The New York Rangers roared out to a fast start at the Eastern Conference Final, taking a 2-1 decision over Tampa Bay in Game 1. The Lightning have plenty more to offer with its stable of young, talented players. But the Rangers may have just enough talent to keep Tampa Bay in check.
Can the Bolts strike to even out the series in Game 2? Read on for everything you need to know heading into this intriguing clash. Get to know these two teams even more with our complete Eastern Conference Final series preview.
[sc:NHLArticles ]Tampa Bay Lightning vs. New York Rangers Game 2 Preview
Series Scores and Schedule
Game 1 – Tampa Bay Lightning 1 at New York Rangers 2
Game 2 – May 18, 8:00 PM ET – Tampa Bay Lightning (+120) at New York Rangers (-140); total 4.5 – view all NHL lines
Game 3 – May 20, 8:00 PM ET – New York Rangers at Tampa Bay Lightning
Game 4 – May 22, 8:00 PM ET – New York Rangers at Tampa Bay Lightning
Game 5* – May 24, 8:00 PM ET – Tampa Bay Lightning at New York Rangers
Game 6* – May 26, 8:00 PM ET – New York Rangers at Tampa Bay Lightning
Game 7* – May 29, 8:00 PM ET – Tampa Bay Lightning at New York Rangers
*If necessary
Betting on the Tampa Bay Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning couldn’t quite equal the intensity of the Rangers to open the Eastern Conference Final. The Bolts were outshot 30-24 and outmuscled 30-18 in hits throughout the game. They also allowed 10 takeaways that could have buried them in a deeper hole if not for the excellent game of goalie Ben Bishop.
[sc:NHL240 ]Bishop had been 8-0 in eight career games played against the Rangers prior to Saturday’s conference final opener. He kept the Lightning in the game with 28 saves. Bishop should remain solid between the pipes with his quick hands and 6’7”, 214 lbs. frame covering the net. He’ll just need his teammates to spark some life on offense.
Ryan Callahan delivers that spark. Having him back on the ice is a big momentum booster for the Bolts. Callahan could even be more productive as the series gets deeper as he continues to heal from an appendectomy a week ago. Callahan is yet to contribute a goal this postseason, but ranked fourth among the Bolts with 24 in the regular season.
The Bolts may miss another player in Brian Boyle, who is day-to-day with an undisclosed injury. Boyle is a big-bodied center who could bully his way against the Rangers’ smaller players. He hasn’t contributed much this postseason with just two points. Tampa Bay has been outscored by two when Boyle is on the ice this postseason.
Steven Stamkos being contained to just one shot on goal doesn’t help. The Bolts’ top regular season goal-scorer was hounded by the Rangers’ blue line pair of Dan Boyle and Marc Staal. Stamkos’ line, which includes Valtteri Flippula and Alex Killorn, was limited to six shots and was held point-less in Game 1.
But the Triplets line kept the Bolts in the game. Tyler Johnson assisted in the Lightning’s lone goal in the contest, an Ondrej Palat power play goal to draw even in the third period. Nikita Kucherov had four big hits to give Tampa Bay a physical player on the ice.
The Bolts have won four of their last six games on the road.
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Betting on the New York Rangers
Hoping to spark the Rangers’ offense, coach Alain Vigneault deiced to tweak New York’s line combinations. He inserted Martin St. Louis in with Dominic Moore and Carl Hagelin, who came up with some timely contributions for the Rangers.
Hagelin and St. Louis were excellent on the defensive end with three takeaways between them. Moore scored the game-winner with just over two minutes left in regulation when Kevin Hayes’ pass deflected off his skate and into the Tampa Bay net. Prior to Saturday’s goal, Moore last playoff goal sent the Rangers to the 2014 Stanley Cup Finals.
While Rick Nash isn’t the scoring machine New York needs him to be, he’s played extremely well this postseason. He has just suffered from some unfortunate bounces. But Nash’s inability to score hasn’t hurt the Rangers much due to their depth. Derek Stepan scored his fourth goal of the playoffs, tying Derick Brassard for a team-high nine points this postseason. Brassard and Chris Kreider each have a team-high five goals.
The Rangers being a defense-first team should help in neutralizing Tampa Bay’s high-scoring ways. The blue line pair of Ryan McDonagh and Dan Girardi has played well, limiting opponents’ top attacking lines. The two limited Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin to two goals in the first round of the playoffs. They also limited top regular season scorer Alex Ovechkin and Niklas Backstrom to three goals in seven games in the conference semifinal.
McDonagh and Girardi should hold their own against Tampa Bay’s Triplets line, which has scored 18 of the Bolts’ 35 playoff goals thus far. They limited Johnson, Kucherov and Palat to one goal on nine shots in Game 1. Solid defending from the two should aid Henrik Lundqvist in keeping Tampa Bay out of the net.
Speaking of Lundqvist, he showed why he’s the King in this year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs. He has now allowed just one goal in 10 of 13 playoff games thus far. Lundqvist’s 1.56 GAA and .945 save percentage are the best among the remaining goalies this postseason.
The total has gone under in 10 of the Rangers’ 13 games this postseason.
Writer’s Prediction
The Rangers take another 2-1 victory. Take the total to go under 4.5.
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