Top NHL Parlay Odds & Picks for Tuesday, May 24 (2022)
Let’s get ready for an intense pair of Game 4s. With both series at 2-1, this is the type of the game where the tides will turn two ways — either one team goes 3-1 and plays an elimination, or the series becomes tied, and we have a best of three. Both games saw some tension grow towards the end, and you have to wonder if it will spill over in these matchups.
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Carolina Hurricanes (+105) vs. New York Rangers (-114) O/U 5.5
(Puck Drop 7:10 p.m. ET)
The Rangers saved themselves from going into a 3-0 deficit as they finally got through Antti Raanta and doubled their total goals from the first two games combined.
It was the best performance from Igor Shesterkin in the postseason, as he had 43 saves in a game where Carolina dominated the time in the zone and had continued to put pressure on that blue line. It’s been an evident change from the first round as he’s saved 87-of-91 shots for a .956 save percentage and has a 9.67-goals saved above expected. Hopefully, he will continue this level of play and get the Rangers back into this series.
Both goalies deserve a round of applause. They’ve been exceptional in the net. Raanta comes into Game 4 third in GAA (1.86), fourth in save percentage (.939), and goals saved about expected (8.91).
Carolina has not done much offensively, and not just in this series but throughout the playoffs. They are currently ranked sixth in five-on-five expected goals for (xGF) per 60 minutes. Scoring only three goals between the first two games and going against one of the best goaltenders during the regular season, don’t expect the offense to shift into gear suddenly.
You have to wonder if the ending of Game 3 will spill over into Tuesday? At the end of Sunday night’s 3-1 Ranger win, Carolina’s Max Domi gave a cross-check in the back of New York’s Ryan Lindgren, and the game ended with the two wrestling each other to the ground. At Monday’s practice, Rangers forward Ryan Reaves, or some may call him their “enforcer,†said he’s ready to “run some people.†It looks like we could see a very physical game.
With both of these offenses struggling and the goaltenders playing at their best, it’s hard to side with anyone. The under has been hitting, and it should be again.
Leg 1: Under 5.5
Calgary Flames (-105) vs. Edmonton Oilers (-114) O/U 6.5
Has the Flame burned out so quickly? After Calgary came out in full force in Game 1 with nine goals, they regressed massively in the last two, including just one goal in the Game 3 loss.
Their shots on goal and time in the Edmonton zone have taken a dip also as the Oliers’ offensive power has stayed consistent throughout this series and for most of the playoffs.
You have to love how Connor McDavid is playing. He’s truly breaking out in these playoffs and now has 23 points in the ten games (6 G, 17 A) and multiple points in nine of ten. That whole first line has been incredible with Leon Draisaitl with 19 points ( 7 G, 12 A) and Evander Kane with a playoff-leading ten goals.
On the other end, I think we had the Johnny Gaudreau, Matthew Tkachuk, and Elias Lindholm coming out party a little early. After having five assists in the first two games, Gaudreau came up blank in Game 3. Tkachuk was the one-star after a hat trick in Game 1 but had just one assist in the last two games. Lindholm, who was tied for the most goals on the team with 42, has found the back of the net just once since Game 5 of the first round.
Rarely will you see a team win a series when their superstars aren’t performing as their opponents are.
This is another game that turned physical at the end. With just a few minutes in the game, Flames forward Milan Lucic charged Oilers goalie Mike Smith, who was playing the puck from behind the net with his back turned. He knocked off Smith’s helmet and buried him in a dog pile after both teams came in and players exchanged some punches. Lucic was given a five-minute major for charging and a 10-minute game misconduct. Smith had to leave the game due to the NHL’s concussion protocol and was replaced by Mikko Koskinen, who didn’t face a shot in over four minutes. As of now, it looks like Smith is OK and will be ready to play.
The Oilers are just the better team right now. It’s looking like Game 1 was more of an anomaly than the Flames finally getting their offense going.
Leg 2: Oilers ML
Total parlay odds on FanDuel: +219
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