Lightning vs Bruins Game 3 Odds & Picks – Aug. 26

• Game 3 between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Boston Bruins is a pick’em with both teams at -108 tomorrow (Aug. 26, 8:00 pm ET)
• Tampa Bay evened the best-of-seven at 1-1 with a 4-3 OT victory on Tuesday
• Boston is 5-7 in the second game of back-to-backs this season. The Lightning are 8-4

The Tampa Bay Lightning are missing their #1 center and their #2 defenseman. They’re also all even with the Boston Bruins.

Tampa Bay will come into Game 3 on Wednesday (Aug. 26, 8:00 pm ET) off a 4-3 overtime win over the Bruins on Tuesday.

This series is tied 1-1 and the opening line for Game 3 is also even. Both Boston and Tampa Bay are at a  -108 moneyline  in the Lightning vs Bruins odds.

Bruins vs Lightning Game 3 Odds

Odds as of Aug. 26th.

The Bruins are 5-7 this season in the second game of back-to-backs. Boston’s only loss during their first-round series against the Carolina Hurricanes was a 3-2 setback in Game 2 in the second game of a back-to-back.

Tampa Bay is 8-4 in the second game of back-to-backs this season.

Lightning Juggle It Up

Already without captain Steven Stamkos (leg injury), the Lightning lost defenseman Ryan McDonagh (unfit to play) in their Game 1 loss. He’s been averaging 26 minutes a game of ice time for the Bolts.

No wonder Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper opted to replace McDonagh with a pair of players. He decided to go with an 11-forward, 7-defenseman set-up for Game 2.

Cooper inserted defensemen Braydon Coburn and Luke Schenn and dropped forward Mitchell Stephens.

Secondary Scoring Keeping Bolts Tight

Tampa Bay’s third line came through with a pair of Blake Coleman goals. Meanwhile, it was Boston’s fourth line that got pinned in its own zone and was unable to clear the zone on Ondrej Palat’s overtime winner.

ABSOLUTELY UNREAL, BOYS. 🤯 pic.twitter.com/ywFULOuTah

— x – Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) August 25, 2020

A familiar story unfurled for the Bruins. They got two of their three goals from the Perfection Line of Brad Marchand, David Pastrnak and Patrice Bergeron. Marchand scored both of them.

Bruins Defense Rests on Laurels

Tampa Bay got offense from its defense in Game 2. Zach Bogosian, Kevin Shattenkirk, and Victor Hedman all contributed primary assists on Lightning goals. For Shattenkirk ,it was his fourth straight game with a point. That’s a career playoff best for him.

With his assist to set up Nikita Kucherov's tying goal, Kevin Shattenkirk has recorded points in four-straight games, setting a new career high for a playoff point streak. Tonight is his 70th postseason game. #Bolts #TBLvsBOS

— Bryan Burns (@BBurnsNHL) August 26, 2020

After the game, Boston coach Bruce Cassidy called out his defense for their lack of production. Through seven playoff games, Connor Clifton is the only Bruins rearguard with a goal.

During the regular season, Boston’s back end accounted for 32 goals.

Who’s in Goal?

In may be a bit of playoff gamesmanship but Cassidy was unwilling to commit to Jaroslav Halak as his starting goaltender for Game 3. Since Bruins’ #1 netminder Tuukka Rask opted to leave the bubble and return home to deal with a family illness, Halak is Boston’s only NHL-experienced netminder.

It’s the back-to-back that has Cassidy wondering about whether to go with Halak, 34, again. He faced 40 shots in the Game 2 overtime affair.

Big Cat. Big moves. 🦁 pic.twitter.com/GX08bHlr3e

— x – Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) August 26, 2020

Cassidy’s option behind Halak is rookie Dan Vladar. He’s never seen action in an NHL game.

Cooper faces no such worries. Andrei Vasilevskiy, 25, will get the nod. He won his 22nd NHL playoff game on Tuesday, setting a new Tampa Bay franchise record.

Pick: Tampa Bay Lightning (-108)