The Red Wings in a Game 7 is nothing new. It's happened seemingly every year for the last two decades. But in the Eastern Conference and against the Lightning? That's new, but still exciting for hockey fans and bettors. Those who pledge allegiances to either team may be more nervous than excited.
Here is Game 7 preview from a betting perspective. Odds are current as of Wednesday at 12:45 p.m. ET. Check our live odds page for updated lines from Las Vegas.
Red Wings at Lightning (series tied 3-3) 7:30 p.m., NBCSN
Best Detroit line: +175 (Westgate)
Best Tampa Bay line: -180 (MGM, Stations)
Total: 5 (over -130)
Analysis: The Lightning, unbeatable at home during the regular season, have looked plenty mortal at Amalie Arena against the Red Wings, winning just one of three games. But a strong effort in Game 6 at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit has setup a decisive Game 7 in Tampa. Tyler Johnson has been a catalyst for the Bolts, scoring a pair of goals in each of their three wins.
Steven Stamkos has been nearly invisible, posting just three assists and 19 shots through six games. Detroit's four-line depth has been a big reason for that. The Wings will be without top defenseman Niklas Kronwall, however, after he laid an elbow to Nikita Kucherov in Game 6. He's been suspended following a disciplinary hearing with the league Tuesday, a punishment Sporting News' Sean Gentille says is deserved.
Tampa Bay opened the series as a favorite of about -190, so if you passed on it then, you can get a slightly better price in Game 7. But this matchup has been much closer than the original series price indicated — there have been few shot attempts between the two teams (the fewest per game average of any series), and Tampa has not come close to living up to its 32-8-1 regular-season home record. The Bolts' power play is just 2-for-26 during this series, while Detroit's is 5-for-27.
In Game 7, Stamkos will need to find himself and figure out a way past goalie Petr Mrazek, who has been good, but not great. War-on-ice.com gives him the fifth-worst adjusted save percentage, which factors in where each shot is taken from on the ice, of the 21 goalies who have appeared in this postseason. Ben Bishop hasn't gotten the same praise as Mrazek, but has the fifth-best adjusted save percentage in the postseason.
There's no reason the deep, skilled Bolts shouldn't win at home. But it has to come against the Red Wings and coach Mike Babcock, the best in the business, in a Game 7. One game is always up for grabs.
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