The Washington Capitals and Tampa Bay Lightning head back to Florida all knotted up at two games each in their Eastern Conference finals series. The Capitals are coming off home losses in Game 3 and 4 but should offer some excellent bounce-back ability Saturday. The Capitals have lost three-straight games just twice all season and not once since mid-January.
This series already has bucked the old cliché of home ice being important with the road team taking all four games so far. The road team has outscored their hosting adversaries 18-8 so far, this series.
If the Capitals want to take the lead in this series, they will need better special teams play. Washington went 0-for-7 with the man advantage in the last two games compared to a solid 3-for-7 in the first two. That is unacceptable considering the Lightning entered the playoffs with one of the worst penalty kill units in the NHL, ranking 27th overall.
For the Lightning, they need to wonder which Andrei Vasilevskiy they are getting. Vasilevskiy was mediocre-at-best during the first two games in Washington, allowing 10 goals and being pulled in Game 1. However, in the two most recent games, the netminder has a .947 save percentage while facing nearly 40 shots each outing.
Sportsbook Odds & Computer Pick
Odds Shark computer score prediction models pick a possible 3-2.8 win for the Lightning on Saturday. View the computer score prediction and who will win the pick on the moneyline for all upcoming NHL matchups here.
Washington Capitals vs Tampa Bay Lightning Matchup
Team Betting Records & Power Rankings
Tampa Bay will face the 59-30-9 Capitals. In totals betting, the Lightning are 55-35-6 in over under betting so far this season while the Washington Capitals are 53-40-5. Stay Informed: follow us on Twitter for odds specials, betting line moves and Tampa Bay vs Washington injuries news.
This game matches up the No. 10 (Tampa Bay Lightning) and the No. 7 (Washington Capitals) teams according to our current NHL Power Rankings.
Statistical Matchup
Offensively, the game matches up the Tampa Bay Lightning No. 1-ranked offense (3.57 goals per game) against a Washington Capitals defense that ranks No. 13 at 2.89 goals per game allowed. The Lightning Sportsbook has clicked at a 25.08% rate while the Capitals have a 79.14% rate on the penalty kill.
Recent Outings Betting Recap
Next Betting Matchups
Washington home to Tampa Bay, Monday, May 21st