The Tampa Bay Lightning (57-29-3-5) have to feel like they’re starting to choke just a bit. They’ve dropped the last two games to the Montreal Canadiens (56-26-6-5), and if they don't finish off this series in Game 6, they'll be heavy underdogs in Game 7.
ODDS ANALYSIS
That said, the oddsmakers are still on Tampa Bay's side at the moment. They’ve opened the Bolts up at -145 for Tuesday's crucial game, while the total is teetering right now between 4.5 and 5 and will likely land on the lower side of that. Expect around 4.5 (over -140) or so at the close.
GOALIE REPORT
The Lightning knew they might be in some trouble if Carey Price ever got hot. And hot he has gotten. In his last two games, the soon-to-be Vezina winner has stopped 46-of-49 shots and has picked up a pair of victories.
Ben Bishop though, hasn't been nearly as sharp. After getting run out of Game 4, he stopped just 27-of-29 shots in Game 5. That's not a bad save percentage, but it might not be good enough to close this series out.
QUOTE TO NOTE
"P.A.'s had a lot of chances, especially of late, so to see him get rewarded was great. He's an important part of this team. Happy to see him get that break, and same for Devo (Devante Smith-Pelley). It was a great shot. Opened up the scoring. Broke the ice. It shows that anyone on this team can step up." – Montreal forward Max Pacioretty on P.A. Parenteau and Devante Smith-Pelley, the two goal scorers in Game 5
SITUATIONAL BETTING
The Lightning have been really good of late on the power play, but Montreal had the perfect answer to that in Game 5. The Habs didn't have to go shorthanded even one time.
However, it should still be noted that Tampa Bay is 6-for-13 in its last 13 power plays, so the Canadiens need to be really careful in Game 6.
PROP TALK
We've talked about Steven Stamkos struggling in these playoffs, but what about Ryan Callahan? One of Tampa's assistant captains doesn't have a goal yet in the playoffs, and he has just three assists. Callahan also hasn't logged a single point in this series, making him impossible to bet on in Game 6.
ANALYSIS & PREDICTION
The Lightning were badly outplayed in Game 4, but they were back on terms in Game 5 as far as we were concerned. Sure, the late goal proved to hurt, but the bottom line is that they just didn't get the calls that they needed to get on the power play.
Clearly, the refs will be swayed just a little bit now that this series has shifted back to Tampa, and we think that could make a huge difference in Game 6.
Jon Cooper and the gang know that this is a must-win game, and we expect to see the Bolts really come to play on Tuesday night with a couple days off in a row.
Expect to see the Lightning move on to the Eastern Conference Finals and eliminate the Habs.
Tampa Bay 3, Montreal 2
BookMaker opened the odds for this Tuesday game before anyone else on the internet. The Lightning surfaced at -145 on the moneyline, while the total debuted at 4.5. Now you can wager in-game while the action unfolds with BookMaker's live betting option.
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly interface on your smartphone or tablet provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook! Game 6 of the series between the Montreal Canadiens and the Tampa Bay Lightning will start at 7:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday, May 12, 2015 at Amalie Arena in Tampa, FL. The contest will be broadcast nationally on NBC Sports Network.
