Stars vs Lightning Game 5 Odds & Picks – Sep. 26

• The Tampa Bay Lightning can win the Stanley Cup in Game 5 on Saturday, September 26, at 8:00 PM ET
• The Dallas Stars are +145 underdogs in the win-or-go-home game
• See below for the betting odds and game preview

After a hard-fought OT win on Friday evening, the Tampa Bay Lightning will have a chance to win the 2020 Stanley Cup in Game 5 on Saturday, Sept. 26. Puck drop is set for 8:00 PM ET in the Edmonton bubble.

With a 3-1 series lead, the Lightning have opened as -167 favorites in the Game 5 Lightning vs Stars odds. Dallas is listed as +145 underdogs.

Should you bet on Tampa Bay winning the Stanley Cup on Saturday, or is there value backing the Stars to extend the series as underdogs?

 Stars vs Lightning Game 5 Odds

Odds as of Sep. 25 at DraftKings.

Bolts One Win Away

The Lightning are one win away from lifting the Stanley Cup after beating the Stars 5-4 in overtime in Game 4 on Friday. Brayden Point continued his superb play with a pair of goals in regulation, while Kevin Shattenkirk scored on a power play in overtime to seal the victory.

The Tampa Bay power play has been a major story in this series. It went three-for-four in Game 4 and has scored six times in the last three games. The Stars’ power play, meanwhile, is only one-for-eight over the last two contests.

The Bolts’ star power has taken over this series, and the Stars haven’t been able to match. Tyler Seguin, Jamie Benn, and Alex Radulov all remain without goalless in the final, while the Bolts’ trio of Point, Nikita Kucherov, and Ondrej Palat have been steamrolling. Seguin had a good outing in Game 4 with two assists, but his scoreless streak has now reached 13 games.

Will Stars Bounce Back? 

The Stars will face elimination for the first time since Game 7 against the Avalanche in the second round. They’ll be in tough this time considering Tampa has outshot them in every game thus far and limited them to fewer than 10 high-danger changes in each contest.

Have a night, Pavs!#GoStars pic.twitter.com/uSBV8LMdRt

— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) September 26, 2020

The Stars left it all on the ice in Game 4, and they have the determination to potentially extend this series to six games. Goaltending is the primary reason why you should think twice before backing Dallas in Game 5, however. Anton Khudobin was sensational against the Golden Knights in the Western Conference final, but he looked very shaky in Game 4 against Tampa and owns a .863 save percentage in his last three starts.

Tampa netminder Andrei Vasilevskiy also didn’t have a strong outing in Game 4, but he has a far superior track record. If you’re going to bet on one goalie bouncing back in Game 5, bet on it being the 2020 Vezina finalist and not the career backup.

The Best Bet for Game 5

The Lightning have all the momentum in this series with three straight victories. Game 4 was close to a must-win for the Stars; beating this talented Lightning squad three times in a row seems near-impossible. Dallas has the will and determination to extend the series, but goaltending could be its downfall.

SHATTY IN OT 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/34HIHmw4B3

— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) September 26, 2020

While the Stars will be playing inspired hockey as they fight for their playoff lives on Saturday, expect the Bolts to play with some fiery passion of their own. This is a team with an incredibly talented core that has been criticized countless times for disappointing when it matters most. Now that they have Dallas on the ropes and the Stanley Cup within reach, they should make the most of their opportunity.

The Stars are priced nicely for Game 5, but it’s hard to justify betting them when you look at how Khudobin’s play has fallen off. Point and Kucherov are both 30-point getters this postseason, while defenseman Victor Hedman is becoming a Conn Smythe favorite with his incredible play at both ends of the ice.

Tampa is flying offensively and getting the job done when it matters most. Bet on the Lightning winning the second Stanley Cup in franchise history on Saturday.

Pick: Tampa Bay Lightning Moneyline (-167)