The New York Rangers look to take a two-game series lead over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday in Game 2 of the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs’ Eastern Conference Final. New York got multi-point efforts from four different players as a strong second period propelled the Rangers to a 6-2 victory in Game 1. But Steven Stamkos and the Bolts aren’t going to be shut down so easily as they aim for a third straight Stanley Cup Final appearance — and maybe even a third straight championship.
Puck drop at Madison Square Garden is set for 8 p.m. ET. Caesars Sportsbook lists Tampa Bay as the -130 favorite (risk $130 to win $100) on the money line in the latest Rangers vs. Lightning odds. New York is the +110 underdog and the over-under for total goals is set at 5.5. Before making any Lightning vs. Rangers picks, check out the Game 2 predictions from NHL insider Matt Severance.
Severance is a well-connected writer and handicapper who has worked in the industry since 2005. He’s SportsLine’s top NHL handicapper, going 130-68-4 in his last 202 NHL picks, returning almost $2,700 for $100 players.
Now, the expert has set his sights on Rangers vs. Lightning in this 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs matchup. You can visit SportsLine now to see his picks. Here are the latest NHL odds from and betting trends for Lightning vs. Rangers:
- Lightning vs. Rangers money line: Tampa Bay -130, New York +110
- Lightning vs. Rangers over-under: 5.5 goals
- Lightning vs. Rangers puck line: Tampa Bay -1.5 (+205)
- Lightning vs. Rangers tickets: See tickets at StubHub
- TBL: Won 18 straight playoff games following a loss
- NYR: Adam Fox leads all defensemen in the playoffs with 20 points (5 goals, 15 assists)
Featured Game | New York Rangers vs. Tampa Bay Lightning
Why you should back the Lightning
Jon Cooper’s club was expectedly rusty in Game 1 after sweeping the Florida Panthers in the conference semifinals and then waiting over a week to face their next opponent. But the Bolts have shown over the last few postseasons that they always rebound from losses to make their opponents pay. In order to do that, Tampa will need its playmakers to get on the scoresheet — not just Stamkos, but Ondrej Palat and Anthony Cirelli as well. It also wouldn’t hurt for Nikita Kucherov to get going, since he has been held without a point in two straight tilts.
The real difference-maker for the Bolts in Game 2, however, is going to be Andrei Vasilevskiy. It’s rare the starting netminder lets in six goals like he did in Game 1, and there is no denying he was very upset with his performance. Don’t expect New York to have as easy of a time getting the puck past him this time around.
Why you should back the Rangers
Rangers head coach Gerard Gallant has been very complimentary of his team’s defense over the last few games Rightfully so, since it’s a big reason why New York was able to fend off the Carolina Hurricanes in the previous round and pull away from the Lightning in Game 1. The Rangers need another strong defensive showing on Friday if they want to stymie Tampa’s offense.
Of course, that strong defensive front is also made possible because of Igor Shesterkin. The Russian goaltender has arguably been the Rangers best player over the last few games, and he will have to be that again in Game 2 on Friday. If Shesterkin can outplay Vasilevskiy on the other end of the ice, the Rangers will be in great shape.
How to make Lightning vs. Rangers picks
For Game 2 of this series, Severance is leaning under on the goal total, and he has also identified a critical x-factor that has him jumping all over one side of the money line. You can only get the pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Rangers vs. Lightning? And which side of the money line has all the value? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Rangers vs. Lightning money line to choose on Friday, all from the expert with his finger on the pulse of the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs.
