No one’s ever said picking NHL playoff games was easy. That’s why you might need a hand for the slate of Game 4 matchups the rest of the week. If you keep reading this article, we’ll lay out three second-round NHL bets to make. We’re confident heeding our advice will net you a profit when it’s all said and done.
The Devils aren’t done yet. After dropping the first two series games while in Carolina, New Jersey rebounded in a big way in Game 3. They steamrolled Carolina 8-4, and because of that, it’s zero wonder why the best betting sites for NHL are favoring the home-ice Devils in the Game 4 moneyline. Here are the odds for each team currently:
Just how bad the Carolina defense and goaltending were in Game 3 was a shock to everyone, probably even to New Jersey. We mean, the Canes allowed one goal a piece in Game 1 and Game 2. How in the world did they let eight goals slip past them last time out? Eight!
To their credit, New Jersey’s offense also brought their best. We mean, they still allowed four goals — and now 15 all series. So the offense was very much-needed to cancel out more bad goaltending from the Devils. In Game 3, starting goaltender Akira Schmid was benched in favor of Vitek Vanecek (who was benched last series). Vancek had a save percentage of 867 in Game 3 so not like he played well. This leads us to believe Game 4 could be another shootout, making the over bet another one to look out for.
Still, this is the Devils’ game to lose. Despite being down in the series, how they won Game 3 violently swung momentum in their favor. Plus, they have to be feeling a bit of deja vu. They went down 2-0 in the first round versus the Rangers, before willing themselves back into it. They have to believe they’re fully capable of doing the same here. Our money says they do — bet New Jersey to tie the series, albeit in a much closer matchup than Game 3 (stay away from any spreads).
The Kraken turnaround story is in full swing. A year removed from finishing 30th in the NHL, the second-year Seattle franchise is two wins away from booking a trip to the Western Conference Finals. Dallas remains a moneyline favorite (-140) this next game despite being down 2-1 in the series and on the road. We’re not enamored with the moneyline odds so we’re instead betting the Stars-Kraken over/under. Here are the available betting options:
On the surface, that over/under number might seem small considering Seattle poured in seven goals in Game 3. However, that offensive outburst was largely a result of an untimely injury. In the second period, Dallas Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen left the game after taking a puck to the face. In the 6:12 afterward, the Kraken promptly scored four in a row and never looked back. Heiskanen is listed as day-to-day but there’s optimism that he’ll suit up Game 4.
The Heiskanen issue lingers for the Stars, who have their backs against the wall. Knowing that we believe Dallas offense might rise to the occasion. We mean, they’ve been mostly solid this series — chipping in 10 goals through three games. With their season on the brink, we sense the Stars bring their offensive best in this game.
That’s why we’re taking the over 5.5 goals. Honestly, we could see either side winning. While we’re not sure who eventually gets the victory, we sense it’ll be a back-and-forth game possibly ending 4-3 or 4-2 (a late goal that puts it out of reach).
This series has been the biggest surprise of the second round. Toronto had been the betting favorite to hoist the Stanley Cup before the round started. Now? They’re down 3-0 and on the road for Game 4. Regardless, the Leafs are small moneyline favorites over the Panthers, as seen below:
We’ll be completely blunt here and say Toronto is toast. Once again, the franchise’s “cour four” — Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, John Tavares, and William Nylander — have underdelivered so far this series. None has scored a goal through three games. Unfortunately, this has been the group’s M.O. most of the last decade with the playoff win over Tampa being more of an anomaly than anything else. Panthers are the pick to make here with them sensing “blood in the water.”
We gave you betting help, but to finish off, we’re also helping you pick the best online sportsbook to actually place these wagers at. Start with one of the sites listed underneath. These are all the “best of the best” when it comes to hockey betting. There’s still a whole month left of the NHL playoffs so don’t think it’s too late (plus we’ll be releasing more NHL picks in the weeks that follow).
Signing up to use a sportsbook takes a matter of clicks. You can go from reading this sentence to gambling on NHL Game 4’s in, no lie, five minutes or less. Click one of the “play now” buttons in the table to get fast-tracked.
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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