Wednesday night showed that Toronto keeps throwing Florida just off their game enough. Furthermore, Dallas was able to edge Winnipeg on the road behind a great effort from Jake Oettinger. Do things change on Thursday night? Can Washington and Vegas draw even in their respective series?
It is time to dig into the Thursday night action!
NHL Playoffs Picks for May 8
Hurricanes and Capitals Meet Again
The Carolina Hurricanes and Washington Capitals battled in Game 1. Logan Thompson kept the Capitals in the contest as Carolina kept coming. Basically, the Hurricanes kept shooting from anywhere and everywhere. Attempting 90+ shots on goal and getting 33 on the net is one thing. Holding Washington under 15 shots is another.
Once again, the confirmed goalies are Frederik Andersen and Logan Thompson. Andersen was barely worked while Carolina controlled play, especially at even strength. If Washington cannot escape their zone faster, the Hurricanes will make this a short series. See their first round five-game conquest of the New Jersey Devils as an example.
The best course of valor is acknowledging that Carolina is more equipped to assert their will than Washington. Yes, that is a fact. Can the Capitals find a way to adjust? Washington had the last line change throughout Game 1, yet it felt like the territorial play leaned more and more toward Carolina.
The numbers seem to play out here as Carolina’s series to lose. On the road, the Hurricanes are around a -135 road favorite to take a 2-0 series lead on Thursday night. So, Carolina is 0-1 ATS in this series against a team that won the Eastern Conference this year. Regular season versus playoffs. Simply, Carolina frustrated Washington royally in Game 1.
The key for Carolina is keeping the penalties and mistakes to a minimum. If the Hurricanes hold the Capitals to one or two power plays a game, Carolina is far more likely to win. Let us side with the team that plays better downhill and on the forecheck.
Best Bet: Carolina Hurricanes on the moneyline (-135 at BetMGM)
Will Edmonton Make Vegas Feel Sick Again?
The first 20 minutes of Game 1 on Tuesday night were a Mark Stone lesson on the playoffs of the past. Stone scored twice, and Vegas was off and running. Then, Edmonton added a late goal in the first period. After that, Vegas grounded to a screeching halt.
What followed was a disaster. It was like the illness that kept Alex Pietrangelo out permeated throughout Vegas’s performance on the ice. The Golden Knights had one shot on goal at home during the second period. That is no misprint! Edmonton continued its dominance in the third period, winning 4-2 in Game 1.
Edmonton usually starts slow but gets going in Game 2. Calvin Pickard made the saves he had to, while Adin Hill did not. That gave the +115 underdog Oilers the win. One made unforced errors, and the other righted the ship after the first period. Pickard only faced seven shots, however.
Both teams have been tough to figure out, and Game 1 taught us a brutal lesson. Despite the success of specific wagers, Vegas still lost and looked lost. That could translate into six or fewer goals again. If both defenses stifle things, then the under could connect once more.
Top Picks: Vegas and Edmonton under 6.5 goals (-110 via FanDuel)
Going Top Shelf
Closing Thursday night and going top shelf makes the most sense.
With Mikko Rantanen enjoying another amazing period on Wednesday night (three goals in a row), seeing how his output has come in segments is fascinating.
Where were Dylan Strome and Alex Ovechkin on Tuesday night? Despite a couple of power plays, the two were held to two shots combined. Ovechkin could not get shots off, much like the rest of the team. For at least a moment, expect that to change Thursday.
Top Shelf Wager: Alex Ovechkin anytime goal scorer (+145 via DraftKings)
