NHL Knowledge
Tampa Bay-Pittsburgh
Tampa Bay led Game Four 4-0 after two periods, had to hold Penguins off for last 6:52 after Pitt cut lead to 4-3. Lightning won six of its last nine games with Penguins- they won two of last three played here. Over is 9-1-1 in last 11 series games, 2-1-1 in this specific series. Lightning is 2-8 on power play in first three games in this series, Pittsburgh is 3-13. Pittsburgh is 6-3 in its last nine games, going 4-1 in last five at home. Tampa Bay won three of last four road games (2-1 in OT). Pittsburgh won three of its last four home games.
Playoffs tally: 1st round-- Home: 23-24, Over: 16-17-14
2nd round-- Home: 16-9, Over: 11-5-9
Conference finals-- Home 4-4, Over 3-4-1
Armadillosports.com
Sunday's NHL Conference Finals Betting Preview
By Covers.com
Tampa Bay Lightning at Pittsburgh Penguins (A: +180, H: -210, O/U: 5)
The Tampa Bay Lightning rebounded from their worst performance of the postseason to even the Eastern Conference finals and look to seize control of the series when they visit the Pittsburgh Penguins for Game 5 on Sunday. The Lightning gave up 48 shots Wednesday before scoring the first four goals of Game 4 two days later and holding on for a 4-3 triumph.
Tampa Bay catalyst Ryan Callahan told reporters the change was more about energy than X's and O's and the Lightning hope to carry that emotion over on the road. “The bottom line is get a good rest tonight and make sure we refocus and get ready for a tough game,” Tampa Bay defenseman Victor Hedman told reporters after assisting on two goals Friday. “They’re a really good team, but so are we, and it’s going to be a battle all the way.” Pittsburgh could draw positives out of a three-goal third period Friday, but lost defenseman Trevor Daley (left leg) indefinitely and gave up more than three goals for the first time in nine games. “We knew this was going to be a hard game,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said on Friday. “. … We didn’t play the way we’ve been playing that has allowed us the results that we’ve gotten here over the postseason.”
PROBABLE GOALIES:
Lightning - Ben Bishop (W/L: 8-2, GAA: 1.85, SAVE %: .928)
Penguins - Matthew Murray (W/L: 9-4, GAA: 2.33, SAVE %: .926)
ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (56-34-6, 39-44 O/U): Right wing Nikita Kucherov has yet to score a goal in the series, but totaled four assists in the last two games and leads the team with 16 points in the playoffs – one better than Tyler Johnson. Kucherov played with Vladislav Namestnikov and Alex Killorn on Friday while coach Jon Cooper put Johnson between Ondrej Palat and Jonathan Drouin, who recovered from a rough game with a big power-play goal – his 12th point of the postseason. Goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy could get his fourth straight start in place of Ben Bishop (left leg) and owns a .928 save percentage in the series.
ABOUT THE PENGUINS (58-30-9, 43-36 O/U): Goalie Marc-Andre Fleury made seven saves in the third period Friday after replacing Matt Murray, making his first appearance in net since March 31, and Sullivan told reporters he would make a decision on his Game 5 starter Sunday. Defenseman Olli Maatta could move back in the lineup for Daley, who left the arena on crutches Friday. “(Daley) is a hard guy to replace," Sullivan said. "He plays a lot of minutes. He plays in key situations.” Right wing Phil Kessel leads the team with 17 points in the playoffs after notching his fifth goal in the last five games Friday.
TRENDS:
* Lightning are 4-1 in their last 5 road games.
* Penguins are 7-0 in their last 7 Sunday games.
* Under is 3-0-1 in Lightning last 4 games following a win.
* Over is 8-1-1 in the last 10 meetings in Pittsburgh.
* Lightning are 2-8 in the last 10 meetings in Pittsburgh.
CONSENSUS: At the time of publication the Penguins are picking up 65 percent of the moneyline wagers for Game 5. When you look at the total wagers, Over 5 is grabbing 74 percent of the action.
TAMPA BAY (56-34-0-6, 118 pts.) at PITTSBURGH (58-30-0-9, 125 pts.) - 5/22/2016, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PITTSBURGH is 58-39 ATS (+12.4 Units) in all games this season.
PITTSBURGH is 24-10 ATS (+10.6 Units) in a home game where where the total is 5 or less this season.
PITTSBURGH is 40-20 ATS (+7.5 Units) second half of the season this season.
PITTSBURGH is 13-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) after allowing 4 goals or more this season.
TAMPA BAY is 38-20 ATS (+10.1 Units) second half of the season this season.
TAMPA BAY is 202-211 ATS (+449.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season since 1996.
Head-to-Head Series History
PITTSBURGH is 7-6-0 straight up against TAMPA BAY over the last 3 seasons
10 of 12 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+7.7 Units)
TAMPA BAY vs. PITTSBURGH
Tampa Bay is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games
Tampa Bay is 2-8 SU in its last 10 games when playing on the road against Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh is 18-6 SU in its last 24 games
Pittsburgh is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home
Tampa Bay at Pittsburgh
Tampa Bay: 22-27 SU when playing their 3rd game in 5 days
Pittsburgh: 13-4 SU after allowing 4 goals or more