NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Here are tonight’s NHL predictions and best bets.
Carolina Hurricanes (-165) at Philadelphia Flyers (+140)
Total 5.5 (Under, -142)
Hurricanes lead series 2-0
8 p.m. ET
The Philadelphia Flyers find themselves down in the series two games to none. They are without two of their best players, Owen Tippett and Noah Cates, as they take the ice at home tonight for game three. The Hurricanes will look to put a stranglehold on the series with a win tonight, but the Canes have had a tough time winning game three of a series in their history, with just seven wins in their past 20 third games of a series. They have just two wins in their past seven game threes on the road, though one did come in this year’s playoffs versus the Ottawa Senators in round one.
I anticipate another low-scoring game between these two teams. Carolina outscored the Flyers by a combined 6-2 (3-2 OT, 3-0) in taking the first two games of the series. Under 5.5 has cashed in each of the last four meetings and six of the last eight. But with the total is sitting at 5.5 and heavily juiced to the Under (-145), and it would not surprise me to see this game close with a total of a “flat 5.”
Instead of paying the “heavy tax” with the Under 5.5 I will parlay the total with Logan Stankoven to register at least three shots on goal, and I will once again be on Stankoven to score a goal tonight, as well as the first goal of the game and Carolina’s first goal of the game. In the five games that Stankoven has scored, he has the game’s first goal four times. He also has three shots on goal or more in all six playoff games this year and at least four shots on goal in five of the six. The Canes forward has struck for at least one shot on goal in the first period in all six games and registered two shots on goal in the opening 20 minutes in four of the six games. So for me tonight, it’s all about Logan Stankoven. I am going to live or die with the Canes forward. Other players I would consider for Carolina props are Taylor Hall, Jackson Blake and Nikolaj Ehlers.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Logan Stankoven Over 2.5 shots on goal (-130) – 3 units
Logan Stankoven 1+ shot on goal in the 1stperiod (-140) – 3 units
Logan Stankoven 2+ shots on goal in the 1stperiod (+320) – ½ unit
Logan Stankoven anytime goal (+230) – ½ unit
Logan Stankoven first goal of the game (+1300) – .10 units
Logan Stankoven first Hurricanes goal (+700) – .10 units
Logan Stankoven 3+ shots on goal/Under 5.5 (+170) – ½ unit
Hurricanes Under 6.5/Canadiens (Friday) Over 5.5 (+156) – 2 units
