We could see potential elimination tonight in one series and pivotal Game 4 that could swing the series in several directions. Let’s look at the best bets for both of these games.
Monday's NHL Best Bets
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
Carolina Hurricanes (-115) at New York Rangers (-105) | O/U 5.5 (-105/-115)
The Hurricanes breathed some life into the season and won in Game 4. They did a couple of things they couldn't do in the previous games in this series: successfully convert a Power Play and reduce penalties. They were aggressive early by striking first and continuing to build a lead. They let the Rangers get back into it, but while this was the most evenly matched game in this series when comparing team stats, Carolina getting that Power Play goal was huge because they wouldn't want this game to go to sudden death for a third time.
The Rangers rely on their special teams and defense, so when you hold them to only one Power Play opportunity, you have an excellent chance to beat them. This was almost the first game the Carolina defense outplayed New York's, as the Rangers allowed 14 high-danger scoring chances, double what they had.
Can the Rangers make the adjustment and end this series, or will Carolina hold on again? If Carolina can keep the penalties to a minimum, then they could pull off another win. You could believe the increased amount of minutes played in the previous two games impacted Igor Shesterkin in Game 4, but look for him to rebound and the Rangers to close it out.
Pick: Rangers Moneyline (-105)
Dallas Stars (+114) at Colorado Avalanche (-135) | O/U 6.5 (-105/-115)
The Stars survived Game 3 thanks to the defense, despite not playing well on offense. They did score four goals, but two were empty netters. They had a -6 shot differential and even faceoff wins. The defense held it down with 24 blocked shots and three penalty kills.
The Avs are not playing well at the moment. Offensively, they're reverting to some bad habits from earlier in the season: a lot of turnovers, not pushing the puck out of the neutral zone, and not getting second chances at the net. The defense has been allowing Dallas to get too many pucks at the net, and it's tough to trust Alexandar Georgiev.
The Avalanche can easily rebound offensively and against the Stars, that’s what they’ll need to do. This should be another offensively-charged matchup.
Pick: Over 6.5 Total Goals (-105)
