The first round of the NHL Playoffs continues with another four-game schedule to wet our pallets. The first two days of playoff games have been nothing short of spectacular, featuring a game that went to five overtimes and another going to two. With those four teams doing battle once again, it’ll be interesting to see if they have enough left in the tank to
In this article, we’ll take a look at the odds and best value plays we can find from all NHL games. All of these lines are according to William Hill Sportsbook.
Columbus Blue Jackets at Tampa Bay Lightning
3:00 p.m. EST | Watch: NBCSN
Total: 5.5 goals | Over: +125 | Under: -145
CBJ | Moneyline: +155 | Puck Line (+1.5): -195
TB | Moneyline: -180 | Puck Line (-1.5): +165
Where’s the Money Going? (As of 10 a.m. EST)
– Moneyline: TB, 54% of bets made | CBJ, 79% of all money wagered
– Puck Line: 50/50% of bets made | CBJ, 96% of all money wagered
– Total: Over, 66% of bets made | Under, 83% of all money wagered
Betting Pick: Lightning Puck Line (+165)
It’s amazing to me that so much money is flying in the direction of the Blue Jackets. After all, the Lightning crushed their hopes by winning a game that lasted five overtimes. Not to mention, this will be the fifth game in seven days for Columbus and that’ll be too much to overcome. I wouldn’t be surprised at all to see Andrei Vasilevskiy pitch a shutout in this one, considering there’s a ton of money trending toward the total going under 5.5 goals.
Chicago Blackhawks at Vegas Golden Knights
5:30 p.m. EST | Watch: NBCSN
Total: 6.5 goals | Over: +110 | Under: -130
CHI | Moneyline: +175 | Puck Line (+1.5): -145
VGK | Moneyline: -210 | Puck Line (-1.5): +125
Where’s the Money Going?
– Moneyline: VGK, 57% of bets made | CHI, 66% of all money wagered
– Puck Line: VGK, 86% of bets made | CHI, 70% of all money wagered
– Total: Over, 61% of bets made | Under, 53% of all money wagered
Betting Pick: Golden Knights Puck Line -1.5 (+125)
Vegas is the biggest favorite, by far, of the night with the highest implied team total (3.6) as well. In Game 1, the Golden Knights were too much for the Blackhawks, and I feel like we’re going to see the exact same thing tonight. Chicago was able to slip past a defensively-inept Edmonton Oilers team in the qualifying round, but that’s not going to work against a well-rounded team like Vegas. I’m looking for another beatdown of the Blackhawks tonight, and you should too.
Carolina Hurricanes at Boston Bruins
8:00 p.m. EST | Watch: NBCSN
Total: 5.5 goals | Over: +125 | Under: -145
CAR | Moneyline: +125 | Puck Line (+1.5): -240
BOS | Moneyline: -145 | Puck Line (-1.5): +200
Where’s the Money Going? (As of 10 a.m. EST)
– Moneyline: 50/50% of bets made | CAR, 73% of all money wagered
– Puck Line: BOS, 52% of bets made | CAR, 52% of all money wagered
– Total: Under, 61% of bets made | Over, 72% of all money wagered
Betting Pick: Hurricanes Moneyline (+125)
The sharp money is piling on in droves for the Hurricanes, and it comes with good reasoning. Admittedly, I was all over the Rangers in the first round, but I got a sweet dose of the foot-in-mouth syndrome. Carolina is a very good and well-rounded team that has plenty of playoff experience. Look for the Canes to even up the series today.
Calgary Flames at Dallas Stars
10:30 p.m. EST | Watch: NBCSN
Total: 5.5 goals | Over: +135 | Under: -160
CGY | Moneyline: -110 | Puck Line (-1.5): +270
DAL | Moneyline: -110 | Puck Line (+1.5): -330
Where’s the Money Going? (As of 10 a.m. EST)
– Moneyline: DAL, 51% of bets made | DAL, 67% of all money wagered
– Puck Line: CGY, 56% of bets made | DAL, 74% of all money wagered
– Total: Over, 78% of bets made | N/A on all money wagered #s
Betting Pick: Regular Time Line (Tie: +290)
I don’t have a particular angle on either team. Since we’re seeing the moneyline so even for both sides, why not take a shot on this thing going to overtime? The two teams had a highly contested battle in Game 1, with the Flames winning 3-2 over the Stars. I believe we’ll see more of the same, and we can benefit greatly from it.
