NHL: Stanley Cup ice hockey playoffs betting preview and tips

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The team who finished top of the NHL regular season standings have gone on to win the Stanley Cup only once in the last ten years, but it's hard to find fault with the Tampa Bay Lightning's claims this year.

The Floridians were eliminated by champions Washington in the deciding seventh game of the Conference finals last year, but the Lightning have found another gear this season.

They won 62 of their 82 regular-season matches including all three meetings with their first-round playoff opponents Columbus by an aggregate 17-3 scoreline.

Steven Stamkos scored 45 goals for Tampa this seasonCredit: Bruce Bennett

Defence is often more important in the playoffs than in the regular season and despite fielding last year's defenceman of the year Anton Stralman, they ranked only seventh in goals-conceded.

However, so potent is Tampa's attack that they are capable of digging their way out of any deficit and rarely consider a game out of reach.

Only nine of the 31 teams had a player who reached the 40-goal mark during the regular season, but three Tampa forwards - captain Steven Stamkos, the league's most productive player Nikita Kucherov and 23-year-old Brayden Point - all passed that total.

Penalties can have a decisive effect on matches, but since Tampa boasted the most efficient powerplay and were joint-second in the penalty kill stats, that won't concern them either.

Rookie goaltender Jordan Binnington has been superb for St Louis BluesCredit: Harry How

St Louis were one of the few teams with a winning head-to-head record against Tampa this season.

Despite being bottom of the league standings on January 2, the Blues hauled themselves into the playoffs thanks to impressive contributions throughout the roster.

St Louis suffered just six regulation-time defeats in their 33 matches from February 1 - a record bettered only by Tampa Bay.

The Blues lost three of their four regular-season meetings with their first-round opponents Winnipeg, but the Jets have an ordinary record of 14 wins and 17 losses since the start of February, so St Louis will fancy their chances.

As a Western Conference team, the Blues would avoid Tampa until the finals, and the Midwestern side look a decent value bet to lift Lord Stanley's Cup for the first time in their 52-year history.

Recommendations
Tampa Bay Lightning
3pts 2-1 general
St Louis Blues
1pt 18-1 Betfair, Paddy Power

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