Islanders vs. Lightning Game 5 Prediction
The Lightning can finish off the Islanders in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals tonight and punch their ticket to the Stanley Cup Final and a date with the Stars. Will Tampa Bay close out New York or is there still fight left in the Islanders?
Game Snapshot
007 New York Islanders (+160) vs. 008 Tampa Bay Lightning (-179); o/u 5
8:00 p.m. ET, Tuesday, September 15, 2020
Game 5, Eastern Conference Finals, NHL Playoffs
New York Islanders DFS Spin
Mathew Barzal has only two assists in four games during the Eastern Conference Final. The Islanders top line of Barzal, Jordan Eberle and Anders Lee all have two points in the series but five of the six points came in Game 1 where the Islanders were drubbed by the Lightning to the tune of 8-2. Otherwise, New York’s top line has been beaten badly by the Lightning all over the ice. Barzal has been a good playoff performer with 14 points in 17 games and that has obviously helped your fantasy team, but the Islanders need him to be a lot better if they hope to force a Game 6.
Tampa Bay Lightning DFS Spin
Brayden Point may battle through whatever is ailing him, but Tampa Bay has been trying to manage him accordingly, per coach Jon Cooper. “We’re trying to manage him,” Cooper said after Sunday’s Game 4 victory. “He was all over it. He was in on everything. Setting up goals, scoring goals. He’s a big part of the team. But we have to manage him. It’s the playoffs and guys are playing hard, hard minutes. Guys on both teams are fighting through things.” That makes it sound like he was given some additional time to rest on Sunday after he appeared to be in some pain and missed part of the third period. It hasn’t been confirmed yet if he will play on Tuesday night in Game 5 against the New York Islanders, but he will remain active for now and we will let you know if that changes.
Islanders vs. Lightning Game 5 Betting Prediction
The over is 7-3-1 in the Islanders’ last 11 games when their opponent allows two goals or less in their previous game, is 5-2-1 in their last eight games playing on one day of rest and is 7-2-1 in their last 10 postseason matchups as an underdog. I see this one going over the total tonight, especially with the Lightning’s ability to score and the Islanders’ backs being against the wall. I could see a scenario in which New York pulls its goaltender in the final minutes and Tampa Bay nets one or two empty-netters if we need one to get over the hump.
NHL EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS GAME 5 PREDICTION: LIGHTNING/ISLANDERS OVER 5
