHL240 ]But young goaltender Petr Mrazek, who was making his first postseason appearance, was the star of the show.  Mrazek saved an astounding 44-of-46 shots from the league’s best offense despite several screens set to distract him. He’s the only netminder to shut out Tampa Bay over the course of the regular season, a 4-0 victory on March 28.

Mrazek can’t do it all on his own. He’ll need the rest of the Red Wings to do much better in puck possession, their preferred style of play. The Red Wings were outshot by a whopping 46-14 in Game 1. They also gave the Lightning seven power plays in the game, but were lucky enough to kill off all opportunities.

One player who was quiet in Game 1, Gustav Nyquist, could possibly explode for a big game plan. Nyquist had four points (two goals and an assist) against the Lightning in the regular season. But he totaled less time on ice in favor of the first line of Datsyuk, Darren Helm (who assisted in both of Datsyuk’s goals) and Henrik Zetterberg.

The total has gone under in the last three meetings.

Betting on the Tampa Bay Lightning

The Tampa Bay Lightning could not have drawn out a better offensive game plan. They dominated puck possession, owning 77 percent of shots in Game 1. Steven Stamkos, who finished the regular season second in goal-scoring (43), had eight opportunities to net a goal only to be repeatedly robbed by Detroit’s Mrazek.

The Lightning got on the board courtesy of Brian Boyle’s breakaway short-handed goal in the first. They wouldn’t score another until Nikita Nesterov netted one eight minutes into the third period. That was as close as Tampa Bay would get to the Red Wings. Don’t expect Stamkos to be kept off the boards though. He had a total of four goals across four regular season games against Detroit.

Not much needs to be changed in Tampa Bay’s approach on the attack, but they do need better goaltending. Ben Bishop, who made his first postseason start, allowed three goals on just 14 shots. But Bishop should not do any worse against Detroit moving forward. He’s 7-1 with a 1.63 GAA in eight regular season starts against the Red Wings since 2013.

The Lightning have now lost five straight postseason games. They were swept in the first round of the 2014 Eastern Conference Playoffs by the Canadiens.

Writer’s Prediction

The Lightning even the series in Game 2. This matchup just got much more interesting. Create a betting account now and cash in on the electrifying Stanley Cup Playoffs.
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