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NHL Playoffs Betting Odds, Picks & Predictions: Wednesday (4/19)

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The Stanley Cup Playoffs are officially in full swing and we have a loaded four-game slate on the ice tonight. The Islanders and Bruins will look to take commanding 2-0 leads in their respective series while the Stars and Oilers attempt to get into the win column after dropping heartbreaking overtime losses in their openers. 

Having a little skin in the game should make the night even more entertaining, so let’s dive into my top three wagers in the NHL tonight. 

NHL ‘22-’23 Record: 25-41 (-18.46 Units)

Today’s Best NHL Bets

Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook

New York Islanders (+150) vs. Carolina Hurricanes (-175) | O/U 5.5 (+120/-140)

The Hurricanes took care of business in their opening matchup, beating the Islanders 2-1 on home ice. The Eastern Conference foes are back at it tonight at 7:00 p.m. ET from PNC Arena in Raleigh, NC. 

Well, it appears that the bookmakers have already caught on as they’re juicing the under in the Isles vs. Canes game heavily. While it’s a steep price to pay for a total, I’m still riding with the under here. Both of these teams earn their paychecks by excelling defensively. Carolina ended the regular season second in overall defense (2.40 GAA) while New York was right behind them in third (2.44 GAA).

Furthermore, the cat’s out of the bag regarding the fact that the only chance New York has in this series is if Ilya Sorokin completely stands on his head. He’s been the backbone of this team all 2023, finishing the regular campaign at 31-22-7 with a 2.34 GAA and .924 SV%. The Russian-born netminder was fantastic in the opener, stopping 35 out of 37 shots attempts. 

Factor in that the Isles owned the third-worst power play unit in the league this year (15.8%) and are currently 0-12 against the Canes in five games, and we shouldn’t see many goals in this one.

Bet: Under 5.5 Goals (-140)

Florida Panthers (+205) vs. Boston Bruins (-245) | O/U 6.5 (+105/-125)

The Bruins proved why they’re the best team in the league in their opening matchup as they handled the Panthers 3-1 in Massachusetts on Monday. The Atlantic Division rivals hit the ice tonight at 7:30 p.m. ET at TD Garden in Boston, MA.

There’s really no doubt in my mind that the B’s take care of business in this one. The last thing they need is to drop a home game and let the momentum shift to the Cats as they head to South Beach for games three and four. With that being said, I’m expecting a barrage of goals from the Bruins and I think they’ll be able to cover the puck line. 

Florida’s lack of defensive structure has been an issue all season considering they finished the year ranked 20th in overall defense (3.05 GAA). While Alex Lyon’s emergence as the man in net has been a great story, I just don’t think this journeyman netminder has it in him to shut down the Bruins’ second-ranked offense (3.7 GPG). Look for Boston to apply the pressure early and to win convincingly before hitting the road for the next two games. 

Bet: Boston Bruins -1.5 (+115)

Minnesota Wild (+130) vs. Dallas Stars (-150) | O/U 5.5 (+100/-120)

It was an action-packed opener in Dallas Monday night as the Wild pulled off a 3-2 upset in double overtime against the Stars. It seemed like the momentum was heavily favoring Dallas in the second extra period, but a convenient bounce of the puck combined with Ryan Hartman being in the right place at the right time allowed for the winger to bury the game-winner. The two sides are back at it for Game 2 tonight at 9:30 p.m. ET from American Airlines Center in Dallas, TX. 

While it’s still early in the series, this feels like a do-or-die game for the Stars. They’ll certainly want to avoid heading up north trailing two games in the series. Look for Dallas’ top lines to get after it early and often and challenge Filip Gustavsson as much as possible. This game will be another war, but I’m rolling with Dallas to come away victorious. 

It’s really tough to give much statistical data on this matchup because the teams are so evenly matched. Both are fantastic defensively and each has a world-class netminder, so sometimes it really does come down to a bounce of the puck in these games. However, I still believe that the Stars are just a tad more of a threat on the offensive end. The versatility that comes with Miro Heiskanen walking the blue line and the big guns up front of Jason Robertson, Jamie Benn, and Roope Hintz should ultimately be the difference maker. Let’s ride with the Stars on home ice in Game 2. 

Bet: Dallas Stars Moneyline (-150)

Check out our other best bets for Wednesday:

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