Losing night on the NHL for me in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final on Tuesday night, splitting my two bets to lose 0.78 units, taking a tied up series to Vegas for Game 3 after another crazy game. Let’s bounce back tonight!
Game 3: Golden Knights vs. Hurricanes (8:00)
I’m so pumped for tonight’s game after two wild games to start the Stanley Cup Finals, with a tied up series heading to Vegas tonight for Game 3 after a 4-3 overtime win for the Hurricanes at home in Game 2, bouncing back from a spectacular Game 1 where Vegas won it late, 5-4. We had a fantastic, really entertaining Game 1 of the Cup Finals on Tuesday night, with the Golden Knights winning 5-4 on the road. Hell of a start for the Stanley Cup. The Hurricanes started off hot, very early, with Nikolaj Ehlers scoring just 25 seconds into the game on the Canes’ first shot of the game. He followed it up to go up 2-0 at home, 12:08 into the first. After that Vegas got it going, with one of the original misfits, Shea Theodore answering back to make it 2-1 just 1:20 later. The Knights started the second period hot, with Ivan Barbashev tying it up and making it a new game just 30 seconds into the second. 4:35 into the second, Mitch Marner set up the other original misfit, Wild Bill Karlsson on a beautiful no look pass to give the Golden Knights their first lead of the game. Jordan Staal tied up the game again, scoring for Carolina with 7:18 left in the second. 1:21 into the third period, Vegas took the lead back on a Brett Howden goal, then with 8:41 left in regulation, Shayne Gostisbehere tied it up once again, making it a 4-4 game. It felt like the game was destined for overtime, but with 3:24 left in regulation, Colton Sissons got it out in front on an insane behind the back pass to set up Tomas Hertl for the game winner for Vegas to win 5-4 on the road in Game 1. That game became the first time in NHL history that a road team down by multiple goals at any point in Game 1 of the Cup Finals to come back and win the game. Huge game for the Golden Knights to win, as 75.6% of teams that win Game 1 of the Finals go on to lift Lord Stanley, with an even higher percentage when it’s the road team that wins Game 1. Carolina was definitely the better team through Game 2, but Carter Hart was quite good for the Golden Knights and some timely goals for Vegas made it a crazy game again. Early in the game, about halfway through the first period, the Knights lost their best defenseman, with Brayden McNabb taking a slap shot from Nikolaj Ehlers right to the visor and immediately went to the locker room and was out the remained of the game. Vegas scored the first of the game on the road, with a nice goal for Brett Howden, getting out in front of the Canes defense on a breakaway to open the scoring to make it 1-0 Knights, 13:33 into the game. Howden got his second in a row, going around Slavin as a terrible power play had just expired for Carolina. In the third period, the Canes looked like the better team pressing. With 9:40 left in regulation, Logan Stankoven broke Carter Hart’s shutout, throwing it at the net as he came from behind the goal line to make it 3-1. 2:26 later, with Mark Jankowski flying down the slot and scoring in transition on an incredible drop pass as he got hit to the ice by former Golden Knight, William Carrier. The Golden Knights thought they scored with Freddie Andersen not freezing the puck and the cigarette machine, Ivan Barbashev pushing it into the net, but it was called no goal on the ice right away. I thought it was bullshit since Freddie didn’t freeze the puck, and Torts challenged it, but it was considered no goal, which the NHL said after the game was because of the ref calling it no goal thinking that Barbashev’s stick stopped Andersen’s ability to freeze the puck. Garbage. With 4:35 left in regulation, 25 seconds after Barbashev went to the box on an inopportune over the glass penalty, Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal gave Carolina their first lead of the game, tipping in a shot from up top by Shayne Gostisbehere. The other captain had to answer back though, and eight seconds after a VGK power play expired, Mark Stone, with the net empty and just 1:21 left in regulation, knocked in a rebound in front from a shot by Mitch Marner to tie it up at 3 and send it to overtime. In OT, with Tomas Hertl in the box for tripping, Seth Jarvis won it 3:56 into overtime to win it for Carolina and take a tied series to Vegas for Game 3 tonight. Better team won that one, and the Knights really missed McNabb, playing most of the game with just five defenseman. The Canes really did needed to win that game though and couldn’t go down 2-0 going on the road to the fortress tonight. John Tortorella’s been completely quiet on the status of Brayden McNabb tonight besides that he travelled back home with the team. Makes sense in the Cup Finals to not disclose his status for tonight. Regardless, I like Vegas to bounce back here on the road and I’ll take the Golden Knights at home for a unit. I also like the over after it’s hit in both previous games, and I’ll take that for a unit as well. Additionally, I’ll parlay Mitch Marner and Jack Eichel to each get a point for a unit, and I’ll take Mark Stone individually to get a point for half a unit.
Futures
5u Vegas Golden Knights – Stanley Cup Champions (+120)
.5u Jack Eichel – Conn Smythe Winner (+2000)
Bets
1u Golden Knights ML (-112)
1u Golden Knights/Hurricanes over 5.5 (-125)
1u parlay: Jack Eichel/Mitch Marner 1+ point each (-140)
.5u Mark Stone over 0.5 point (-140)
Regular Season Record: 935-1041-2 (-106.22 units)
Playoffs Round 1 Record: 68-75 (-7.44 units)
Playoffs Round 2 Record: 37-33 (+10.16 units)
Playoffs Round 3 Record: 6-10 (-5.26 units)
Stanley Cup Finals Record: 3-1 (+1.02 units)
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A Town's Zone 