NHL Predictions – Expert Picks on Wednesday, May 7
Here are tonight’s NHL predictions:
Florida Panthers (-140, 5.5) at Toronto Maple Leafs
Game Two
Toronto leads series 1-0
7 p.m. ET
The Panthers’ Sam Bennett is public enemy number one for the Maple Leafs and their fans. Bennett’s elbow to the head of Toronto goalie Anthony Stolarz contributed to Stolarz having to leave Game One and Stolarz is now unavailable for tonight’s Game Two. Stolarz was seen vomiting into a bucket at the Leafs’ bench and was eventually taken to the hospital on a stretcher.
His replacement, Joseph Woll, is no slouch and was instrumental in last year’s playoffs for Toronto when he was pressed into duty and won a pair of games against the Boston Bruins. Woll had a solid 27-14-1 record in the regular season with a 2.74 goals-against average and a .909 save percentage. Woll won two of his last three starts in the regular season, though he was 3-3 in his last six, including a 3-1 loss to these same Panthers (third goal was an empty-netter).
William Nylander continues to pace the Leafs’ offense with back-to-back two-goal games. Nylander has eight goals in his last nine playoff games. Only Connor McDavid (13) has more points than Nylander’s 12.
Don’t sleep on Max Pacioretty, who has four points in his last two games (one goal, three assists). The sportsbooks are still not buying Pacioretty’s recent points run. They’re still offering great plus prices on his points, goals and assists props.
The Panthers should get a boost with the return of Aaron Ekblad to the blueline after serving his two-game suspension for his forearm shiver to the noggin of Tampa’s Brandon Hagel in round one. Ekblad had five points (one goal, four assists) in last year’s playoffs against the Maple Leafs.
Brad Marchand had two points in Monday’s series opener and now has 31 points in 29 career playoff games against Toronto. He is one point shy of moving into fourth for all-time post-season points against the Leafs.
Sam Bennett will hear the boo birds every time he touches the puck tonight and may even be asked to drop the gloves for his hit on Anthony Stolarz scored in Game One. I also have Bennett to score at least three goals in the series. I will be on him again to score a goal. I will also climb aboard with his shots on goal props. He had seven in Game One.
With the Panthers losing Game One, we will also be on the Panthers to score the first goal of the game and to score in the first period. Teams coming off a loss in the opening round of this year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs were 25-14 in scoring the first goal of the game. Those teams also scored a first-period goal in 27 of the 39 games.
Game 2 Predictions:
Florida 1st goal in regulation (-130) – 1 unit
Florida Over ½ goal in the first period (-170) – 1 unit
Florida Over 3 (-120) – .50 units
Brad Marchand Over ½ point +130 – .25 units
Sam Bennett anytime goal +240 – .10 units
Matthew Knies anytime goal +290 – .10 units
William Nylander anytime goal +190 – .10 units
Max Pacioretty Over ½ assist +330 – .20 units
Max Pacioretty anytime goal +550 – .10 units
Dallas Stars at Winnipeg Jets (-110, 5.5)
Series Price:
Dallas Stars (-175)
Winnipeg Jets (+145)
Game One
9:30 p.m. ET
Two teams that are coming off emotional Game Seven victories must now ramp it up for a new series that begins tonight in Winnipeg. For Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck, he exorcised the demons of not being able to escape the opening round, but he was still shaky in the series, giving up three or more goals in six of the seven games. He was pulled in three of the four road games.
Earlier today, the Jets tweeted out a projected lineup that included Mark Scheifele, who missed the final two games of the opening round series with an upper-body injury. The Jets are expected to be without top blueliner, Josh Morrissey, who was injured in Game Seven against St. Louis.
The Stars are expected to have Jason Robertson make his playoff debut tonight. Robertson has been practicing the last few days on a line with Wyatt Johnston and Mason Marchment. Johnston has five points in his last three games (three goals, two assists), but he did struggle on the road in the opening round against Colorado with just one assist and was a (-8).
There is no hotter Stars player than Mikko Rantanen, who has 11 points (five goals, six assists) in his last three games. Last season, Rantanen had nine points (two goals, seven assists) in five games against the Jets in the playoffs.
On the Jets’ side, Cole Perfetti has scored three goals in his last two games. Kyle Connor has a four-game point streak (two goals and six assists) and has especially enjoyed playing at home in the playoffs with eight goals and 20 points in his last 12 games in Winnipeg.
Game One NHL Predictions:
Mikko Rantanen anytime goal +190 – .10 units
Mikko Rantanen Over ½ assist +115 – .20 units
Jason Robertson Over 2.5 SOG +165 – .20 units
Jason Robertson Over 3.5 SOG +425 – .10 units
Dallas Team Total Over 2.5 (-160) – .50 units
Kyle Connor anytime goal +150 – .20 units
Kyle Connor Over ½ assist (-111) – .20 units
Cole Perfetti anytime goal +310 – .10 units
Adam Lowry anytime goal +600 – .10 units
