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NHL Playoffs Best Bets, Picks & Predictions: Tuesday (5/9)

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NHL action returns tonight with another pair of exciting playoff games. The hockey gets started out east as the New Jersey Devils (1-2) attempt to tie up their series with the Carolina Hurricanes. The nightcap is a Western Conference tilt where the Seattle Kraken will look to take a commanding 3-1 lead on their home ice against the Dallas Stars. 

Let's dive into each matchup and lock in a couple of best bets!

NHL '22-'23 Record: 28-50 (-24.59 Units) 

Today's Best NHL Bets

Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook

Carolina Hurricanes (+130) vs. New Jersey Devils (-150) | O/U 5.5 (-110/-110)

The Devils bounced back in Game 3 when they smoked the Hurricanes 8-4 on Sunday afternoon. New Jersey now trails the series 2-1, and they'll look to even things up tonight. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET from the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. 

The oddsmakers are very stubborn with their total in this series as they continue to set the line at 5.5 goals. All three games have cleared the 5.5-goal threshold, and we've seen 25 combined goals thus far. I'm not going to be the guy to bet against the trend tonight, although I think things may tighten up later in the series if we see a Game 6 or 7. I'm taking the over in Game 4. 

New Jersey clearly has an issue in net, as they've used both Akira Schmid and Vitek Vanecek through three games. I would assume, since Vanecek secured the win in Game 3, that he'll get the nod between the pipes tonight. Well, to be frank, I don't think the Czech-born netminder is of Stanley Cup caliber at this juncture of his career. Vanecek comes into tonight's game at 1-2-0 with a 4.02 GAA and .845 SV% in three starts and six overall appearances.

With how aggressive the Canes' forecheck is and how much more physical they are, I think we'll see the puck in New Jersey's zone a lot, which will hypothetically lead to more scoring chances. Look for the Hurricanes to light the lamp a few times while the Devils do what they do best - play offense and score goals. Let's play the over. 

Bet: Over 5.5 Goals (-110)

Dallas Stars (-140) vs. Seattle Kraken (+120) | O/U 5.5 (-120/+100)

The Kraken took care of business on their home ice Sunday, defeating the Stars 7-2 and earning a 2-1 series lead. The two sides are back at it tonight at 9:30 p.m. ET from Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, WA. 

I was wary of the Stars' chances entering the postseason as they really aren't that physical of a team. I figured the Wild would give them some trouble in that aspect of the game, but luckily Dallas spent what felt like a majority of the time on the power play and ultimately advanced in six games. Well, the Kraken is what I thought the Wild would be. They've been laying the hits on Dallas all series, out-hitting them 47-19, 45-32, and 29-20 most recently.

With that being said, I think Seattle takes a 3-1 lead in the series tonight. If they can keep things competitive in the face-off circle while remaining physical, they should be able to will their way to a victory on home ice. 

Finally, the Kraken's penalty kill has been elite this postseason. As I mentioned above, the Stars relied on the man advantage to win in the first round. They haven't found any success in this series on the power play, as they're just 1-for-8 (12.5%). Seattle's PK trails only Carolina's (92.6%) this postseason, as they're at 88.5% overall. Folks, the Kraken appear to be legit, and I'll gladly take a flier on them with a plus-money payout. 

Bet: Seattle Kraken Moneyline (+120)

Also, take a look at our other best bets for Tuesday:


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