With the NHL 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs well underway and in the Eastern Conference in Round 1 on Wednesday the 29th of April 2015 we have the Final Game 7 of the 7 Game Series with the Red Wings of Detroit (3-3-0) playing Lightning of Tampa Bay (3-3-0) with the Series tied at 3-3 and this Game 7 is played at the Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida with the puck off at 7:40 PM ET.
The opening betting odds on this game are favoring the Lightning of Tampa Bay on the Money Line at – 175 with the Total 5 Under -120 and -1 ½ on the Puck line, while the Red Wings of Detroit are +155 on the Money Line and +1 ½ on the Puck Line.
The games leading up to this Game 7 of the 7 Game Series started on Thursday the 16th of April 2015 in Tampa as the Red Wings beat the Lightning 3-2, then in Game 2 on Saturday the 18th of April in Tampa as the Lightning beat the Red Wings 5-1. Next was Game 3 in Detroit on Tuesday the 21st of April with the Red Wings beating the Lightning 3-0, followed by Game 4 on Thursday the 23rd of April in Detroit and the Lightning beat the Redwings in OT 3-2, then came Game 5 on Saturday the 25th of April in Tampa as the Red Wings beat the Lightning 4-0. Game 6 was this past Monday the 27th of April in Detroit, as the Lightning beat the Red Wings 5-2, thus the Series is tied a 3-3 and the Final Game 7 will decide the Series Winner.
In this Series the term home advantage seems to not hold true as the Red Wings and the Lightning in this Series have won and lost at home and on the road with the location not seeming to matter.
If you are a Red Wings of Detroit fan and Bet on NHL at SBG Global or other similar online sportsbooks your team goalie Mrazek and the defense broke down after their star T. Tatar had scored 2 goals, and then let the Lightning win the Game 6 at Tampa Bay 5 Detroit 2 forcing this Game 7 in Tampa. The Goalie who is very young even with that poor showing in Game 6 letting the Lightning score on 26 shots some 4 goals, still he has a .918 save % in this series. Offensively in this Game 4 the Red Wings Offense needs to find the form that allowed them to score 3 goals in Game 3 and then 4 goals in Game 5. That plus if the Red Wings want to win this Game 7 and the Series. Thus, if the Red Wings can give their goalie Mrazek support as he is 3 of 4 in their last 4 road games, then they might just complete a Series upset on the road at Tampa!
If you’re a fan of the Lightning of Tampa Bay you’re team returns home after a 5-2 win at the Joe Luis Arena, thanks to your young star T. Johnson who made 2 goals in this game and now has 6 postseason goals, as he has scored 2 goals in each of their 3 victories in this 1st Round Series.
In this Game 7 with the Johnson scoring abilities, it is expected that he will suck in the defense of Detroit to him, and that should open up the scoring for his teammates on the line, N. Kucherov and O. Palat. That is very important as the Trio of Kucherov, Palat and Johnson have been scoreless in Tampa Bay’s 3 losses in this series. Apart from that the Lightning have to be bothered by the fact that their S. Stamkos, the leagues 2nd leading scorer in 2014-15 with 43 goals, has had 19 attempts at goal in the 1st six games and has not scored a goal, or as the media states, found the back of the net for a score. If the Lightning offense sputters, then they will need as exception performance from their goalie B. Bishop between the tubes if the game is to stay close for Tampa Bay.
The experts like the Red Wings in this Game 7 due to their exception experience of a lot of Game 7’s in their franchise history, thus they expect Detroit to win 3-2 and win the Series over Tampa Bay.