The Tampa Bay Lightning and New York Islanders play Game 3 of their Stanley Cup Playoffs third-round series Thursday. 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 rebounded from a Game 1 setback at home and doubled up the Islanders by a 4-2 count in Game 2 as the Over connected. Tampa Bay might be happy to be on the road, as it’s 5-1 in six road games in these playoffs.
The Islanders snatched home-ice advantage away from the Lightning in Game 1 with a 2-1 win. The Game 2 loss snapped a four-game winning streak for the Isles.
Lightning at Islanders: Odds, spread and lines
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 7:15 a.m. ET.
- Money line: Lightning -150 (bet $150 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: -145 | U: +120)
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 wasn’t terrible while allowing 2 goals on 31 shots in Game 1, but his counterpart was just a little better. The offense backed Vasilevskiy much better in Game 2, a game in which he actually made fewer saves than in the loss.
Varlamov coughed up 4 goals on 27 shots in Game 2; it was the third time in nine postseason games he allowed 4 or more goals. The loss snapped a four-game win streak by Varly and the Isles.
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Lightning at Islanders: Odds, lines, predictions and picks
Prediction
Islanders 2, Lightning 1
Money line (ML)
The ISLANDERS (+125) are the value play as the series shifts to the Island. Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum has been raucous during these playoffs, and the Isles have reacted well on home ice.
They won two of three games at home against the Boston Bruins, with the lone loss in overtime. They were also 2-1 at home in Round 1 against the Pittsburgh Penguins, yet the books continue to make them underdogs in Uniondale. Take advantage.
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Against the spread (ATS)
The Islanders +1.5 (-225) will cost you more than two times your potential return, and they’re just not a recommended play at that price. They’re a much better value on the money line.
AVOID.
Over/Under (O/U)
UNDER 5 (+120) is the lean at plus-money, as Vasilevskiy and Varlamov should be locked in quite the duel in this decisive game. This series has the chance of going very deep, and the goaltenders are the biggest reason.
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