The Tampa Bay Lightning and New York Islanders play Game 6 of their Stanley Cup Playoffs third-round series Wednesday. Puck drop is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Below, we analyze the Lightning-Islanders odds and lines, with NHL picks and predictions.
The Lightning pushed the Islanders to the brink of elimination in the most brutal way possible in Game 5, blowing out New York 8-0 at Amalie Arena.
The Isles were uncharacteristically undisciplined, committing 12 total penalties for a total of 57 minutes and allowing three power-play goals once rookie Ilya Sorokin relieved Semyon Varlamov.
Lightning at Islanders: Odds, spread and lines
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 7:40 a.m. ET.
- Money line: Lightning -155 (bet $155 to win $100) | Islanders +125 (bet $100 to win $125)
- Against the spread/ATS: Lightning -1.5 (+180) | Islanders +1.5 (-225)
- Over/Under: 5 (O: -130 | U: +110)
Lightning at Islanders: Projected starting goalies
Andrei Vasilevskiy (31-10-1, 2.21 GAA, .925 SV%, 5 SO) vs. Semyon Varlamov (19-11-4, 2.04 GAA, .929 SV%, 7 SO). Stats from regular season.
Vasilevskiy made 21 saves in Game 5 for his fourth-career postseason shutout, including three in these playoffs. He has allowed two or fewer goals in five of the past six starts.
Varlamov got the quick hook in Game 5, but Sorokin was even worse. Look for bench boss Barry Trotz to dance with who brought him, and that’s the veteran-backstop Varlamov.
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Lightning at Islanders: Odds, lines, predictions and picks
Prediction
Lightning 3, Islanders 2
Money line (ML)
The LIGHTNING (-155) will have a much more difficult time of it in this close-out game, which is always the toughest of any series, and the Islanders will be buoyed by their raucous home crowd. This will be the final game at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum for the series, and it should be a close one.
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Against the spread (ATS)
The Islanders +1.5 (-225) were destroyed last time out, but I like them to bounce back with a spirited effort in this elimination game. Still, I’m not backing them, as they will cost you more than two times your potential return.
AVOID.
Over/Under (O/U)
The total of 5 should land right on the projected number, one of the reasons I dislike a flat five line with two good netminders patrolling the crease.
The better play is looking to the alternate line of UNDER 5.5 (-165), although it will cost you.
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