The New York Islanders haven't won consecutive games in a playoff series since 2002. They had a chance to do so in Games 3 and 4 of this series, but they couldn't quite come up with enough on Wednesday night. Now, they're stuck in a 2-2 series with the Florida Panthers heading into what is guaranteed to be an excellent Game 5.
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ODDS ANALYSIS
The Panthers aren't commanding quite as much respect as Capitals are in the opening round of the playoffs, but they've been relatively big favorites at home at -150 and -160 in Games 1 and 2 respectively. They were only very mild underdogs in Games 3 and 4 out in Brooklyn.
Due to the close nature of this series though, we wouldn't be surprised if the Panthers are actually favored by their smallest margin in a home game.
GOALIE REPORT
Thomas Greiss' stats aren't remarkable in this series, but he's doing every bit as well as anyone could've asked of him. He could've easily allowed four or five goals on Wednesday night, but he made some amazing saves to keep the Isles in it. His 2.65 GAA isn't anything to write home about, but his .924 save percentage is better than you probably expected against a team which has an underrated offense.
In fact, Greiss has stuck right with veteran Roberto Luongo every step of the way. Bobby Loo has a 2.62 GAA and has a modest .918 save percentage. That said, Luongo was big in Game 4 when he had to be. He only faced 27 shots, but he made some huge saves down the stretch.
LIVE BETTING
The biggest issue the Islanders had in Game 4 was that they couldn't get to the net for the better part of two periods. They only had five shots in the first period, three of which came at even strength. New York did manage some better looks at the net in the third, but by that point, it was too late.
The Panthers meanwhile, threw puck after puck towards the net as they've done all series. The message is clear: They're going to make sure Greiss has to make plays. Let's not forget that Florida averaged just 28.8 shots per game in the regular season. It's averaging 35 per game in this series.
QUICK PICK
The Panthers are bigger and stronger than the Islanders are, and when they've had a chance to use their muscle, they've been the better team by a wide margin in our eyes. Sure, hockey is a game of momentum and magical moments, especially in the NHL playoffs when the games are lower scoring, but anyone who watched Game 4 will tell you that Florida had the better team and was always the most likely to find the back of the net.
Even though we hate choking on such massive chalk this time of year, especially in a postseason in which road teams have performed so well across the entire country, we really think we have a good sense that Florida is going to win this series in six unless the Islanders end up getting a bit lucky. Of course, when you've got John Tavares, the man who has easily been the best player in this series wearing blue, you're never out of a game, but significantly more often than not, the Panthers are taking the critical 3-2 series lead in Game 5.
NHL Odds: Panthers 3, Islanders 1
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