NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs Odds: Thursday Recap and Preview
Winnipeg Jets First Team Eliminated in 2023, After 4-2 Loss to Vegas
NHL Stanley Cup odds changed slightly after Thursday’s action. The Vegas Golden Knights moved to +800 from +900 after they eliminated the Winnipeg Jets. The Boston Bruins’ odds got a boost to +250 while the Edmonton Oilers remain the second choice at +600. The only other team with Stanley Cup odds lower than +1000 is the Toronto Maple Leafs at +700. There is plenty on the NHL schedule tonight, with all four potential elimination games.
Devils Come Alive With 4-0 Shutout of Rangers
The New Jersey Devils have stormed back from a 2-0 series deficit with three straight wins after last night’s defensive clinic. The Devils allowed just 23 shots on Akira Schmid and former Boston Bruins and Vegas Golden Knights, Erk Haula, scored twice including a tip in 3:27 into the second period to give New Jersey a 2-0 lead.
Ondrej Palat got the game-winner in the first period, pushing the New York Rangers to the brink of elimination. When handicapping the postseason, speed has to be the first check mark when deciding who to put your money behind. The Devils certainly have that advantage and unless Gerard Gallant can find a way to tie that advantage up in the neutral zone, the Devils will move on to the second round.
80% of the moneyline wagers and 78% of the puck line wagers were on the New York Rangers. Game six is scheduled for Saturday at 8:00 pm EST / 5:00 pm PST at Madison Square Garden. The Rangers are -125 with very early money coming in on New York. The Devils’ NHL Stanley Cup playoff odds are +1100, and New York +2000.
Lighting Show Pedigree in Game Five
Jon Cooper’s team wasn’t going to be put to sleep that easy. The Lightning pulled the series with the Toronto Maple Leafs to 3-2 after a 4-2 win, Thursday. Like the Devils, Tampa showed why an early lead in a playoff game is crucial to a team’s success. It allows you to clog the neutral and defensive zones, with the luxury of being aggressive in the offensive zone if the situation permits. Lighting defensemen tallied four assists and Andrei Vasilevskiy made 28 saves. Game six will be Saturday in Toronto.
The Leafs have not won a first-round series since 2004, and are 0-10 in that span in elimination games. Heads will roll in Toronto if that record reaches 0-12. The largest percentage of money wagered (88%) and tickets written (76%) was on the cover (6.5) which failed to cash. Tampa and Toronto are -110 each way in game six with 60% of the early tickets coming in on the under (6.5). The Leafs NHL Stanley Cup playoffs odds for the Lightning are +4000.
Golden Knights Make Massive Statement
The Vegas Golden Knights eliminated the Winnipeg Jets in five games after a convincing 4-1 win at the ‘Fortress’. It surprised us how non-competitive the Jets were, it also was a bit of a shocker how flawless the Knights were. Winnipeg didn’t have one power play opportunity while Vegas won 55% of the face-offs.
Bruce Cassidy’s team owned a 17-7 takeaway advantage while the Jets played a brand of hockey that screamed they were ready for the offseason. Cassidy kept his foot on the pedal saying that his team could play better and it was a nice start. With the win, Vegas is an incredible 42-29 (.592) in the playoffs in their six years as a franchise and 8-5 in overall playoff series. Since their inception in 2017, the Knights have produced 414 units of profit, ranking sixth among the 29 playoff teams in that span.
NHL playoff team stats show that teams with a 3-1 series lead now own a .906 success rate (300-31). Next up for Vegas is to await the winner of the Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings series, which could wrap up Saturday with the Oilers leading 3-2. Edmonton is a -165 road favorite with 63% of the early wagers coming in on the over 6.5. The Kings Stanley Cup playoffs odds are a healthy +6000. That does it for our recap of Thursday’s action. Enjoy the big slate of games tonight and best of luck with your wagers.
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