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Tampa Bay Lightning vs. New Jersey Devils Free Preview 4/18/18

Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports

The Tampa Bay Lightning at the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. The first puck will drop at 7:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, April 18, and it’s being shown live on GOLF, RSN, TVA2 and MSG+.

Tampa Bay Lightning vs. New Jersey Devils Odds

Tampa Bay (-155) is currently the favorite over New Jersey (+135) and the oddsmakers have set the Over/Under (O/U) at 6 goals. The odds for betting the total sit at -125 for the over and +105 for the under.

Tampa Bay is 56-29 straight up (SU) and has netted 8.6 units for moneyline bettors this year. 52 of its matches have gone over the total, while 31 have gone under and just two have pushed. This 2017-18 Lightning team is 25-17 SU on the road.

Following a regular season where they converted 25.0 percent of all power-play opportunities (the third-strongest), the Lightning have connected on 55.6 percent of their postseason power play opportunities.

The Lightning’ offensive attack attempted 32.6 shots per game in the regular season, resulting in 3.6 goals per contest (ranked first overall in the NHL). In the playoffs, the team is attempting an average of 31.0 shots on goal 4.0 goals per game.

Averaging 29.6 saves per game with a .920 save percentage, Andrei Vasilevskiy (46-22-3) has been the primary option in goal for Tampa Bay this season. If head coach Jon Cooper chooses to rest him, however, Tampa Bay may turn to Louis Domingue (7-12-1 record, .894 save percentage, 3.41 goals against average).

Nikita Kucherov and Steven Stamkos will both lead the way for the visiting Lightning. Kucherov has 106 points on 41 goals and 65 assists, and has recorded two or more points 32 times. Stamkos has 28 goals and 62 assists to his nameand has notched a point in 54 games.

On the other side of the rink, New Jersey is 45-40 straight up (SU) and has earned 12.1 units for moneyline bettors this year. Through 85 regular season outings, 45 of its games have gone over the total, while 38 have gone under and just two have pushed. This season, the team is 24-18 SU as the home team.

The Devils have converted on just 21.2 percent of their power play chances this year, a mark that’s right around league average. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked eighth overall, and it’s successfully killed off 80.5 percent of all penalties.

New Jersey skaters have been sent to the penalty box 3.8 times per game in total this season, and 4.8 per game over their last five contests. The team has had to defend opponent power plays a whopping 17.6 minutes per game over their last five outings.

Keith Kinkaid has stopped 26.6 shots per game as the top selection in goal for the Devils. Kinkaid has 26 wins, 17 losses, and three overtime losses to his name and has maintained a mediocre 2.89 goals against average and a poor .909 save percentage this year.

Taylor Hall (41 goals, 57 assists) will pace the attack for the home team.

Tampa Bay Lightning vs. New Jersey Devils Betting Predictions

Free Pick: SU Winner – Lightning, O/U – Under

Notes

Betting Trends

The over has hit in four of New Jersey’s last five games.

44.4 percent of New Jersey’s wins have come by two or more goals (the team is 20-23 overall in such games) while 58.9 percent of Tampa Bay’s wins have come by two goals or more (33-18 overall in games decided by at least two goals).

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Written by GMS Previews

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