Every team in the NHL plays an 82-game schedule in the regular season, with the end goal being to reach the playoffs. Getting in is great, but final rankings are important, as it is argued that having home ice advantage in the postseason can help a team go on a deeper run. When you get to the Conference Finals stage of the Stanley Cup playoffs, such things tend to go out the window, especially since you usually have 4 very good teams going head to head in these match-ups. You need only look at this series to see how home ice advantage hasn’t really mattered, as neither team has been able to win in their own building through the opening 4 games, no matter what the NHL Betting Odds dictate.
The Tampa Bay Lightning are heading back home for Game 5 in the series looking to turn that trend on its head, while the Capitals know that a loss here, which would be their 3rd in a row, would put them on the brink of elimination. It’s all to play for on Saturday night for these two great teams.
In those two games, Tampa was outscored 10-4 and looked like a team ready to fold. Vasilevsky and the defense rose to the occasion on the road, though, holding the Capitals to just 4 combined goals in the 2 games in Washington, both of which were won 4-2 by the Lightning. The pressure has been on Tampa since losing the opening game, but you now feel as though it is the Capitals who are under the gun now. A win for Tampa Bay in this one would really heap the pressure on Washington.
Washington at Tampa Bay Playoffs Game 5 Info & NHL Betting Prediction
Caps 365 | Washington outshoots Tampa 38-20 but falls short on the special teams and the scoreboard for the second game in a row #CapsBolts pic.twitter.com/Fh2GiLMZ5o
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) 18 de mayo de 2018
- When: Saturday, May 19, 7:15 PM EST
- Where: Amalie Arena
- TV: NBCSN
- Radio: TuneIn
- Live Stream: NHL.tv
- NHL Betting Odds: Tampa Bay Lightning -170 (Over/Under at 6)
2018 Western Conference Finals: Jets at Golden Knights Game 4 NHL Odds
Recent Head to Head (Last 10 Games)
- Score: Washington Capitals 3.20 / Tampa Bay Lightning 2.60
- Shots: Washington Capitals 34.30 / Tampa Bay Lightning 26.90
- Power Play Goals: Washington Capitals 8 / Tampa Bay Lightning 11
- Number of Power Plays: Washington Capitals 33 / Tampa Bay Lightning 31
- Power Play Percentage: Washington Capitals 24.24 / Tampa Bay Lightning 35.48
- Penalty Kill Percentage: Washington Capitals 64.52 / Tampa Bay Lightning 75.76
Why bet on the Washington Capitals?
There are some who already consider this to be a breakthrough season for the Washington Capitals. Yes, this team has been great in the regular season for years, but that has not translated into playoff success. They finally got over the hump this season, getting past the Pittsburgh Penguins, a team that has proven to be their nemesis, in the last round. It looked for a moment as though this team was on cruise control after they went into Tampa and stole both of the first two games of this series. In true Capitals fashion, though, they are not going to do things the easy way. Back to back losses in their own building have now made it look as though this series might be set to go the full 7 games. To their credit, the Caps are 7-1 on the road this postseason, so it would not be a surprise to see them win again in Tampa.Why bet on the Tampa Bay Lightning?
Prior to the start of this series, the Lightning had gone 5-1 in their own building through the opening two rounds of the playoffs. It wasn’t just losing the opening two games of this series at home that had people thinking the Lightning were done, it was the nature of those defeats.
In those two games, Tampa was outscored 10-4 and looked like a team ready to fold. Vasilevsky and the defense rose to the occasion on the road, though, holding the Capitals to just 4 combined goals in the 2 games in Washington, both of which were won 4-2 by the Lightning. The pressure has been on Tampa since losing the opening game, but you now feel as though it is the Capitals who are under the gun now. A win for Tampa Bay in this one would really heap the pressure on Washington.
Latest NHL Betting Trends
- Washington is 11-1 ATS in its last 12 games on the road
- Washington is 12-1 SU in its last 13 games on the road
- The total has gone OVER in 9 of Washington’s last 12 games when playing on the road against Tampa Bay
- Tampa Bay is 6-2 ATS in its last 8 games
- Tampa Bay is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games
