The 2022 Stanley Cup Eastern Conference Finals start on the first day of June when Tampa Bay takes on New York at Madison Square Garden, so we bring you the best Lightning vs. Rangers betting pick and odds.  

According to Bookmaker Sportsbook, the two-time defending champions are -130 moneyline favorites to take the first blood. The Rangers are listed as +110 home underdogs with a total of 5.5 goals. These two foes met each other three times this past regular season, and the Rangers swept the Lighting.  

The Bolts continue their three-peat challenge                           

After barely surviving the first-round series against the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Tampa Bay Lightning swept the Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. The Panthers finished the regular season with the best record in the NHL, but the Bolts stepped up when it mattered the most. 

Tampa Bay outscored Florida 13-3 through their four-game semifinal series. The Lightning blanked the Panthers 2-0 in Game 4 at home, as Andrei Vasilevskiy had a tremendous night between the pipes with a whopping 49 saves. 

Vasilevskiy has struggled through his first five outings in the postseason, but since Game 6 against the Maple Leafs, the 27-year-old netminder has been absolutely ridiculous. He’s recorded a .968 save percentage over his previous six appearances, surrendering only seven goals in the process. Nikita Kucherov leads the way for the skaters with four goals and 11 assists in the 2022 Stanley Cup, while Victor Hedman has added eight dishes and a couple of goals. 

The Rangers just won another Game 7               

The New York Rangers are 5-0 when facing the elimination in the 2022 Stanley Cup. After erasing a 3-1 deficit in the first-round series against the Pittsburgh Penguins, the resilient Rangers overcame a 3-2 deficit against the Carolina Hurricanes in the semifinals. 

New York outscored Carolina 11-4 over their final two encounters. The Rangers trounced the Canes 6-2 in Game 7 on the road, converting two of their three power-play opportunities. Chris Kreider scored a pair of goals, Mika Zibanejad had three assists, while Igor Shesterkin posted 37 stops. 

Shesterkin has been the Rangers’ most important player all season long. He allowed 12 goals in the semis while tallying an excellent .949 save percentage. Mika Zibanejad is New York’s top scorer in the postseason with seven goals and 12 dishes, while Adam Fox added five goals and 13 assists. 

Trends:

Tampa Bay: 

  • 6-0 in the last six games overall 
  • 5-2 in the last seven games on the road  

NY Rangers:

  • 5-10 in the last 15 home games against Tampa Bay 

Tampa Bay Lightning vs. New York Rangers Pick 

There should be some tired legs among the Rangers after a couple of dramatic seven-game series. On the other side, the Lightning had plenty of time to rest following their second-round matchup with Florida. 

Hereof, I’m going with the two-time reigning champs to win straight up. We should see a great battle between a couple of top-notch goaltenders, and I think the Lightning possess more depth than the Rangers when it comes to skaters. It won’t be an easy task by any means, as New York’s blue line is one of the best in the league. 

Pick: Take Tampa Bay Lightning at -130           

The Total:

The Lightning and Rangers should provide a low-scoring series, so the bookies set the line at 5.5 goals in the opener. With Andrei Vasilevskiy and Igor Shesterkin guarding the cages, I can only take the under on the totals. 

If these two guys continue to impress, the Bolts and Rangers won’t combine for more than five goals. Tampa Bay’s last five games have gone under the total, while the under is 5-2 in the Rangers’ previous seven outings. 

Pick: Go under 5.5 goals at -110