NHL Hockey Betting: Stanley Cup Playoffs for April 22, 2016
Four more games on Friday night with three teams facing elimination:
PHILADELPHIA FLYERS AT WASHINGTON CAPITALS:
Surprised to see this game on the board? The Flyers showed up and earned a 2-1 win in Game Three. The petulant Philadelphia fans who looked on the verge of a violent insurrection in Game Three actually have hope that the Flyers can get back into the series. Instead of speaking of the Capitals’ series win as a fait accomplit the local media is starting to speculate on what needs to happen for the Flyers to turn things around–for example, Claude Giroux needs to make his presence known. BTW, good news regarding Scott Laughton who was stretchered off the ice in Game Four–he’s out of the hospital and doing well.
Down in Washington, DC the local media and fans are starting to use the ‘P’ word in regard to the Caps–no, not THAT ‘P word’. Panic. Is it too early to panic? Probably– but Washington might be without Brooks Orpik again in Game Five. That might not be a big deal on the surface but when you’re carrying a monkey on the back like Washington’s dubious playoff legacy every incremental problem is magnified. And the Caps are still saying that Braden Holtby is fine after a collision in practice a few days back but they did call up Dan Ellis from Portland before Game Four.
The Flyers have played the Capitals tough in recent seasons. In fact, they actually hold a 9-8 series advantage over the past three years though the Caps have won 5 of 8 in DC. The teams split four games during the regular season with each winning once on enemy ice. Not sure that the Flyers have the mental toughness necessary to win three consecutive elimination games. In fact, I think it ends tonight.
BET WASHINGTON CAPITALS -230 OVER PHILADELPHIA FLYERS
NEW YORK ISLANDERS AT FLORIDA PANTHERS:
To be honest, I don’t have a clue about this series. Going into it I thought Florida was the substantially better team but the Islanders have played them to a standstill. The Panthers have the edge in goal with Roberto Luongo and as this series progresses that could be a difference maker. The Miami media is suggesting that now is the time that Florida will ‘take control of the series‘. At least the announce team won’t get doused with beer from the always classy fans in Brooklyn. Making an even more pitiful situation–the color commentator for the Panthers is a guy named Dennis Potvin. You remember him–he’s in the Hockey Hall of Fame and helped the Islanders win four consecutive Stanley Cups.
The Isles will likely be without Ryan Pulock for the remainder of this series. Defensive depth is very important this time of year so another incremental advantage to Florida. Everything about this series has been a toss up. Ultimately, I like the Panthers to advance but I sure don’t see how you can lay a price in such a close matchup.
BET NEW YORK ISLANDERS +145 OVER FLORIDA PANTHERS
MINNESOTA WILD AT DALLAS STARS:
The Wild pulled the same move the Philadelphia Flyers did but they did it in Game Three to give their fans some hope. They won Game Three 5-3 but they were back to their low scoring ways in Game Four, won by the Stars 3-2. Can they pull off another comeback? I sure don’t see it. The 5-3 win was more Dallas letting their foot off the gas more than anything else. Throw out that game and the Wild have scored 9 goals in their last 8 games. That’s not going to get it done against the highest scoring team in the NHL. Minnesota is what we’d call in horse racing a ‘good closer’ and they’ve done a decent job against the Stars defensively but not good enough to beat them averaging just over a goal a game.
Minnesota’s interim head coach John Torchetti is famous for his succinct yet insightful speeches. Word is that he precipitated the Game Three onslaught by questioning the team’s manhood. I sure don’t know what he says here. True, if the Wild can pull of a victory this series could get very interesting very quickly. A win cuts it to 3-2 with Game Six in St. Paul. Dallas doesn’t want to even chance a decisive Game 7 especially if they let the Wild win two straight games to make it happen. A desperate team can be a dangerous team if you let them.
Dallas will be without Tyler Seguin again for Game Five and who knows what’s going on with his Achilles Tendon. It’s clear that coming back so soon was ill advised and the team has confirmed that he ‘re-aggravated’ it but what does that really mean? A cut Achilles is a dicey thing to mess around with so Seguin could be out long term. Or else the team could be resting him until they reach the later rounds. You have to wonder who made the call for Seguin to play in Game Two.
Some good news from the injury front–defenseman Jason Demers looks fully recovered from his shoulder injury. Stars went with Annti Niemi in Game Four and overnight indication looks like he’ll be between the pipes again after Kari Lehtonen had played well down the stretch. In any case I sure don’t see the Stars getting back into the series. If Dallas goes out and plays like the have all year the Wild are headed home for the Summer.
BET DALLAS STARS -230 OVER MINNESOTA WILD
SAN JOSE SHARKS AT LOS ANGELES KINGS:
Break up the Sharks! They finally won at home. This may not sound like a big deal but when a team has gone 18-20-3 at home. But lest we forget the Sharks are the best road team in the NHL at 28-10-3. The Kings are a decent home team but edge to the Sharks based on the way they closed the season. In the second half of the year they went 14-4 against teams with winning records. In road games with a total of 5 or less they were 20-5 this year. In any case, no real advantage to either team on home ice based on the series history. Teams have split 26 games overall including 12 games at Los Angeles.
BET SAN JOSE SHARKS +130 OVER LOS ANGELES KINGS