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The <b>New York Islanders</b> were flying high in the NHL bubble last year, bringing themselves one step away from an appearance in the Stanley Cup final. But they didn't have enough to get past the <b>Tampa Bay Lightning</b>, who ultimately won the Cup.

Coach Barry Stotz thinks there's a big difference between this year and last, in that when the Isles play at home, they'll extract a lot of energy from a very enthusiastic crowd.

But they won't have the home ice edge as they begin their semi-final series, which starts on Sunday afternoon at 3 PM ET at the Amalie Arena in Tampa. The Lightning compiled 75 points on the season, while the Islanders had 71.  As the division titles were decided, the NHL seeded the teams for the semis, in a process that was determined by points.

In the series itself, Tampa Bay is listed as the -265 favorite (+225 on the Islanders). As for Game 1, here are the Stanley Cup betting odds as they are posted at <b><a href="http://bangthebook.com/sportsbooks/betonline/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer nofollow noopener">BetOnline</a></b>:

<b>Tampa Bay Lightning -191
New York Islanders +172

Lightning -1.5 Goals (+140)
Islanders +1.5 Goals (-160)

Under 5.5 Goals -140
Over 5,5 Goals +127</b>

Well, to say the least, the Islanders will have to greatly improve upon last year's performance, when they were outscored 20-12 as the Bolts took the series 4-2. One of the people most instrumental for Tampa Bay was Nikita Kucherov, who totaled ten points.

He's going to be a thorn in the side of Trotz once again.

Kucherov, the former MVP, is in the middle of a controversial plot in which the Lightning were able to exploit a loophole in the NHL's rules. Teams with players who are injured have an opportunity to put those players on a long-term injured reserve list where they would not count against the salary cap. This allows the team to reinforce itself with other players.

And the twist is that those injured players don't have to stay on the list, or count against the cap, in the playoffs. So Kucherov, who had hip surgery and sat out the entire season, could be re-activated for playoff action. As a result, Tampa Bay is about $9 million above the salary cap. And after the series victory over Carolina, that brought complaints.

Did the Lightning manipulate things to their advantage? Well, the NHL investigated the matter previously and determined that Kucherov's rehabilitation period was not unnatural.

And anyone who thought he would be rusty was surprised, as he has thus far scored five goals with 13 assists in eleven playoff games.

He is hardly the only thing the Islanders have to worry about. Tampa Bay goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy has been consistently outstanding, leading the league in victories four consecutive seasons. In last year's series against the Islanders, he posted a .933 save percentage, and so far he's at .934 for these playoffs. A winner of five of his last six starts, he's allowed a single goal or less in four of those.

Any way you slice it, this stacks up as a more substantial challenge than the Islanders encountered in the last series against Boston, when they faced a goaltender (Tuukka Rask) who was not at 100% physically.

The Lightning are certainly not invincible; indeed, they were just third in the Central Division, behind Carolina and Florida. But as often happens with teams in the playoffs, they are coming around at the right time, with a hot goalie, lots of depth on offense, and the firepower added with Kucherov.

The Islanders have now reached the semi-finals in consecutive seasons. It's the first time in 37 years that's happened. They have done well for themselves with two road wins in each of their two series thus far. But there was a "Jekyll-Hyde" quality to them overall, as they've been outscored and outshot as the visitor.

So their trip to the Stanley Cup finals may have to wait a little longer. We'll take Tampa Bay in Game 1, but we'll put more emphasis on the <b>UNDER</b>.

<i>At <b><a href="http://bangthebook.com/s/betonline/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer nofollow noopener">BetOnline </a></b>they've got all kinds of betting possibilities for you when it comes to the Stanley Cup playoffs...... Props are available in profusion for every game, along with the "Live Betting" option. And you can get in on the action pretty easily by using your major credit card or Bitcoin!</i>

Stanley Cup Betting - Isles Seek Revenge, But Will Story vs. Lightning Be Different?

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<p>Looking to win big? The Hawks and Eagles face off at 4:00 ET on ESPN+. The Eagles are hosting the game at McDougald-McLendon Arena in Durham, NC. The over/under for this Mid-Eastern conference contest is set at 136 points, with North Carolina Central being favored by -10.5 at home against Maryland Eastern Shore.</p><h3>MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE HAWKS VS NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL EAGLES BETTING PICK</h3><p>The Pick: Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks +10.5</p><p>This game will be played at McDougald-McLendon Arena at 4:00 ET on Saturday, February 24th.</p><h3>WHY BET THE MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE HAWKS:</h3><ul><li>We have this one finishing with a projected score of 75-70 in favor of the Eagles.</li><li>Even though we have North Carolina Central winning straight-up, we like Maryland Eastern Shore at +10.5.</li><li>The over/under is currently sitting at 136 points, and we like the over with a projected 145 points.</li></ul><h3>Does Maryland Eastern Shore Have A Chance at McDougald-McLendon Arena?</h3><p>As the Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks prepare to take on the North Carolina Central Eagles, they will be looking to snap a 12-game losing streak on the road. So far this season, the Hawks have gone 0-12 away from home, and they have been outscored by an average of 16.4 points per game.</p>

<p>Overall, Maryland Eastern Shore has an 8-15 record, including a 3-6 mark in Mid-Eastern Conference play. In their last game, they defeated Coppin State by a score of 75-67. So far this season, the Hawks have been the underdog in 16 of their 23 games, and they have gone 2-14 in those contests.</p><p>As the underdog, Maryland Eastern Shore has gone 8-8 vs. the spread this season. However, their ATS mark has been much better recently, as they have gone 3-0 ATS in their last 3 road games and 6-4 ATS in their last 10 games as the underdog. Overall, the Hawks are 9-10 ATS this year.</p><p>Today's over/under line of 136 is lower than the average OU line in Maryland Eastern Shore's games this season (138.1). So far, 12 of their games have finished with more points than today's OU line. In their last three games, the over/under record is 1-1 and the average scoring total in those games is 140 points.</p><p>Maryland Eastern Shore is coming off a good offensive performance, putting up 75 points vs. Coppin State. This figure is more than their season average of 65.9 points per game. Troy Hupstead was the leading scorer for the Hawks, putting up 22 points. In addition, Elijah Wilson contributed 19 points.</p><p>The Hawks' defense is presently ranked 117th nationally, allowing an average of 70.0 points per contest. Against Coppin State in their most recent game, the Maryland Eastern Shore defense gave up a total of 67 points while allowing Coppin State to hit 43% of their shots.</p><h3>Can the Eagles Pull Off a Home Win?</h3><p>North Carolina Central is favored by 10.5 points in this game, and they have gone 5-2 as the favorite this season. They have gone 3-1 at home compared to 5-9 on the road.</p>

<p>The Eagles have gone 4-3 in conference play, and they have lost two games in a row. They are 13-11 overall, and their average scoring margin at home is +6.8 points per game.</p><p>North Carolina Central has a solid ATS mark of 12-6 this season, including a 3-1 record at home. Over their last 10 games as the favorite, the Eagles have gone 6-3-1 vs. the spread.</p><p>North Carolina Central has an over/under record of 10-8 this season and the average scoring total in their games is 139.6 points. Today's over/under line of 136 is lower than the average OU line in their games (138.7). In their last three games, the over/under record is 2-0 and the average scoring total is 159 points.</p><p>The North Carolina Central offense is coming off a game where they scored 74 points against Norfolk State. They posted a field goal percentage of 49% and connected on 8 threes. Ja'darius Harris is the current leading scorer for the team, with an average of 15.7 as they approach today's matchup. In addition, Fred Cleveland Jr. brings a PPG average of 15.1 into the game.</p><p>So far, the Eagles' defense is ranked 79th in the country at 68.2 points per contest. In terms of field goal percentage allowed, North Carolina Central's defense has allowed opponents to shoot 37.0% from the field, including a three-point shooting percentage allowed of 24.0% this season.</p>

Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks vs North Carolina Central Eagles Betting Pick & Prediction 2/24/24

<p>Looking to win big? The Highlanders and Broncos face off at 10:00 ET on ESPN+. The Broncos are hosting the game at Leavey Center in Santa Clara, CA. The odds for this non-conference game currently have Santa Clara as the -7.5 favorite, with the over/under line sitting at 152 points.</p><h3>UC RIVERSIDE HIGHLANDERS VS SANTA CLARA BRONCOS BETTING PICK</h3><p>The Pick: UC Riverside Highlanders +7.5</p><p>This game will be played at Leavey Center at 10:00 ET on Tuesday, November 19th.</p><h3>WHY BET THE UC RIVERSIDE HIGHLANDERS:</h3><ul><li>We have this one finishing with a projected score of 75-74 in favor of the Broncos.</li><li>Even though we have Santa Clara winning straight-up, we like UC Riverside at +7.5.</li><li>The over/under is currently sitting at 152 points, and we like the under with a projected 149 points.</li></ul><h3>Will the Highlanders Secure A Victory as Road Underdogs?</h3><h3>UC Riverside Highlanders Recent Game/Games</h3> 

<p>UC Riverside pulled off a 70-69 road win over California Baptist on Tuesday, November 12th. Entering the game as +3.5 point underdogs, the Highlanders not only secured the win but also covered the spread.</p> 

<p>After trailing 37-30 at halftime, UC Riverside turned things around by scoring 40 points in the 2nd half while holding the Lancers to 32. The total points for the game were 139, falling short of the 147 O/U line.</p><p>UC Riverside managed just 3 three-pointers on 21.4% shooting from deep in their last game, finishing with an effective field goal percentage of 45.9%. They shot 51.1% on two-point attempts, contributing to an overall field goal percentage of 44.3%.</p> <p>At the free-throw line, the Highlanders hit 56.5% of their attempts, going 13-for-23. Barrington Hargress led the way with 25 points, while Dominique Daniels Jr. added 20, connecting on 3 of 6 from beyond the arc.</p><p>UC Riverside's defense gave up 69 points in this one, as they allowed the opposing team to shoot 40% from the field, connecting on 24 of their 60 attempts.</p> <p>From beyond the arc, the other team hit 7 of 21 threes, good for 33%. UC Riverside also sent them to the line 15 times, where they made 14 free throws, shooting 93%.</p><h3>Can the Broncos Secure a Win at Home?</h3><h3>Santa Clara Broncos Recent Game/Games</h3> 

<p>The Broncos' struggles continued on Saturday, November 16th, as they fell 85-59 to the Wolf Pack. Entering the game as +8 point underdogs, Santa Clara not only lost but also failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game ended at 144, just under the O/U line of 147.5.</p> 

<p>Santa Clara found themselves in a deep hole early, trailing 47-26 at halftime. They managed to score 33 points in the 2nd half but allowed 38, unable to make up any ground.</p><p>Santa Clara's offense struggled in their last game, scoring just 59 points while shooting 39.7% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 41.4%, and they hit only 11.8% of their threes, going 2 for 17 from beyond the arc. At the free-throw line, they shot 57.9%, making 11 of 19 attempts.</p> <p>The Broncos managed 12 offensive rebounds and recorded just 6 assists. Elijah Mahi led the team with 22 points, shooting 75% overall and hitting his only three-point attempt. Tré Coleman added 21 points, going 3 for 3 from deep, and Nick Davidson contributed 18 points, making both of his three-point attempts.</p><p>Santa Clara's defense struggled, giving up 85 points on 56% shooting. They allowed 62% from two-point range, with the opposing team hitting 18 of 29 shots.</p> <p>From beyond the arc, Santa Clara's opponents shot 47%, making 9 of 19 threes. They also sent them to the line 31 times, where they converted 22 free throws (71%).</p>

UC Riverside Highlanders vs Santa Clara Broncos NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 11/19/24

<p>Don't miss out on the NCAA showdown between the Lancers and Runnin' Bulldogs. The game is starting at 7:00 ET on ESPNU, and it's hosted by the Runnin' Bulldogs at Paul Porter Arena in Boiling Springs, NC. Get ready to place your bets! This Big South conference matchup has an over/under of 148.5 points, and Gardner-Webb is favored to win by -3 at home vs. Longwood.</p><h3>LONGWOOD LANCERS VS GARDNER-WEBB RUNNIN' BULLDOGS BETTING PICK</h3><p>The Pick: Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs -3</p><p>This game will be played at Paul Porter Arena at 7:00 ET on Thursday, February 29th.</p><h3>WHY BET THE GARDNER-WEBB RUNNIN' BULLDOGS:</h3><ul><li>We have this one finishing with a projected score of 76-68 in favor of the Runnin' Bulldogs.</li><li>Not only will Gardner-Webb pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -3.</li><li>The over/under is currently sitting at 148.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 144 points.</li></ul><h3>Will the Lancers Secure A Victory as Road Underdogs?</h3><p>Longwood enters this game as the underdog, as they have gone 0-6 in games where they are not favored this season. The Lancers are 17-12 overall, including a 5-9 mark in Big South play.</p>

<p>On the road, Longwood is 5-9 this season, and they have gone just 2-8 in their last 10 games away from home. In their last game, the Lancers lost to Radford by a score of 88-82.</p><p>Longwood's ATS record this season is 12-14, including a 6-8 mark on the road. As the underdog, the Lancers have gone 2-4 vs. the spread this year and are 4-6 in their last 10 games as the underdog. On the road, Longwood has gone just 1-4 vs. the spread in their last 5 games.</p><p>Longwood's over/under record for the season is 15-11 and today's line of 148.5 is higher than the average over/under line in their games (140.9). So far, 16 of their games have finished with more points than today's line. The average scoring total in their last three games is 159 points and their over/under record over their last 10 games is 8-2.</p><p>Longwood's offense is coming off a good game, putting up 82 points vs. Radford. Overall, they hit 48.4% of their shots from the field and went 12/18 from the free-throw line. The top scorer for the Lancers was Walyn Napper with 21 points, while Michael Christmas also chipped in with 17 points.</p><p>Coming into today's game, the Longwood defense is giving up an average of 68.2 points per contest. In today's game vs. Gardner-Webb, the Longwood defense will be looking to do a better job avoiding putting opponents on the line. In their last game, Longwood made 23 free-throws vs. the Lancers.</p><h3>Do the Runnin' Bulldogs Have What it Takes at Home?</h3><p>Coming into today's game, Gardner-Webb is 14-15 overall, including a 9-5 mark in Big South play. At home, the Runnin' Bulldogs are 5-5 this season, and they are currently on a two-game losing streak at home.</p>

<p>For the year, Gardner-Webb has been favored in 12 games, and they are 7-5 in those contests. In their last outing, the Runnin' Bulldogs defeated UNC Asheville by a score of 78-77.</p><p>As the favorite this season, Gardner-Webb has gone 6-6 vs. the spread. Over their last 10 games as the favorite, the Runnin' Bulldogs are 5-5 ATS.</p><p>For the season, the over/under record in Gardner-Webb games is 18-8. Today's over/under line of 148.5 is higher than the average over/under line in their games this year (144.2). So far, 13 of their games have finished with more points than today's line. In their last three games, the over/under record is 2-1 with an average of 152 points scored.</p><p>The Runnin' Bulldogs' offense finished with 78 points in their previous game, mirroring their current average of 74.3 points per contest. Julien Soumaoro was the leading scorer for the Runnin' Bulldogs, putting up 16 points. In addition, Quest Aldridge contributed 13 points.</p><p>At this time, the Runnin' Bulldogs' defense is positioned 213rd in the country, permitting 73.7 points per game. The Gardner-Webb defense is coming off a game in which they gave up a total of 77 points and allowed UNC Asheville to connect on 8 threes.</p>

Longwood Lancers vs Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs Betting Pick & Prediction 2/29/24

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