Announcement

**TheGame** · 05-13-2016, 07:41 AM

Re: NHL Betting Info. 5/13

NHL CONFERENCE FINALS SCHEDULES

All times Eastern. All games will air on NBCSN except as noted.
* -- if necessary

EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Tampa Bay Lightning
Game 1 -- Friday, May 13, 8 p.m., Tampa Bay at Pittsburgh
Game 2 -- Monday, May 16, 8 p.m., Tampa Bay at Pittsburgh
Game 3 -- Wednesday, May 18, 8 p.m., Pittsburgh at Tampa Bay
Game 4 -- Friday, May 20, 8 p.m., Pittsburgh at Tampa Bay
*Game 5 -- Sunday, May 22, 8 p.m., Tampa Bay at Pittsburgh
*Game 6 -- Tuesday, May 24, 8 p.m., Pittsburgh at Tampa Bay
*Game 7 -- Thursday, May 26, 8 p.m., Tampa Bay at Pittsburgh

WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS
St. Louis Blues vs. San Jose Sharks
Game 1 -- Sunday, May 15, 8 p.m., San Jose at St. Louis
Game 2 -- Tuesday, May 17, 8 p.m., San Jose at St. Louis
Game 3 -- Thursday, May 19, 9 p.m., St. Louis at San Jose
Game 4 -- Saturday, May 21, 7:15 p.m., St. Louis at San Jose, NBC
*Game 5 -- Monday, May 23, 8 p.m., San Jose at St. Louis
*Game 6 -- Wednesday, May 25, 9 p.m., St. Louis at San Jose
*Game 7 -- Friday, May 27, 8 p.m., San Jose at St. Louis

**TheGame** · 05-13-2016, 07:42 AM

Re: NHL Betting Info. 5/13

Preview: Lightning (46-31) at Penguins (48-26)

Date: May 13, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

PITTSBURGH (AP) On the calendar, the gap between the last time the Pittsburgh Penguins and Tampa Bay Lightning met and Friday night's Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals is less than three months.

Within the lifespan of a season, it seems a lot longer.

When the Lightning blew past the Penguins 4-2 on Feb. 20 - a victory that earned Tampa Bay a sweep of its three-game season series with Pittsburgh - Steven Stamkos was still scoring goals, Matt Murray was still the Penguins' third option in net and the Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan's midseason overhaul remained very much a work in progress.

Not anymore. Stamkos remains out indefinitely while dealing with a blood clot while Murray has become a revelation in near lockstep with the Penguins' evolution from enigmatic underachiever to Stanley Cup favorite. No wonder the Penguins couldn't help but laugh when asked if they could remember what happened on that sloppy Saturday in mid-winter when the Lightning built a quick three-goal lead and cruised.

'I couldn't even tell you,' Pittsburgh forward Phil Kessel said. 'I don't even remember when we played them last.'

Probably best to just block it out and press forward anyway at a time of year where short-term memory loss is an asset.

The Penguins wrapped up a 12-day highwire act against rival Washington on Tuesday night when Nick Bonino fired home the winner in overtime of Game 6. The cathartic celebration sent Pittsburgh to the conference finals for the fourth time since 2008. Less than 72 hours later, they face the only team that's been more dominant in the postseason.

The Lightning raced through the first two rounds of the playoffs, dropping one game each to Detroit and the New York Islanders. Remarkable, considering they've been without Stamkos and defenseman Anton Stralman, still recovering from a fractured left leg.

Stamkos is practicing but the five-time All Star hasn't been cleared for contact. Stralman appears to be on the verge of returning, though coach Jon Cooper is in no hurry to announce his lineup, saying Thursday 'it's just pointless to talk about whether they're going to play or not.'

Stralman scored four times against Pittsburgh during the regular season, though he's not exactly ready to proclaim himself the missing ingredient as Tampa Bay tries to reach its second consecutive Stanley Cup final.

'I don't think I ever scored a goal against the Penguins until this year, so I don't know what that tells you,' Stralman said. 'Stuff like that happens, just a fluke.'

Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay meeting with a spot to play for the Cup, however, is not. Shortly after fizzling against the Lightning in February, the Penguins put together a 14-2 surge to end the regular season they have carried into May. Tampa Bay's speed and comfort in close games - the Lightning are 5-0 in one-goal contests in the playoffs - are a sign their long postseason run a year ago wasn't just puck luck.

Some things to look for heading into what could be a wide-open two weeks (if necessary, of course):

WELL RESTED: Tampa Bay played 26 playoff games last spring, with the heavy workload eventually taking its toll in the Stanley Cup final, where the Lightning lost to the Chicago Blackhawks in six games. They've been well-rested this time around. They had six days off before taking on the Islanders and earned a four-day break before facing the Penguins. Veteran center Brian Boyle welcomed the break but said it's difficult to predict how it'll how it'll impact this series. 'It remains to be seen. Hopefully we're rested and focused,' Boyle said. Tampa Bay lost Game 1 against the Islanders, then won four straight to advance.

BIG GOALIES: Sullivan has yet to name a Game 1 starter in net, though the 21-year-old Murray has made a compelling case to stay on the job even with Marc-Andre Fleury back from a concussion. The 6-foot-4 Murray outplayed Vezina Trophy finalist Braden Holtby in the last round, now he'll see 6-7 Ben Bishop at the other end of the rink. Bishop is 8-2 with a 1.89 goals against so far.

'He takes up a lot of the net,' Kessel said. 'We've got to make him handle a lot of shots and get second opportunities on him.'

NOT SO DYNAMIC DUO: It's a testament to the depth the Penguins have built around Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin that they handled the Capitals without much help (on the scoresheet at least) from their two franchise cornerstones. The former MVPs combined for just four points against Washington while the Penguins relied heavily on the trio of Carl Hagelin, Nick Bonino and Kessel to provide the punch that sent the Capitals home for the eighth time in nine playoff meetings with Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh general manager Jim Rutherford is hardly concerned about who puts the puck in the net, so long as it gets there.

'I don't care if Matt Murray gets the goals,' Rutherford said.

**TheGame** · 05-13-2016, 07:42 AM

Re: NHL Betting Info. 5/13

NHL

Friday's game

Tampa Bay-Pittsburgh (0-0)
Lightning won first two series in five games each; they're 3-1 on road in playoffs. Pittsburgh won first round in five games, last round in six; they're 5-1 at home in playoffs. Tampa Bay won four of its last five games with Penguins, but losing three of last four played in Igloo. Last seven series games got over total (over 9-1 in last 10). Under is 4-2-2 in last eight Tampa Bay games, over is 3-0-2 in last five games played in Pittsburgh. Lightning last played on Sunday; Penguins last played on Tuesday.

Playoffs tally: 1st round-- Home: 23-24, Over: 16-17-14
2nd round-- Home: 16-9, Over: 11-5-9

**Satch** · 05-13-2016, 09:59 AM

Re: NHL Betting Info. 5/13

Preview: Tampa Bay at Pittsburgh

When: 8:00 PM ET, Friday, May 13, 2016
Where: Consol Energy Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Matchup Edge

TB	Edge in:	PIT
	Offense
	Defense
	Power Play
	Penalty Kill
	Face Offs
	Discipline
	Goaltending

The Pittsburgh Penguins have been the hottest team in the NHL over the past two months and hope to pass another test when they host the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals. The Penguins went 14-2-0 to end the regular season before knocking off the New York Rangers and the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Washington Capitals in the postseason.

“I think if you look at us, we kept improving as the year went on,” Pittsburgh defenseman Kris Letang told reporters. “I think we have to look at what we were capable of doing in the last few weeks and keep building on that.” The Penguins have made the conference final for the first time since 2013 with balanced scoring, improved defense and rookie goalie Matt Murray’s solid play that has kept veteran Marc-Andre Fleury on the bench. Pittsburgh must find a way to contain a lethal Tampa Bay offense that is led by Nikita Kucherov (nine goals, 12 points) and Tyler Johnson (13 points) while the Lightning’s top-pair defenseman Anton Stralman (broken fibula) and captain Steven Stamkos (blood clot) could return at some point in the series. Tampa Bay beat the Penguins three straight in the regular season, but were outshot 109-74 combined and Lightning coach Jon Cooper told reporters, “the way they were playing then to where they’re playing now is completely different.”

TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network, CBC, TVAS

ABOUT THE LIGHTNING: Stralman has gone through full practice the last few days, but told reporters the leg “is not perfect,” and versatile forward J.T. Brown (upper body) could be back in the lineup after missing almost a month. While Kucherov, Johnson, Alex Killorn (nine points) and the emergence of Jonathan Drouin (eight assists) have played a big part, 6-foot-6 defenseman Victor Hedman was the key figure in the second-round series victory over the New York Islanders – holding captain John Tavares without a point the last four games and recording eight. “When the big boy’s rolling, we feed off that,” Cooper told reporters.

ABOUT THE PENGUINS: It will be difficult for Cooper to pick which line Hedman will go up against the most because Pittsburgh’s four forward units have all produced in the postseason with three of them represented among the top four scorers. Sidney Crosby (10 points) and Evgeni Malkin (nine) each center a line while the trio of Phil Kessel (five goals, 12 points), Nick Bonino (eight assists) and Carl Hagelin may be their best in the playoffs thus far. “We really like how that line has come together,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan told reporters of Bonino’s unit. “It allows us to kind of spread out talent a bit and create more balance.”

OVERTIME

1. The Lightning’s penalty kill is at 88.4 percent (38-of-43) – tops among teams still alive in the playoffs – and the Penguins converted 11-for-40 power plays in the first two rounds.

2. Pittsburgh RW Patric Hornqvist has two goals and three assists to go along with a team-high 15 shots on goal in three games versus the Lightning this season.

3. Tampa Bay G Ben Bishop owns a .884 save percentage in seven lifetime games against the Penguins, but owns a .938 mark this postseason overall.

PREDICTION: Lightning 4, Penguins 3

**Satch** · 05-13-2016, 10:00 AM

Re: NHL Betting Info. 5/13

Trends - Tampa Bay at Pittsburgh
W/L Trends

Tampa Bay

Lightning are 4-0 in their last 4 vs. Metropolitan.
Lightning are 4-0 in their last 4 vs. a team with a winning record.
Lightning are 4-0 in their last 4 vs. Eastern Conference.
Lightning are 4-1 in their last 5 after allowing 2 goals or less in their previous game.
Lightning are 4-1 in their last 5 games following a win.
Lightning are 16-5 in their last 21 games playing on 3 or more days rest.
Lightning are 23-9 in their last 32 Friday games.
Lightning are 35-17 in their last 52 overall.
Lightning are 17-47 in their last 64 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.

Pittsburgh

Penguins are 6-0 in their last 6 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
Penguins are 17-4 in their last 21 vs. a team with a winning record.
Penguins are 21-5 in their last 26 home games.
Penguins are 4-1 in their last 5 vs. Atlantic.
Penguins are 16-5 in their last 21 games following a win.
Penguins are 20-7 in their last 27 when their opponent allows 2 goals or less in their previous game.
Penguins are 36-15 in their last 51 overall.
Penguins are 35-16 in their last 51 vs. Eastern Conference.
Penguins are 2-6 in their last 8 Friday games.
Penguins are 0-4 in their last 4 Conference Finals games.

OU Trends

Tampa Bay
Over is 4-0-1 in Lightning last 5 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600. Under is 9-2-1 in Lightning last 12 games playing on 3 or more days rest. Over is 14-6-2 in Lightning last 22 vs. Metropolitan.

Pittsburgh

Over is 3-0-2 in Penguins last 5 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
Over is 4-1-2 in Penguins last 7 when their opponent allows 2 goals or less in their previous game.
Under is 4-1 in Penguins last 5 Conference Finals games.
Over is 19-5-6 in Penguins last 30 home games.
Over is 14-4-3 in Penguins last 21 vs. Atlantic.
Over is 15-6-6 in Penguins last 27 games following a win.
Under is 7-3-1 in Penguins last 11 Friday games.
Over is 9-4-4 in Penguins last 17 vs. a team with a winning record.
Over is 11-5-4 in Penguins last 20 overall.

Head to Head

Over is 10-1 in the last 11 meetings in Pittsburgh.
Home team is 6-1 in the last 7 meetings.
Lightning are 4-1 in the last 5 meetings.
Over is 19-5-3 in the last 27 meetings.
Lightning are 1-7 in the last 8 meetings in Pittsburgh.

Announcement

NHL Betting Info. 5/13

NHL Betting Info. 5/13

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