NHL
Monday, April 17
Monday's NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs Betting Preview and Odds
The Blackhawks own a championship pedigree in recent years that is unrivaled in the NHL, but they will need more than a storied history to climb back into their first-round series.
The Stanley Cup Playoffs continue with a quartet of Game 4's - two Eastern Conference series' continue tied at one game each and two Western Conference series' continue with two teams owning 2-0 series leads.
Ottawa Senators at Boston Bruins (-170, 5)
Series tied 1-1
ABOUT THE SENATORS (45-29-6-4, 33-48 O/U): The Ottawa Senators were 20 minutes from dropping both home games and falling into an 0-2 hole in their Eastern Conference first-round series before staging a dramatic rally. The Senators look to ride the momentum from Saturday's come-from-behind win in overtime when they visit the Boston Bruins on Monday in Game 3 of the best-of-seven set. Forward Clarke MacArthur, who returned earlier this month after being sidelined since October 2015 due to a concussion, electrified the Ottawa fans Saturday when he scored for the first time in two years. MacArthur called it probably his "best moment" in hockey and Boucher went one step further. "When he raised his arms I think the whole city did at the same time," Boucher said. "It was very special, one of the most special moments I've lived as a coach because it's everybody ... celebrating something that must have been very tough to live all year and it comes at a perfect time."
ABOUT THE BRUINS (45-31-5-3, 38-38 O/U): Boston seized home-ice advantage from Ottawa by scoring a pair of third-period goals in a 2-1 win in Game 1, but now must regroup after squandering a glittering chance to take command of the series. Already minus center David Krejci and defensemen Torey Krug, Brandon Carlo and Colin Miller, Boston's absorbed another blow when blue-liner Adam McQuaid was hurt in Game 2. While all continue to be listed as day-to-day, there was some positive news on the injury front: Miller skated at Sunday's practice and has a shot to return while forward Noel Acciari is expected to be available and take his place on the fourth line alongside Dominic Moore and Riley Nash. "He was playing good hockey when he got hurt, so there's a good chance that he'll draw back into the lineup," coach Bruce Cassidy said.
LINE HISTORY: The Bruins opened as -175 home favorites and that number was bet down slightly to -170 by Sunday evening. The total actually opened at 4.5 at a few shops, but was bumped up to 5 after only a couple of hours on the board.
INJURY REPORT:
Senators - D M. Borowiecki (Questionable, lower body).
Bruins - C N. Acciari (Probable, upper body), RW J. Hayes (Questionable, lower body), C D. Krejci (Questionable, upper body), D C. Miller (Questionable, knee), D A. McQuaid (Questionable, upper body), D B. Carlo (Doubful, upper body), D T. Krug (Out Indefinitely, lower body).
TRENDS:
* Senators are 1-6 in their last 7 road games.
* Bruins are 5-1 in their last 6 Conference Quarterfinals games.
* Under is 5-1 in Senators last 6 games following a win.
* Under is 7-1 in Bruins last 8 vs. a team with a winning record.
* Senators are 7-1 in the last 8 meetings.
Washington Capitals at Toronto Maple Leafs (+135, 5)
Series tied 1-1
ABOUT THE CAPITALS (56-19-4-5, 37-32 O/U): Captain Alex Ovechkin (team co-leading 33 goals) and Nicklas Backstrom (club-best 63 assists, 86 points) are intent on battling the foe in front of them (Toronto) as opposed to that of history that has constantly labeled Washington as a classic underachiever. "We're playing good," Backstrom said after scoring his 21st career playoff goal in Game 2 to tie Dino Ciccarelli for fourth place in franchise history. "I feel like we're creating a lot of chances. We're staying positive and we know it's a new game coming up Monday, so we've got to regroup here and look forward." Ovechkin also tallied on Saturday, marking his 14th career power-play playoff goal to move past Peter Bondra for the most in franchise history.
ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (41-27-8-8, 38-44 O/U): While the complexion of the series changed following the double-overtime victory, the look of Toronto's back line is far from pretty as coach Mike Babcock announced that stay-at-home defenseman Roman Polak will miss the rest of the playoffs after sustaining a lower-body injury in a collision with Washington's Brooks Orpik. Polak's right leg crumpled awkwardly under his body during the exchange in the second period Saturday, causing the 30-year-old to scream in pain and immediately signal to the bench for assistance. Toronto's back line has already been compromised with Nikita Zaitsev missing the first two contests of the series due to a suspected concussion, although the rookie may have let the cat out of the bag by posting (and later deleting) the following tweet: "See you soon Toronto."
LINE HISTORY: Oddsmakers don't appear to be as impressed as the television hockey experts with the Leafs' performance in the first two games of this series, opening the Leafs as +140 underdogs on home ice for Game 3 - that number came down slightly to +135 Monday morning. The total opened at 5.
INJURY REPORT:
Capitals - No injuries to report.
Maple Leafs - D N. Zaitsev (Questionable, upper body), D R. Polak (Out For Season, lower body), LW J. Leivo (Out Indefinitely, undisclosed), RW N. Soshnikov (Out Indefinitely, undisclosed), C E. Fehr (Out Indefinitely, hand), LW J. Lupul (I-R, conditioning), D S. Robidas (Out For Season, knee), RW N. Horton (Out For Season, spine).
TRENDS:
* Capitals are 6-1 in their last 7 road games.
* Maple Leafs are 0-7 in their last 7 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
* Under is 6-1-1 in Capitals last 8 vs. Eastern Conference.
* Under is 4-1 in Maple Leafs last 5 home games.
* Capitals are 8-2 in the last 10 meetings.
Chicago Blackhawks at Nashville Predators (-110, 5)
Preds lead series 2-0
ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS (50-25-8-1, 37-33 O/U): The Chicago Blackhawks own a championship pedigree in recent years that is unrivaled in the NHL, but they will need more than a storied history to climb back into their Western Conference first-round series. Chicago has dropped six in a row dating to the regular season but a more concerning stat is that Toews is mired in an 11-game postseason goal drought while leading scorer Patrick Kane has one tally in his last nine playoff contests. “We’ve got to make some adjustments, down 2-0,” Kane said. “I haven’t scored a goal in two games -- not acceptable. As an offensive guy, you pride yourself on that. I’ve got to be better.” The Blackhawks posted a Western Conference-best 24 road wins but Toews, asked if that was reason for optimism, responded: "Not really."
ABOUT THE PREDATORS (43-29-8-4, 41-36 O/U): No. 8 seed Nashville stole home-ice advantage by squeezing out a 1-0 victory in the series opener and followed it by steamrolling Chicago 5-0 on Saturday, a drubbing that left the fans at United Center booing the home team. Pekka Rinne posted the second-lowest shutout total (3) of his career this season, but he became the first netminder to open the postseason with back-to-back blankings since Michael Leighton with Philadelphia in 2010. “They box out, let me see the puck,” Rinne said in crediting his teammates. "Like (Saturday), there wasn’t probably one shot where I didn’t see it. Guys (have) been doing a really good job in front of me.” Not content to stymie Chicago's offense, Rinne also became the first goalie with a shutout and two assists in the same game since Tom Barrasso (1993).
LINE HISTORY: The Predators opened as -120 favorites on home ice, after downing the Hawks in a pair of road games in Game 1 and Game 2, but the public bet the Hawks early and puched that number down to a Pick 'Em (-110). The total hit the board at 5.
INJURY REPORT:
Blackhawks - LW A. Desjardins (Out, lower body), D M. Rozsival (Out Indefinitely, face).
Predators - LW C. Wilson (Questionable, lower body), LW V. Fiddler (Questionable, upper body).
TRENDS:
* Blackhawks are 0-6 in their last 6 overall.
* Predators are 13-3 in their last 16 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
* Under is 4-0-1 in Blackhawks last 5 vs. a team with a winning record.
* Under is 7-1-2 in Predators last 10 overall.
* Over is 5-0-3 in the last 8 meetings in Nashville.
Anaheim Ducks at Calgary Flames (-125, 5)
Ducks lead series 2-0
ABOUT THE DUCKS (48-23-10-3, 28-36 O/U): Anaheim Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf has made himself at home against the Calgary Flames by collecting a goal and an assist in both contests of the Western Conference first-round series. Defenseman Shea Theodore has learned a bit from last year's postseason cameo, and that knowledge has helped him take advantage of opportunities this time around without putting his team in peril. "That's something where you just let it affect you too much," Theodore told the Orange County Register after setting up a goal in Game 2 for his third assist of the series. "Last year, you might spend more time looking around and watching. But this year, I feel like I'm more in to it and I'm more focused on the task at hand." Fellow blue-liner Sami Vatanen, who was a late scratch for Game 2 due to an upper-body injury, is traveling with the club and will be re-assessed after the morning skate on Monday, coach Randy Carlyle said.
ABOUT THE FLAMES (45-35-2-2, 34-37 O/U): Calgary finds itself in the ominous position of trailing after two games in a best-of-seven series - with the team losing all nine of its previous such series. Mikael Backlund followed up his career-high goal total (22) this season by scoring a short-handed tally in Game 2, increasing his point total to four in his last five games. Fellow forward Sean Monahan (team-leading 27 goals) has scored in back-to-back contests after being held off the scoresheet in each of the previous four and linemate Johnny Gaudreau (team-leading 43 assists, 61 assists) notched an assist after his four-game point drought. A change of scenery might be what the doctor ordered for Calgary, which is leaving its house of horrors at the Honda Center in favor of Scotiabank Saddledome. "Obviously it's going to be fun to play at home," defenseman Dougie Hamilton said. "We can't quit. We haven't quit all season. We’re going to come out hard at home and turn the series around."
LINE HISTORY: Despite trailing the series 2-0, the Flames opened as -125 favorites for Game 3 at home. The total hit the board at 5.
INJURY REPORT:
Ducks - D S. Vatanen (Questionable, upper body), D C. Fowler (Mid May, knee), D C. Stoner (Questionable, abdominal), D S. Despres (I-R, concussion).
Flames - D L. Smid (Out For Season, neck).
TRENDS:
* Ducks are 13-3 in their last 16 vs. a team with a winning record.
* Flames are 1-5 in their last 6 overall.
* Over is 2-0-2 in Ducks last 4 road games.
* Over is 7-1-3 in Flames last 11 home games.
* Ducks are 5-1 in the last 6 meetings in Calgary.
