NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Here are tonight’s NHL predictions and best bets for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final between the Carolina Hurricanes and Montreal Canadiens.
Carolina Hurricanes (-140) at Montreal Canadiens (-115)
Total 5.5 (Over, -130)
Series tied at 1
8 p.m. ET
The series now shifts to the Bell Centre, where home ice has been anything but an advantage for the Canadiens in the playoffs. Montreal has just two wins in six home games, compared to seven wins in 10 road games. The Habs 24 home wins in the regular season were tied for the eighth-most in the NHL. Working in the Canadiens’ favor is their 6-0 record after a loss, compared to just 1-6 after a win. Montreal is also 1-0 at home in the postseason following a loss, compared to 1-4 at home off a win.
I am passing on player props for the most part tonight as scoring has been spread out with 10 different Carolina players earning at least one point and 12 different Canadiens players on the scoresheet. I will roll back with the same parlay that fell just short in Game One – Logan Stankoven 2+ shots on goal, Seth Jarvis 3+ shots on goal and Mike Matheson 2+ blocked shots. Stankoven let us down as he was held to under two shots on goal for the first time in fifteen games. Jarvis has had at least three shots on goal in five consecutive games, and Matheson has had two blocked shots or more in eight of the last nine games.
The rest of my card will focus on the first period. A goal in the first five minutes has occurred in eight of their last nine games and in each of the last four Carolina games. A goal in the first 10 minutes is on a 9-0 run in Habs games and in five of the last six Hurricanes games. Montreal has scored a first-period goal in 14 of their 16 playoff games, while Carolina has struck for the opening goal in eight of their 10 playoff games. The first period Over 1.5 goals has cashed in each of the last nine Canadiens games, and the first period both teams to score prop has cashed in seven of the last nine Habs games.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
1st period Both Teams to Score (+186) – ½ unit
1st period Over 1.5 goals (-116) – ½ unit
Carolina Hurricans to score the 1st goal/1st period (+120) – ½ unit
Montreal Canadiens to score a 1st period goal (-142) – 1.5 units
Goal scored 1st 5 minutes/1st period (+180) – ¼ unit
Goal score 1st 10 minutes/1st period (-142) – 1 unit
Stankoven 2+ shots/Jarvis 3+ shots/Matheson 2+ blocks (+140) – 1 unit
