The NHL’s Eastern Conference Finals kick off this NHL sports betting evening. Unsurprisingly, the evening’s sports parlay odds are taking the home team in the Washington Capitals vs. Tampa Bay Lightning matchup. Should NHL bettors bet the same way, or should they take the upset line? Let’s take a quick look at this matchup to find out.
Washington Capitals vs. Tampa Bay Lightning – Friday, May 11th
Series: Game 1
When: 8:00 pm ET
Where: Amalie Arena, Tampa, Florida
TV: NBC
Stream: NBC Extra, NHL TV
NHL Sports Betting Odds:
| Team | SP/RL | TOTAL | ML | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capitals | +1½ (-180) | 6 (-110) | +160 |  |
| Lightning | -1½ (+158) | 6 (-110) | -185 | |
| ||||
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 20 YEARS – YOUR WASHINGTON CAPITALS ARE HEADED TO THE EASTERN CONFERENCE FINAL! #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/1l7Vs0AgFM
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) May 8, 2018
Washington Capitals
The Capitals kicked off this year’s NHL postseason action by facing Columbus Blue Jackets in the opening round of the playoffs. Although Columbus was able to pick up two straight wins over Washington, the Capitals managed to bounce back in an impressive manner by winning the final four games of the series consecutively. Afterwards, Washington was tasked with facing the reigning NHL champions. This was the Caps toughest challenge yet, but in the end Washington managed to triumph over the Penguins 4 games to 2. This gives the Capitals one of the more impressive resumes left in this year’s postseason. But nevertheless, the Lightning have been a tad bit more impressive. Friday’s NHL sports betting odds accurately reflect this fact.
Players to Watch: Alex Ovechkin (8 G, 7 A, 15 PTS), Evgeny Kuznetsov (7 G, 7 A, 14 PTS), and Nicklas Backstrom (3 G, 10 A, 13 PTS).
Tampa Bay Lightning
The Lightning have conceded but two losses in this year’s postseason, and will be looking to avoid any more. NHL sportsbooks are siding with the Lightning this evening, which is to be expected. Tampa Bay delivered a masterful regular season performance and continued it into the playoffs. In the opening round, Tampa Bay advanced past the New Jersey Devils 4 games to 1. Afterwards, we saw them do the same to the Boston Bruins. Now, the Lightning have one team left to eliminate before heading to the Stanley Cup Finals.
Players to Watch: Nikita Kucherov (6 G, 6 A, 12 PTS), Brayden Point (4 G, 6 A, 10 PTS), and Steven Stamkos (3 G, 7 A, 10 PTS).
Washington Capitals vs. Tampa Bay Lightning Betting Predictions
Trends
- Washington is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
- Washington is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
- The TOTAL has gone UNDER in 4 of Washington’s last 6 games
- Tampa Bay is 3-8 SU in its last 11 games when playing Washington
- The TOTAL has gone OVER in 14 of Tampa Bay’s last 20 games when playing Washington
- Tampa Bay is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Washington
Washington Capitals vs. Tampa Bay Lightning Betting Picks
So which side should top sportsbook bettors take in this Washington Capitals vs. Tampa Bay Lightning matchup? All things considered, it’s probably safer to side with Washington on this one. The Lightning come in with more momentum and will have home court advantage. However, the Capitals have beaten the Lightning 8 out of the last 11 times they’ve faced each other. On top of that, taking them straight up can be quite lucrative. Sign up today to make this daring NHL prediction!
Score Prediction: 2-0 Washington. The Capitals pull off the upset on the road.
