Day two of the conference semi-finals is ready to go tonight. Three of the four teams playing went all the way seven games to get this point, and you have to wonder what their emotions will be like in the short turnaround. These were some impressive offenses during the regular season, and a couple of them really turned it on to start to playoffs, while the one team we would expect didn’t. In one of these games, we might be surprised by the lack of offense coming in Game 1.
(Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook)
Bet $10, Win $200 if Either Team Scores a Goal >>
New York Rangers (+134) vs. Carolina Hurricanes (-164) O/U 5.5
(Puck Drop 7:10 p.m. ET)
The Rangers’ offense was on their grind during the seven-game series with the Penguins, but they had t be. The Rangers scored 28 goals in a series against the Penguins 29 and pulled it off with the overtime win in Game 7 . What should give this team some confidence is the offense wasn’t just provided by a couple of players as five players had three or more goals in the series (Chris Kreider 5, Andrew Copp 4, Mika Zibanejad 3, Adam Fox 3, Artemi Panarin 3). Knowing that they have someone they can rely on to score when they switch lines will be a big benefit.
Kreider, who finished third in the league with 52, got off to a slow start in the series with just two goals in the first five games but finished strong with three in the final two. If he can carry that momentum into the semi-finals, we might see him as the one-star a couple of times.
While the Rangers were one of the better defensive units in the regular season, they were far from it in the first round. Also, the goaltending struggled as Igor Shesterkin did not look like a Hart Trophy finalist in that series but played much better than you might think. Some of Sheresktin’s numbers don’t get you excited like the 3.06 GAA, but a lot of that was due to the front line allowing the Penguins to reach their zone a lot in that series. He comes in with a 3.8 goals saved above expected, which is third in the playoffs, meaning he worked hard to keep it that close.
Adam Fox did play well in other aspects during this series, as he came away with 10 points, which was tied for the most in this series.
The blue line will play a big part as Carolina’s Jaccob Slavin is considered one of the best in the league. The partnering of him and Tony DeAngelo was a force as they combined for eight points in the seven-game series.
The defense will need to play well again, with goalie Frederik Andersen most likely not available for this series as he’s been out since April 16th with a lower-body injury. Antti Raanta has played well in the starting role and through an injury that forced him to miss the last week of the regular season; then, a collision with David Pastrnak in Game 2 knocked him out of that game and Game 3.
The Hurricanes are very similar to the Rangers’ previous opponents- a solid structured team that wants to dominate the time of possession and are missing their top goalie. New York is coming in with a quick turnaround while the Canes have the rest advantage and home ice. Carolina should come away with the win in Game 1, but this has the potential to be another long series.
Leg 1: Hurricanes -1.5
Edmonton Oilers (+132) vs. Calgary Flames (-160) O/U 6.5
(Puck Drop 9:40 p.m. ET)
The Oilers showed off their offensive power during their series against the Kings. They had two lopsided six-goal wins but still had to come back from being down 3-2 in the series to move on. In the last two games, they scored six total goals. While that doesn’t seem like much for this team, they held the offensive advantage and heavily out-did the Kings 30-19 in High-Danger Chances and 69-52 in Scoring Chances. Dominating time in their opponent’s zone is what they’ll need to do against the Flames.
Connor McDavid is one of the best players in the game, and the captain led his team on the offensive end as his 14 points and his +10 differential led all players in the first round. He needs to play like the star he is again to go toe-to-toe with this Flames’ offensive lineup.
While the offense of the Oilers was slick throughout the first round, it never got hot for the Flames. They had scored the second-most goals in the league (291) heading into the playoffs, but their best three players in Johnny Gaudreau, Matthew Tkachuk, and Elias Lindholm, were contained in the first round against Dallas. The three of them combined for just 19 points and a -5 differential in the series, and they cannot play like this if they want to win this series.
Clearly, goaltender Jacob Markstrom was the saving grace for Calgary through their offensive struggles. He led all goalies in the first with a 1.63 GAA and was second with a .943 save percentage. If he can keep that same type of play going in this series, that would be a huge help until the Flames’ offense moves.
While you have to love how the Oilers are playing offensively, the Flames have one of the better defensive units in the league and should hold McDavid and this offensive. Right now, you can’t trust the Flames’ offense to put up the points. Until they prove otherwise, you have to fade them. You should see a physical matchup as these offenses struggle out of the gate.
Leg 2: Under 6.5
Total parlay odds on FanDuel: +351
Whether you’re new to sports betting or a betting pro, our Sports Betting Strategy and Advice page is for you. You can get started with our 101 section - including 10 Sports Betting Tips for Beginners - or head to more advanced strategy - like Key Numbers When Betting Against the Spread - to learn more.