Saturday's NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs Betting Preview and Odds
The opening round of the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs continues Saturday with four games on the docket, including the Ducks looking to avoid losing the opening two games on home ice.
Colorado Avalanche at Nashville Predators (-340, 5.5)
Predators lead series 1-0.
Filip Forsberg etched his name among the Nashville Predators' heavyweights in postseason points, perhaps appropriate since the team is in the midst of a franchise season. After scoring twice in the opener, Forsberg looks to net the Presidents' Trophy-winning Predators their 11th straight victory over the visiting Colorado Avalanche and a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference first-round series on Saturday afternoon.
ABOUT THE AVALANCHE: Defenseman Nikita Zadorov recorded a career-high seven goals this season and also tallied on Thursday while making his playoff debut. The 22-year-old Russian was not alone as forwards Sven Andrighetto, J.T. Compher, Tyson Jost, Alexander Kerfoot and Rantanen as well defensemen Samuel Girard and David Warsosky also played in their first postseason game. "It's a good way to learn, being in these high-pressure, high-intensity games. Not a ton of playoff experience, but sometimes that is a good thing," said the 32-year-old Blake Comeau, who scored in the second period for his second postseason goal and first since he played for Pittsburgh during its first-round series against the New York Rangers in 2015.
ABOUT THE PREDATORS: Likely Vezina Trophy finalist Pekka Rinne turned aside 25 shots in Game 1 to move past Antti Niemi for the most playoff wins by a goaltender born in Finland. Ryan Johansen notched a pair of assists to boost his point total to 10 (three goals, seven assists) in his past 11 games. Fellow forward Austin Watson joined Colton Sissons by scoring and setting up a goal, giving Watson eight points (five goals, three assists) in his past 15 outings.
SERIES PRICE (PER SPORTS INTERACTION):
LINE HISTORY: The Predators opened as -330 home chalk for Game 2 and early action Nashville pushed that number up to -360 at some books. That number has since moved back down to -340. The total hit betting boards at 5.5 and has yet to move off the opening number.
INJURY REPORT:
Avalanche - G Semyon Varlamov (Out Indefinitely, Knee), D Erik Johnson (Late May, Knee).
Predators - C Calle Jarnkrok (Questionable, Upper Body), D Yannick Weber (Questionable, Upper Body).
MATCHUP CHART:
TRENDS:
* Avalanche are 1-5 in their last 6 vs. a team with a winning record.
* Predators are 7-0 in their last 7 Conference Quarterfinals games.
* Over is 4-0 in Avalanche last 4 Conference Quarterfinals games.
* Over is 4-0 in Predators last 4 home games.
* Over is 14-3-1 in the last 18 meetings in Nashville.
New Jersey Devils at Tampa Bay Lightning (-245, 6)
Lightning lead series 1-0.
The Tampa Bay Lightning look to put their depth on display again when they host the New Jersey Devils on Saturday afternoon in Game 2 of their first-round Eastern Conference playoff series. The Lightning received one late point from their top line Thursday, but Ondrej Palat posted three while Tyler Johnson and Yanni Gourde recorded two apiece in a solid 5-2 Game 1 victory.
ABOUT THE DEVILS: Hart Trophy candidate Taylor Hall recorded a goal and an assist in his first career playoff game Thursday, but the left wing along with his linemates Kyle Palmieri and Nico Hischier had a combined minus-5 rating. Travis Zajac, who centered a gritty line with Blake Coleman and Stefan Noesen, scored the other goal for New Jersey on Thursday and had seven tallies in the team?s last playoff run in 2011-12. Goalie Keith Kinkaid, who went 7-0-1 to end the regular season and earned the start, turned aside 27 of the 31 shots he faced in his first postseason appearance in Game 1.
ABOUT THE LIGHTNING: Gourde missed two point-blank chances in the first period of his first playoff game, but scored a power-play goal in the second and set up linemate Alex Killorn?s tally that put Tampa Bay up 4-2 with 7:46 to go. ?Yanni Gourde was being Yanni Gourde,? coach Jon Cooper told reporters. ?He?s not afraid to go anywhere on the ice. He?s like a little water bug out there. He?s hard on pucks. He?s quick on pucks. But the big thing is he?s right around the net.? The Palat-Brayden Point-Johnson line, which was often matched with Hall?s unit, combined for six points and eight shots.
SERIES PRICE (PER SPORTS INTERACTION):
LINE HISTORY: The Lightning opened as -245 favorites for Game 2 and the total hit betting boards at 6. As of Friday evening neither has moved of their opening number.
INJURY REPORT:
Devils - LW Marcus Johansson (Questionable, Concussion).
Lightning - LW Adam Erne (Out Indefinitely, Lower Body).
MATCHUP CHART:
TRENDS:
* Lightning are 7-1 in their last 8 Conference Quarterfinals games.
* Over is 6-0 in Devils last 6 after scoring 2 goals or less in their previous game.
* Over is 8-1 in Lightning last 9 after allowing 2 goals or less in their previous game.
* Over is 2-0-2 in the last 4 meetings in Tampa Bay.
* Home team is 6-1 in the last 7 meetings.
Toronto Maple Leafs at Boston Bruins (-180, 6)
Bruins lead series 1-0.
The Boston Bruins struggled down the stretch but they showed no carry-over effects from the late-season slump in their playoff opener. The Bruins turned in a dominating performance in a 5-1 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday and look to take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven set when the Eastern Conference first-round series resumes Saturday night at TD Garden.
ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS: Anticipating the suspension of Kadri, Toronto coach Mike Babcock shuffled three of his four lines at Friday's practice, elevating Leo Komarov to the top line while dropping Zach Hyman to play alongside Mitch Marner and Patrick Marleau, who will slide over to Kadri's center slot. Andreas Johnsson, a scratch for the series opener, took Komarov's spot on the fourth line and replaced Kadri on the top power-play unit, which failed on all three chances in Game 1. Babcock rationalized the obstacles awaiting his team by telling reporters Friday: ?If you play like we did last night, you probably deserve a little adversity.?
ABOUT THE BRUINS: Boston's No. 1 line has set the tone all season and little changed in Game 1 as David Pastrnak, Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron combined for six points, with Pastrnak scoring once and setting up a pair of goals. The Bruins also got a goal and assist from second-line center David Krejci, who has a history of coming up big in the postseason by leading the team in scoring in its last two trips to the Stanley Cup Finals. Center Riley Nash, who has missed six straight games due to a lacerated ear, is not expected back after practicing Friday in a non-contact jersey while Wingels was being evaluated and is listed as questionable.
SERIES PRICE (PER SPORTS INTERACTION):
LINE HISTORY: Coming off a dominating Game 1 Boston opened as -170 home favorites and have been bet up as high as -180. The total hit the boards at 6 and has not moved.
INJURY REPORT:
Maple Leafs - C Nazem Kadri (Questionable, Possible Suspension), LW Joffrey Lupul (I-R, Conditioning).
Bruins - RW Tommy Wingels (Questionable, Upper Body), C Riley Nash (Questionable, Ear), D Brandon Carlo (Out For Season, Ankle), LW Anders Bjrok (Out For Season, Shoulder).
MATCHUP CHART:
TRENDS:
* Maple Leafs are 0-4 in their last 4 Conference Quarterfinals games.
* Over is 7-0-1 in Maple Leafs last 8 after scoring 2 goals or less in their previous game.
* Over is 7-1-3 in Bruins last 11 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.
* Home team is 5-1 in the last 6 meetings.
San Jose Sharks at Anaheim Ducks (-135, 5)
Sharks lead series 1-0.
A potent offensive punch displayed by Evander Kane made him one of the marquee names available at this season's NHL trade deadline. The San Jose Sharks tried their luck with Kane, and the 26-year-old provided the knockout with two goals in his postseason debut to send the Sharks into Honda Center on Saturday bidding for a 2-0 lead in their Western Conference first-round series against the Anaheim Ducks.
ABOUT THE SHARKS: Martin Jones turned in his worst season in terms of goals-against average (2.55) and yielded 20 goals in his last six outings (2-4-0) down the stretch only to turn the tables with a 25-save performance in the series opener for his fifth playoff shutout. Demoralizing the Ducks is nothing new for the 28-year-old, who turned aside 78 of 83 shots to post a 2-0-1 mark in three encounters against Anaheim during the regular season and Thursday's performance increased his save percentage to .928 in 33 career playoff games. Reigning Norris Trophy winner Brent Burns, who led the team in assists (55) and points (67), scored to cap San Jose's three-goal second period and captain Joe Pavelski notched a pair of assists to give him 22 points (seven goals, 15 assists) in his last 20 games.
ABOUT THE DUCKS: Anaheim captain Ryan Getzlaf isn't willing to overreact to just one loss, even if it was a shutout and marked just the third setback in the team's last 13 games overall (10-2-1) and first in its last eight home games. "We just have to regroup. It's one game. Best of seven. ... We have to understand what we did wrong and build from it now," said Getzlaf, who may know a thing or two about this as he's appeared in 122 playoff games. The 32-year-old Getzlaf had a team-leading six assists and eight points in the season series versus San Jose.
SERIES PRICE (PER SPORTS INTERACTION):
LINE HISTORY: The Ducks opened as high as -143 after losing Game 1 at home, money coming in on the Sharks saw that number shrink to -135 at most books. The total hit the board at 5 and has yet to move off the opening number.
INJURY REPORT:
Sharks - RW Barclay Goodrow (Questionable, Upper Body), D Joakim Ryan (Questionable, Upper Body), C Joe Thornton (Questionable, Knee).
Ducks - D Kevin Bieksa (Questionable, Hand), D Cam Fowler (Mid-May, Shoulder), RW Patrick Eaves (Out For Season, Illness).
MATCHUP CHART:
TRENDS:
* Sharks are 3-14 in their last 17 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
* Ducks are 7-1 in their last 8 games following a home loss of 3 or more goals.
* Under is 4-1 in Sharks last 5 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
* Under is 6-1-3 in the last 10 meetings in Anaheim.
* Road team is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings.
