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NHL Conference Finals: Odds Break Down Potential Matchups

NHL Conference Finals: Odds Break Down Potential Matchups

Written by on May 14, 2024

NHL News and Betting Previews| Xbet.ag

The Stanley Cup Playoffs are about halfway through the conference semifinal round, which means it’s time to start thinking about sports betting and the conference finals. In the Western Conference, the Vancouver Canucks are continuing their amazing run with backup netminder Arturs Silovs, who has stood on his head in the absence of Thatcher Demko. The Canucks currently lead the Edmonton Oilers in that series, 2-1. The Dallas Stars looked in real trouble after Game 1, when they squandered a 3-0 lead and lost to Colorado, 4-3. Since then, the Stars’ defense has stiffened with each game, and they head back to Dallas with a 3-1 series lead. In the Eastern Conference, the New York Rangers skated out to a 3-0 lead over the Carolina Hurricanes but have coughed up the next two games and now have just a 3-2 lead heading to Carolina for Game 6. In Boston, head coach Jim Montgomery saw his Bruins win Game 1 against Florida, but they haven’t won since and now are in a deep 3-1 hole with the series heading back to Miami for Game 5. Let’s look at the different possible conference finals matchups along with some thoughts about the current semifinal series.

NHL Playoffs Betting News: Possible Matchups in the Conference Finals | Race to the Stanley Cup

 

Stanley Cup Western Conference

Vancouver or Edmonton?

Arturs Silovs came on to start Game 4 for the Canucks, and he led his team to an overtime win over the Nashville Predators. He kept his team in Game 5, which turned out to be a loss, but then he notched a 1-0 shutout in Game 6 to send the Preds home. The Canucks had started the playoffs with Demko in net, but he re-injured himself and remains on the shelf. Casey DeSmith started Games 2 and 3 before suffering a lower-body injury. Next up was Silovs, and he’s been carrying the team’s hopes with him.

The Oilers have goalie drama, but of a different kind. They yanked Stuart Skinner after the second period of what would end as a 4-3 loss to the Canucks. Skinner has made every start so far in the postseason, but he permitted four goals in 15 shots over two periods, and so Calvin Pickard came on to start the third. Coach Kris Knoblauch acknowledged that he was making a point to the defense, but now the Oilers are not committing to a starting goalie for Game 4. A similar strategy backfired for Boston in the first round, and if the team lacks confidence in their goaltending situation going into Game 4, this could be a quick finish for the Canucks.

Dallas or Colorado?

Dallas led both Games 1 and 2 by 3-0 scores. Game 1 ended as a 4-3 Avalanche win, and Game 2 saw the Avs close within 3-2 before the Stars finally got an empty-netter to make it 4-2. Either way, it looked like the Colorado offense might give Dallas real trouble in the high altitude of Denver. However, the Stars have shut down the Avalanche on their own rink, posting 4-1 and 5-1 wins. The 4-1 win in Game 3 was really 2-1 well into the third period before the Stars scored two empty-net goals, but Game 4 was an example of domination. Wyatt Johnston scored a pair of goals on the night before his 21st birthday and had a chance to complete the hat trick but passed to teammate Stuart Steel for the last goal of the night.

The Avalanche took a huge blow before Game 4, losing Valeri Nichuskin for at least six months, as he was sent to Stage 3 of the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program for substance abuse violators. That took the team’s top playoff scorer off the ice; he had notched nine goals and 10 points in eight postseason games. Defenseman Devon Toews was also out due to illness, but the Avs have their backs against the wall now.

 

Stanley Cup Eastern Conference

New York or Carolina?

Going into the third period of Game 5, the Rangers led the Hurricanes, 1-0 at home. Their effort was listless, but Carolina looked even less committed. Then a switch flipped and the Hurricanes lit the lamp four times and took the momentum to Carolina heading into Game 6. The Rangers lost just about every 50-50 battle for the puck, and at times the Blueshirts even looked bored. Mika Zibanejad chose the wrong time to change just three minutes into the third, and Jordan Staal took advantage and tied the game. Artemi Panarin lost a footrace to Evgeny Kuznetsov, and the hustling Kuznetsov gave the Hurricanes the lead. The Rangers responded by playing listless hockey the rest of the way. Can they figure things out?

Boston or Florida?

This series really feels like the Panthers have drained the Bruins of energy and confidence. The Panthers took down Boston captain Brad Marchand with a sucker punch, and David Pastrnak took a beating from Matthew Tkachuk in a Game 2 fight. Bruins enforcer Pat Maroon has been looking for some fisticuffs, but the Panthers aren’t entertaining his offers. The Bruins saw Game 2 go the wrong way thanks to some goaltender interference that not only went uncalled but also went unseen in a video challenge, which led to a delay-of-game penalty against the B’s, which the Panthers turned into a power-play goal. The Panthers have a swarming offense and a hot goalie in Sergei Bobrovsky, so it won’t surprise me to see them win Game 5 and await whichever team emerges from the Rangers-Hurricanes battle.

   
 
 

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2024 Possible Matchups in the Conference Finals, May 6th Edition
 

The Boston Bruins took 2-0 and 3-1 series leads against the Toronto Maple Leafs in their NHL Eastern Conference quarterfinal series, but then the Leafs roared back despite not having Auston Matthews, tying the series at three games apiece and pushing Game 7 into overtime. However, it took the Bruins just 1:54 of overtime to get a goal from David Pastrnak, who took the feed from Hampus Lindholm to end the series. Lindholm also tied the game in regulation, and Jeremy Swayman had 30 saves as the Bruins narrowly avoided losing their second consecutive first-round series after taking a 3-1 series lead. Let’s look at the updated Stanley Cup Playoffs bracket and go over our sports betting thoughts about each second-round series.

NHL Stanley Cup Odds: Eastern and Western Conference Finals Predictions

Dallas Stars vs Colorado Avalanche

The Stars needed seven games to oust the Vegas Golden Knights while the Avalanche sent the Winnipeg Jets home after five games. The Stars are slightly favored going into this series. They come in having averaaged just 2.0 goals per game over their last 10 games, going 6-4. They have permitted only 18 goals during those same contests. However, the Avalanche have scored 4.5 goals per contest in their last ten, posting a 6-3-1 mark in those contests, while permitting 3.5. The Stars need to up their offense if they’re going to keep up with the Avalanche in this series. Jake Oettinger has been terrific for the Stars so far in net. As well as the Stars played this season, they’re legitimate favorites.

NHL Pick: Stars in six

Vancouver Canucks vs Edmonton Oilers

The Canucks won all four of their regular-season meetings with the Oilers, which included an 8-1 shellacking on Opening Night as well as a 6-2 beating. The other games (4-3 and 3-1) also featured the Canucks pouring on the offense. Three of those losses did come in the early part of the season, when the Oilers were really struggling on both ends of the ice. The Oilers are actually the favorites to win this series due to injuries to Thatcher Demko. The Oilers have both Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid humming on offense. In these playoffs, the Oilers lead the NHL on both the penalty kill (100%) and the power play. Even so, I’m actually going with the value here as the Canucks rolled in the first round, even without Demko in net.

NHL Pick: Canucks in seven

Florida Panthers vs Boston Bruins

The Bruins are in the second round of the playoffs for the first time in three years, and they head to Florida without home-ice advantage. However, they have won four of their last six road postseason games, including Games 3 and 4 down at Florida a year ago. They’ve actually struggled more at home, posting a 3-5 home playoff record in their last eight games at TD Garden. The Panthers have a Vezina Trophy finalist in goal, in Sergei Bobrovsky, and they have elite talent on their scoring lines and the blue line. Their run to the Stanley Cup Final last year was a surprise. This time around, it wouldn’t be a surprise. The Bruins need to settle down and play with confidence if they want to get past the Panthers this time.

NHL Pick: Panthers in seven

N.Y. Rangers vs Carolina Hurricanes (Rangers lead, 1-0)

This is the second time the Blueshirts and the Hurricanes have met in the second round in the last three years. The Hurricanes only needed five games to send the N.Y. Islanders home in the first round, and the Rangers swept Washington out. The Rangers beat Carolina two out of three times during the regular season. Igor Shesterkin posted a minuscule 1.75 GAA in the first round, as well as a .931 save percentage, but the Caps didn’t test him as much as the Hurricanes will. Frederik Andersen went 9-1-0 in net for the Hurricanes after returning from blood clotting issues, but in the first round, he permitted a 2.25 GAA and had a .912 save percentage in the first round.

NHL Pick: Rangers in six

Updated NHL Odds Reveal Tight Race for the Stanley Cup

  • Edmonton Oilers +420
  • Florida Panthers +460
  • Dallas Stars +520
  • N.Y. Rangers +550
  • Carolina Hurricanes +580
    • #BBD0E0 »  
 
 
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