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Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Pittsburgh Penguins Game 2 NHL Playoff Pick

Its NHL Playoff betting time once again. The Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Pittsburgh Penguins is on tap Friday night. Both will be trying to pick up a win with the line opening with Pittsburgh as a -135 favorite in this matchup. The over/under is set at 5, here is the handicapping preview…

2011 NHL Hockey Free Playoff Predictions: Lightning vs Penguins

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NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs 2011 Game Two
Friday April 15, 2011 – 7:00 PM ET
Venue: Consol Energy Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Tampa Bay Lightning at Pittsburgh Penguins
Betting Lines From Bodog.com
Money Line: Pittsburgh -135
Over/Under: 5
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With captain Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin out for the Pittsburgh Penguins, a healthy Tampa Bay Lightning team was supposed to have its way in game one of the opening round series. They didn’t bank on Penguins’ netminder Marc-Andre Fleury rising to the occasion to make up for the lack of offensive power, standing tall with 32 saves to shut the door in a 3-0 win. Fleury was dynamic throughout all three periods, including a couple of acrobatic stops in the first period to make sure that Pittsburgh didn’t concede the early lead. The Penguins’ offense eventually came alive with goals from Alex Kovalev and Arron Asham 18 seconds apart in the third to put the game away, but it was Fleury that left the ice with the crowd chanting “MVP! MVP!”

The 27-year old will need to be at his best again in game two for Pittsburgh to have any chance at heading down south with a two-game lead in the series. Considering that the Penguins are 5-0 all-time in the playoffs when Kovalev scores, they could also use a goal from No. 72. The Penguins actually outshot Tampa Bay 40-32 on the night, and will continue to throw as many pucks at the net as they can.

After missing the past two postseasons, the Lightning learned in a hurry what it takes to compete in the playoffs. Tampa Bay’s top-six forwards were outmatched in terms of physicality throughout most of the contest, and the image of a bloodied Martin St. Louis being attended to by trainers on the Pittsburgh bench was testament to just how rough their night was. St. Louis was upset after the game that their was no penalty on the play that left him cut open, a stick to the face by Penguins’ defenseman Zbynek Michalek. The Lightning’s star winger finished the game a minus-two along with Vincent Lecavalier, the only two players that were part of the last Tampa Bay team to reach the playoffs.

The Lightning will need to respond by being much more physical, and get more bodies in front of the net to make things harder on Fleury. If they can get a couple of goals early on then game two will have a much different complexion, and Tampa Bay could earn that all-important road split.

Pick: Lightning +115

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