The Tampa Bay Lightning and Tampa Bay Lightning square off in Game 3 with their Eastern Conference Second-Round series tied 1-1 heading into Wednesday. Puck drop is at 8 p.m. ET at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. We analyze the Lightning-Bruins NHL betting odds and lines, with picks and best bets.
Lightning vs. Bruins: Projected starting goalies
Andrei Vasilevskiy vs. Jaroslav Halak
Vasilevskiy stopped 22 of the 25 shots he faced in Tuesday’s 4-3 overtime victory, as W Ondrej Palat provided the heroics in the extra session. This will be an interesting Game 3 with a back-to-back situation. Vasilevskiy hasn’t started back-to-back days since Nov. 28-29, 2017 when he shut out the Buffalo Sabres, then lost to the Bruins in Boston the next night. In fact, he is 1-7 in his career in the second game when starting consecutive days.
Halak stopped 36 shots in Tuesday’s overtime loss, but he couldn’t stop Palat on the winner. This is where the B’s will miss Tuukka Rask the most, as they face two back-to-back situations in this series. Head coach Bruce Cassidy has used a two-goalie rotation for the better part of two seasons, but now he has no choice but to go right back to Halak in Game 3. Halak started consecutive games Jan. 13-14, but lost both ends. He is 4-2 on the second day of back-to-back starts.
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Lightning vs. Bruins: Odds, picks and betting tips
Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access them at USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated at 7:45 a.m. ET.
Prediction
Bruins 3, Lightning 2
Moneyline (ML)
The BRUINS (-110) and Lightning (-110) are once again in a pick ’em, just like Game 2. And like yesterday’s game, this one should be super close, and might even require another overtime session or two. Unlike Tuesday’s battle, the Bruins are the play here.
Halak has been a lot more successful in his career playing the second end of a back-to-back situation, while Vasilevskiy has won just once in eight tries in the second end when starting on consecutive days.
New to sports betting? A winning $10 bet on the Bruins to win returns a profit of $9.10.
Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)
The Bruins (-1.5, +240) are very, very tempting at this price, but I can see this one going to overtime yet again. The teams are that close, and the books certainly agree, too. AVOID.
If you are feeling either team to win in regulation, they’re each a very attractive +150. They must win in regulation, though, or it’s a losing play.
Over/Under (O/U)
UNDER 5.5 (-115) was the wrong side in Game 2, but it’s the right side here. It’s difficult playing a back-to-back situation, especially in Round 2 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The players will have rubber legs, they’ll look like they’re skating in sand, and the advantage will be in favor of the goaltenders.
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