Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final takes place tonight as the Tampa Bay Lightning are hosting the Chicago Blackhawks in what could be a pivotal game. The game is scheduled for an 8:00 p.m. start time and it will be televised nationally on the NBC. Currently the betting odds for the game have the Lightning favored in a comfortable way in tonight's game.
The status for Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Ben Bishop is still up in the air and will be a game-time decision. The Lightning got good enough goal tending from backup Andrei Vasilevskiy in a couple of games with Bishop banged up. Vasilevskiy could be in net once again tonight and will have to play another gritty game if called up by his team.
Chicago picked up a 2-1 win in the last game in the series, one that the Blackhawks absolutely needed heading back to Florida. A third period tally by Brandon Saad gave Chicago the lead for good and brought them back in the series.
Tampa Bay was the best team in the regular season at home, but has struggled a bit in the post season, which gives Chicago just as good a chance to win there. They already have won on enemy ice in this NHL Final, which can give them confidence heading into tonight's game.
Corey Crawford stopped 24 shots and really took on a bevy of attackers in the final few minutes in Game 4. Tampa Bay kept coming at him, shot after shot, as the clock eventually ran out. Crawford made every stop in those frantic moments, equalizing the series at 2-2.
In tonight's game the Blackhawks have to have their lines step up and look to build a lead. Neither team has been able to have a two-goal advantage in the series, the team that eventually does could have the best chance at winning the Cup.
Tonight Tampa Bay gets it done on their own ice, finding a way to play well on both ends.
Free Pick: Tampa Bay
Betting and Winning in the WNBA
According to pro handicapper Steve Fezzik, you don't even need to watch WNBA games to successfully bet the sport. He tells fellow handicapper Teddy Covers that the sportsbooks simply don't spend enough time setting good lines on the sport, so just following injury reports, like the one with top player Diana Taurasi of the Phoenix Mercury, will tell you what you need to know. Yes, the betting limits for WNBA are low, but the bright side to that is the wise guys leave WNBA alone, giving smaller stakes bettors more opportunities to succeed.
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