NHL schedule-makers did Boston no favors with this back-to-back at Florida and Tampa Bay. The Bruins survived 4-3 vs. the Panthers last night but now hook a surging Lightning bunch that has become increasingly focused in recent weeks after a playoff berth was looking very endangered. Postseason prospects looking better now after wins in six of the last seven, and anticipate a quick recovery tonight from Nikita Kucherov, held pointless for the first time in over a month on Sunday night at Anaheim in a 3-2 Lightning OT win. Play Lightning on Money Line

Obviously Boston can beat anyone at anytime, but the B's played a very physical, back-and-forth game at Florida on Tuesday and while it's not impossible to sweep the Miami/Tampa Swing, it's pretty darn tough. The Lightning played without two of their best players Sunday in Brayden Point and Victor Hedman to conclude a trip but both are good to go here. Nikita Kucherov (2G, 3A) leads all Tampa Bay skaters in points vs. Boston this season. The Bolts are 6-1 in their past seven.

Lightning home games of late have been an over bettor's dream, averaging 7.9 total goals per game across the past month and a half. That makes this 5.5 number all the more intriguing, and I'm locking it in early in anticipation of the line moving to a flat 6. Two of three meetings between Boston and Tampa have gone over this year, with both of those games ending up with 9+ goals.