Lightning vs Islanders Odds, Picks and How to Bet Game 3 – New York Underdogs at Home
- The Tampa Bay Lightning are -137 road favorites for Game 3 of their Stanley Cup semifinal series against the New York Islanders on Thursday, June 17th
- New York is 0-2 straight up in Game 3 of the two previous playoff rounds and both losses came on home ice
- Tampa Bay is also 0-2 SU in Game 3 in the postseason, with both losses coming in overtime at home – see what bet we like below
As they play host to the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 3 of their Stanley Cup semifinal series, this is a familiar scenario for the New York Islanders. They’re coming home for Game 3, deadlocked 1-1 in this best-of-seven series.
If the form charts hold, Game 3 won’t go well for them. They’ve come home to Nassau County twice for Game 3 already in the playoffs. Both times, they came up short.
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The Islanders were 2-1 overtime losers to the Boston Bruins in Game 3 of Round 2. In the opening round, the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Isles 5-4 in Game 3.
Oddsmakers are liking that trend to continue. Tampa Bay is being earmarked as -137 road favorites to emerge victorious in Game 3. The Isles are 6-1 against the spread in their last seven games.
Lightning vs Islanders Game 3 Odds
| Team | Moneyline | Spread at DraftKings | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tampa Bay Lightning | -137 | -1.5 (+185) | O 5.5 (+118) |
| New York Islanders | +111 | +1.5 (-230) | U 5.5 (-143) |
Odds as of June 16th
The puck is scheduled to drop at 8pm ET for Game 3 at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. The USA Network is carrying the broadcast.
Lightning Big Guns Striking
Regular season? Who needs a regular season? Not Nikita Kucherov.
The Tampa Bay forward was winner of the Hart and Art Ross Trophies in 2018-19. Kucherov ended up missing the entire 2021 regular season campaign while rehabbing from offseason hip surgery.
Goal No. 10. YES, TEN, for Brayden Point in the #StanleyCup Playoffs.
🇺🇸: https://t.co/UGSHbZzqto @NHLonNBCSports
🇨🇦: https://t.co/DmbMZkvNsi @Sportsnet pic.twitter.com/IbujO6QE3z— NHL (@NHL) June 16, 2021
Returning to action for Game 1 of the playoffs, Kucherov is acting like he never missed a beat. He dished out three assists in Tampa’s 4-2 Game 2 verdict over the Isles. Kucherov leads the Stanley Cup scoring race with 22 points. He’s collected points in 11 of 13 games. That includes five multi-point games.
Meanhwile, forward Brayden Point has scored in each of Tampa Bay’s past five games. He’s the NHL playoff goal-scoring leader with 10.
Islanders vs Lightning Series Odds
| Team | Odds at DraftKings |
|---|---|
| New York Islanders | +165 |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | -200 |
Islanders Must Stay Out Of The Box
New York was displaying a rare fit of undisciplined pay in Game 2 and it cost them. The Islanders were assessed five minor penalties. They’d never been called for more than three infractions in any of their first 13 playoff games.
Although Tampa Bay scored just once with the man advantage in the game, this is not the road the Isles want to go down. The Lightning are clicking at 39.5% (17-for-43) on the power play during the postseason.
Injury Updates
Islanders goalie Semyon Varlamov briefly left Game 2 following a crease collision with Point. He returned to action and New York coach Barry Trotz is indicating that Varlamov is good to go for Game 3. Forward Jean-Gabriel Pageau, who didn’t play the final 14 minutes of Game 3, only has a minor tweak and should play Thursday.
Brayden Point gets a minor penalty for getting cross-checked into Semyon Varlamov pic.twitter.com/m0uALnD6pl
— Brady Trettenero (@BradyTrett) June 16, 2021
In fact, the Isles report no new injuries. Even though forward Oliver Wahlstrom, out the past nine games with a lower-body injury, has regained his health, Trotz suggested he’d go with the same lineup for Game 3.
The Lightning also report no new injuries.
Trendspotting
The Lightning have not lost consecutive games in the Stanley Cup playoffs since being swept by Columbus in the 2019 Eastern Conference first round (12-0).
With both Varlamov and Ilya Sorokin playing roles, the Islanders are the third team in NHL history to have two goaltenders win four or more consecutive starts in the playoffs. The two previous teams to do this – the 1972 Boston Bruins and 1980 Flyers – both went to the Stanley Cup final. The Bruins won the Cup.
Did You Know? @86Kucherov has assisted on 20 of @BraydenPoint19’s 32 career playoff goals (62.5%). #StanleyCup#NHLStats: https://t.co/6eJvZPsWDv pic.twitter.com/PTl1kOx0SJ
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) June 16, 2021
A Pageau injury would be devastating for the Isles. He and linemates Travis Zajac and Kyle Palmieri figure to be defensive matchup against Kucherov and Point on home ice, when New York gets the last line change.
The Islanders have been the betting underdog in 12 of 15 playoff games, including the last nine in a row. Tampa Bay has been the betting favorite in 14 of 16 playoff games. The Lightning are 6-2 ATS over the past six games.
- Pick: Tampa Bay Lightning (-137)
An industry veteran, Bob literally taught the course on the history of sports at Elder College. He has worked as a Sports Columnist for Postmedia, appeared as a guest on several radio stations, was the Vice President of the Society For International Hockey Research in Ontario, and written 25 books.
