Solid day yesterday as the NHL playoffs continued to start, as I went 5-2 to win 2.5 units. Really good first weekend. Tonight the final two series begin in the West and two East series continue. Let’s stay hot!
Game 2 – Bruins vs. Maple Leafs (7:00)
Game 1 of this series was a complete shit kicking with the depth of the Bruins leading the way in a 5-1 victory at home. The Leafs looks like garbage in Game 1 and I don’t see them having a shot to win this series if they don’t pick it up. I still have no idea why William Nylander didn’t play in Game 1, which makes no sense. The media in Toronto is the most toxic in the entire NHL and theres nothing about why Sheldon Keefe benched him. He’s questionable to play tonight but to me it doesn’t matter, I think the B’s win this one easy, and I’ll take Boston for 1.5 units, with another half unit on the puck line. I’d lean the over, but I’ll stay off the total again here.
Game 2 – Hurricanes vs. Islanders (7:30)
I didn’t think the Hurricanes played all that great in Game 1 but they still got a 3-1 win in a pretty close matchup that was tied 1-1 for a majority of the game. The Isles could’ve stolen that game, outshooting Carolina 34-26, if it weren’t for how Freddy Anderson played in goal, but they didn’t capitalize and the Canes turned it on in the third. If the Hurricanes could win that game, if they play to the best of their ability I still love Carolina to win this series in five, or maybe even four games. I’ll jump right back on them again tonight with 1.5 units on them in regulation. I like the under too, which I’ll take for half a unit.
Game 1 – Stars vs. Golden Knights (9:30)
As I broke down in depth in my preview of this series, I think this is the best series of the first round as the Western Conference leading Dallas Stars face the second Wild Card Vegas Golden Knights. This will be a rematch of last year’s Western Conference Finals, where Vegas won it in six games to advance to the Cup Finals and it’s insane that one of these teams will get eliminated here. I think the winner of this matchup is going to the Western Conference Finals. I think both of these teams are fantastic and the winner of this series will be my pick to go to the Stanley Cup Finals (although the Oilers do worry me a bit on that in the Western Conference Finals). The way both of these teams are built have all of the pieces to win a Cup. Vegas showed that last year and when they’re healthy, they’ve gotten even better this year with the additions of Hertl and Hanifin in the LTIR magic. The Stars are a monster too and there’s really nothing that you can knock on them. The only thing that gives me a lean on this series is the Stars having home ice, but this is anyone’s series. After their incredible start to the year back in early November, I put in a four unit future on the Knights to repeat. I feel like I have to hedge that somehow. I think one of these teams end up in the Western Conference Finals, and I’ll match my Vegas future with four units on the Stars to win the Cup as well. On the series itself I will stay off any side. I do like this series to go six or seven games, and I’ll take the prop on it to go over 5.5 games for 3 units. I’d very slightly lean the Stars get the win in Game 1 at home tonight, but this is going to be the first game of the playoffs that I’m not betting on at all.
Game 1 – Oilers vs. Kings (10:00)
I think this should be a decent series in the first round in the Pacific Division as the #2 seed Oilers and the #3 seed Kings open the playoffs for the third season in a row. I broke it down in depth in my blog previewing the series and as I said in that article, I think the Oilers and the greatest hockey player in the world win this series in five or six games. I think the goaltending for both of these teams could struggle here and I’m not really sold on either, but I think that McDavid and the Edmonton offense take over and get the win in this series. I’ll lay the bit pricey -190 on the Oilers to win this series for three units. I think they end up getting past either the Canucks or Predators to advance to the Western Conference Finals if they get past the Kings. I really considered betting them to win the Cup and add that future, but I think the defense and Stuart Skinner’s goaltending ends up costing them and they lose to whoever comes out of Vegas vs. Dallas in the WCF. If whichever of those teams lose to the winner of Jets vs. Avs though, look out for the Oil. Expecting them to win the series, I like the Oilers to open up this series with a win at home tonight. I’ll take them for 1.5 units.
Game Bets
1.5u Bruins ML (-142)
.5u Bruins -1.5 (+180)
1.5u Hurricanes in regulation (-150)
.5u Hurricanes/Islanders under 5.5 (-125)
1.5u Oilers ML (-175)
Series Bets
4u Hurricanes in six games or less (-155)
1u Hurricanes in five games (+300)
.5u Hurricanes in four games (+540)
3u Bruins/Maple Leafs over 5.5 games (-188)
3u Panthers (-180)
2.5u Rangers in six games or less (-190)
1u Rangers in five games (+250)
.5u Rangers in four games (+400)
2u Avalanche/Jets over 5.5 games (-188)
.5u Avalanche/Jets over 6.5 games (+200)
1u Jets +1.5 games (-165)
3u Stars/Golden Knights over 5.5 games (-172)
3u Oilers (-190)
Futures
4u Vegas Golden Knights – Stanley Cup Champions (+1000)
4u Dallas Stars – Stanley Cup Champions (+850)
3u Carolina Hurricanes – Stanley Cup Champions (+650)
Regular Season Record: 599-527-12 (-95.22 units)
Round 1 Record: 7-2 (+5 units)
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A Town's Zone 