I lost 0.62 units last night in the first game of the second round as the Panthers comeback fell short. Tonight two more series start off in the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs, so let’s bounce back!
Game 1: Capitals vs. Hurricanes (7:00)
Very interesting series in the second round for this Metro Division matchup between the top two teams in the division, the #1 seed in the East, Washington Capitals and the #2 seed Carolina Hurricanes. This series was penciled in for most people and both of these teams made easy work in the first round, advancing in five games against their far inferior opponents. I broke it down in a full blog earlier today and as I said there, I think this ends up being a solid, competitive series that goes six or seven games, but I think Washington’s the better team and I expect the Capitals to win it, especially if Freddy Andersen misses games due to injury. I’ll take the Caps to win the series at a nice +150 price for 2 units. I’ll also lay the expensive -192 on the series to go over 5.5 games for 1.5 units. Expecting the Caps to win the series, I like them to win Game 1 at home tonight and I’ll take them for a unit at the nice +120 price. I think the totals in this series are pretty much a toss up, with a slight lean on the unders. In the regular season, the over went 3-1 in the games they played. In the first round, both of their series went under in three of the five games. The Hurricanes trended under this year with the under going 43-36-8 in their games while the totals in Caps games went 40-40-7. I’ll stay off the total tonight and see how the series starts to play out.
Game 1: Golden Knights vs. Oilers (9:30)
Great matchup out West between the last two Western Conference Champions in the Pacific Division, the #1 seed Vegas Golden Knights, who won the Cup two years ago and the #2 seed Edmonton Oilers, who lost in the Cup Finals last year. Both of these teams struggled at times in the third round, but both advanced in six games. This series is a rematch from two years ago where the Knights knocked off the Oilers in six games in the second round on the way to lifting Lord Stanley. As I broke down in depth, I don’t think the Oilers should’ve gotten out of the first round, and I love Vegas to win this series. They’re the better team in every position and depth wise…besides the x-factor of the two superstars, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl for the Oilers. Those two guys could take over games, but I just think the Knights are too good for them to beat in a seven game series. And they play far different hockey than the Kings do and the goaltending is just too awful for Edmonton to hang in this series. I have the Golden Knights to win the Stanley Cup that I placed at +1800 in the first week of the season. Not only am I riding that out, but I’ll double down on them to win the series for 2 units. I think they get it done in six, maybe even five games. Expecting the Knights to win the series, I like them to win Game 1 tonight at home and I’ll take them for a unit. I’d lean the overs in this series, despite both teams trending under, with the under going 45-40-3 in games for both of these teams through the season. Both teams trended over in the first round, with the over hitting in four of the six games for Vegas against the Wild and the over hitting in five of six for the Oilers against the Kings. I’ll jump back on the overs tonight with half a unit on it tonight.
Game Bets
1u Capitals ML (+120)
1u Golden Knights ML (-135)
.5u Golden Knights/Oilers over 6.5 (-140)
Series Bets
1.5u Panthers to win the series (-170)
2u Capitals to win series (+150)
1.5u Hurricanes/Capitals over 5.5 games (-192)
2u Golden Knights to win series (-105)
Futures
2u Vegas Golden Knights to win the Stanley Cup (+1800)
Records
Regular Season: 567-497-14 (-58.18 units)
Round 1: 40-39 (-1.19 units)
Round 2: 0-1 (-0.62 units)
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A Town's Zone 