We’ve scoured through the top betting sites for NHL, specifically at the Game 1 options. After some research, we’ve settled on three different Game 1 bets to make. Keep reading and you’ll get ours, all for free!
Few could’ve predicted this matchup when the Stanley Cup Finals began. Florida barely made the NHL playoffs then proceeded to knock out two title favorites in a row — Boston and most recently, Toronto. Carolina has been a good team all season but most believed they’d eventually fizzle out to stronger teams. Oh, how wrong we all were. This matchup goes down Thursday and we’ll be making two separate Florida-Carolina bets. Here’s where to park your money:
Many games had 6 and even 6.5-goal over/unders during the first two rounds. However, both Game 1 matchups are set at 5.5, a more cautious number. It’s probably fair since goaltending and defense become more of a premium the closer the Stanley Cup gets — and that’s especially the case with these two squads.
Hurricanes have gotten to this point off the back of elite defense. The Canes have allowed a meager 2.45 goals per game this playoff run, which is the second-best (only the Rangers fared better). Defensemen Brent Burns and Jaccob Slavin are a massive reason for that success, and they’ve needed every bit of it. Carolina is riddled with injuries, especially up front.
For Florida, the lion’s share of their success is influenced by goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky. He replaced Alex Lyon when the Panthers fell 2-1 to the Bruins. Bobrovsky had a rough outing at first, but has tightened up considerably since. Bobrovsky has a save percentage above .915 in seven of the past eight games. Not coincidentally, Florida has wins in seven of the last eight too.
All things considered, we’d be stunned if this game is an over, especially given how well-rested both are. We’re taking the under, and upping the unit size bet too — that’s how confident we are in this one.
While we’re confident in the under, we’re being more cautious with the moneyline bet. That’s because both these teams are red-hot. Carolina has cruised most of the playoffs despite boatloads of injuries, and Florida, well, they’re playing like a team of destiny.
Still, the Canes get our money here. In each of the past two series, they’ve started 2-0 on their home ice. While many home teams are getting beat in the postseason, Carolina has mostly held firm (they’re 5-1). Plus, a low-scoring affair, which is what we predicted, suits their style a tad more.
This matchup wasn’t set in stone until Monday when the Stars gutted out a Game 7 victory over the Kraken. So there’s some fatigue on their side, whereas that’s a non-issue in the Eastern Conference matchup. With this one, we feel most confident in betting the Dallas-Vegas moneyline above all:
Number-one-seeded Golden Knights are bigger betting favorites than the Hurricanes are. That’s a wee bit surprising considering the Stars won all three regular-season meetings, outscoring the Knights by a 9-3 tally. We’ll admit, that number is misleading because two of those games went to overtime. However, a 4-0 drubbing bumped the differential considerably.
On that note, we’ll be upfront and say Dallas is our pick here. Nevermind their plus-money value, they might just be the better team all-around. If there’s one area that can be exposed on Vegas’ team its at the net. Injuries have forced the Golden Knights to lean on third- and fourth-stringers in Adin Hill and Laurent Brossoit. Sure, they’ve held up, but the Stars present another challenge.
Roope Hintz leads the Dallas attack with 19 points. And yes, we get it, Vegas goaltenders didn’t buckle against the world-class offense of Edmonton. It was impressive, but the Stars are much more balanced. Whereas the Oilers are overly dependent on two playmakers, the Stars can beat you with multiple different players. That’s what we expect them to do in Game 1 so bet on the underdogs here.
Time is ticking to place your NHL playoff bets. Half the postseason is in the books, and there’s only a month or so left — albeit the most exciting month. To seize the remaining opportunities, we encourage you to visit one of the bookmakers listed below. Signing to any of the sportsbooks is quite easy too so don’t let that stop you.
While we think your money is in good hands at any of the sites listed below, you could always read our updated sportsbook reviews. You’ll get the full scoop about each site on these reviews, helping you get a “lay of the land” per se.
About the Author
Eric is uniquely suited to be a writer for SBS. For one, he's a journalist by trade. Eric spent a large part of his career, covering sports — high school, college, and professional — for newspapers and online-based sites. However, Eric is a bettor himself too. He has first-hand experience hanging out in smoky sportsbooks and casinos, dealing with the ebbs and flows of gambling, and an understanding of how bookies operate. Both these unique qualities make him an expert bet picker for SBS. You'll also see Eric report on the sports betting industry as a whole.
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