NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Here are tonight’s NHL predictions and best bets.
Philadelphia Flyers (+220) at Carolina Hurricanes (-275)
Total 5.5 (Under, -125)
Hurricanes lead series 1-0
7 p.m. ET
The Flyers got a taste of Carolina Hurricanes playoff hockey in game one as the Canes delivered sixty minutes of hell in the opening game of the series en route to a 3-0 blanking of the Flyers. Carolina has now won 15 of the last 17 meetings against Philadelphia. Having to chase the game against Carolina is never an easy thing to do. The Flyers, who have yet to score a first period goal in this year’s playoffs and are 1-3 when giving up the first goal, would do themselves a favor to strike first. The Flyers are 3-0 when scoring the first goal of the game.
When it comes to scoring first, the Hurricanes Logan Stankoven has scored not just the Canes first goal of the game, he has scored the game’s first goal in four of the five Hurricanes playoff games in this year’s playoffs. Three times, Stankoven has struck in the opening 20 minutes. Stankoven has also had three or more shots on goal in all five playoff games and at least two shots on goal in the first period in four of the five playoff games (one in the other). His linemates, Taylor Hall (has an assist in all five playoff games) and Jackson Blake (points in four of five), have also been very profitable for bettors.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Philadelphia Flyers/Carolina Hurricanes Under 5.5 (-130) – 1.5 units
Logan Stankoven anytime goal (+195) – ¾ unit
Logan Stankoven first goal of the game (+1100) – .05 units
Logan Stankoven first Carolina goal (+700) – .05 units
Logan Stankoven 1+ first period shots on goal (-156) – 2 units
Logan Stankoven 2+ first period shots on goal (+310) – ½ unit
Logan Stankoven Over 2.5 shots on goal (-125) – 2 units
Taylor Hall Over ½ assist (+175) – ¼ unit
Jackson Blake Over ½ point (+102) – ¼ unit
Dan Vladar 9+ first period saves (-140) – 1 unit
Anaheim Ducks (+140) at Vegas Golden Knights (-170)
Total 6.5 (-110)
Game 1
9:30 p.m. ET
Let’s start with some news on the injury front as news broke around 10:30 am Pacific that William Karlsson will be making his return to the Golden Knights lineup. Karlsson hasn’t played since suffering a lower-body injury against these same Anaheim Ducks. While Karlsson returns, defenseman Jeremy Lauzon is out for tonight’s series opener and potentially for multiple games. The Vegas blueliner suffered an injury in the series-clinching game versus the Utah Mammoth.
The Ducks won all three meetings this season versus Vegas, all by identical 4-3 scores, with two of the games going past regulation. The Ducks advanced to the second round after taking out the Edmonton Oilers in six games, while the Knights rallied from being down two games to one to defeat Utah in six games as well.
The Ducks play a similar style to Utah, willing to trade chances, but in my opinion, Anaheim has more skill and firepower than the Mammoth. They are led by Cutter Gauthier (45 goals combined, regular season and playoffs)) Leo Carlsson and Beckett Sennecke. Carlsson’s three goals and eight points were tied for second on the team, and his 28 shots on goal led all Ducks players. Defenseman Jackson LaCombe led the team in scoring with nine points (one goal and eight assists) and had at least one assist in five of the six games versus Edmonton. Carlsson had four shots on goal or more in five of the six games. One player under the radar, in my opinion, for Anaheim is Jacob Trouba. The Anaheim blueliner, known more for “eating pucks” (blocking shots), had a goal and four assists versus Vegas in the regular season and has 11 career assists in 17 games against the Golden Knights.
On the Vegas side, forward Ivan Barbashev had a point in all six games (two goals, four assists) versus Utah. Brett Howden and Pavel Dorofeyev led the Knights in round one with four goals. Howden is on a three-game goal streak, and Dorofeyev scored in two of the past three games. Defenseman Shea Theodore is riding a three-game point streak.
I will post my series plays later today @westcoasthkyNHL
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Brett Howden anytime goal (+320) – ¼ unit
Jackson LaCombe Over ½ assist (-105) – 1unit
Ivan Barbashev Over ½ point (-104) – ½ unit
Jacob Trouba Over ½ assist (+310) – ¼ unit
Anaheim/Vegas Over 6 (-130) – 1 unit
Pavel Dorofeyev anytime goal (+190) – ¼ unit
Pavel Dorofeyev/Leo Carlsson 3+ SOG parlay (+140) – 1 unit
