A single point separates the sixth-place team in the Western Conference from the 10th, meaning that that final three playoff spots in the toughest of the two NHL conferences are just as up for grabs as they've ever been. The five teams vying for said spots share few similarities, as they range from the reigning champion Chicago Blackhawks to the upstart Dallas Stars and veteran Calgary Flames.
Of the five contenders, the Blackhawks have the best chances of going all the way, with 16/1 odds of winning the Stanley Cup.
Currently in poll position for the sixth seed at 39-25-8, Chicago has 86 points in just 72 games. They have 10 more opportunities to protect their lead before the end of the regular season, but they may have to do so without injured star Patrick Sharp. The Hawks are joined by Nashville who has a similar point total but in an additional game. The Predators will have the opportunity to strengthen their grip on a spot with a win against the Edmonton Oilers tonight.
The Predators are currently listed as -260 favorites over the lowly Oilers. Bet on the NHL with Bodog.
Tied for the eighth and final playoff spot in the West are Anaheim and Dallas, Pacific Division rivals. With a 40-27-5 mark in 72 games, the Ducks are equalled in points by Dallas but not in wins. The Stars boast a 38-25-9 record on the year.
Trailing in the standings, but not in heart are the Calgary Flames, who, with Jarome Iginla and Miikka Kiprusoff, have the experience to pull through in the post-season. In order to turn heads this spring, however, they'll have to take care of business at the end of the regular season. They have 85 points in the race to the playoffs, but in 75 games, meaning they have considerably less opportunities to claim more points.
Bet on the NHL's Western Conference playoff push before it's too late.
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The Los Angeles Kings currently sit in playoff position thanks to a 41-26-6 record that has them fifth in the Western Conference. Their spot, however, may not be theirs for long as the Nashville Predators are hot on their heels. Just three points separate the West's fifth seed from its 10th, meaning that no one team in the bottom half of the playoff picture can relax just yet.
Making matters worse for the young Kings is that veteran Justin Williams will be lost for the next 3-4 week with a dislocated shoulder, well beyond the conclusion of the regular season. Williams has been one of the many contributors who have combined to make the Kings one of the most impressive, solid young teams in the NHL, with 57 points in 73 games. At 29 years old, his experience will be missed during the final stretch.
Currently the Kings are reasonable options when it comes to NHL betting, with 18/1 odds of winning the Stanley Cup this year, but their path to the promised land won't be without its challenges.
Provided the Kings can manage to hang on to their current positioning, they'll be faced with a tough first round opponent. As the season starts to wind down it has become apparent that there will be a number of Pacific Division teams playing into the spring. Whether the Kings line up with the Phoenix Coyotes or San Jose Sharks, sneaking into the second round will be a difficult task.
Can they hold on to their current spot as the West's number five seed? Or perhaps move up or down in the rankings? Will all five Pacific Division teams qualify for the postseason this year?
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The Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens will meet at the TD Garden tonight in the first match up since the one that left Habs forward Max Pacioretty on the ice with a concussion and broken neck. The hit, which has been discussed ad nauseum, was delivered by Bruins captain Zdeno Chara, catching Pacioretty off-guard and vulnerable.
Questions regarding the legality of the hit and the safety of NHL arenas with exposed stanchions have been at the lips of fans and analysts alike ever since, fueled further by the ill-advised comments of Mark Recchi stating that the Canadiens and Pacioretty had been exagerrating the severity of the injury in an attempt to get a suspension for Chara that never came.
By Bodog's calculation, the Bruins are -175 favorites on the night, and who can blame them? With a 40-22-10 record the Bruins sit comfortably in third place in the Eastern Conference with a healthy lead over the Canadiens who sit second in the Northeast Division. But at 40-27-7 the Canadiens are no easy opponent, especially with the added incentive of payback following the injury to their teammate.
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With 25/1 odds of winning the Stanley Cup this year, the Montreal Canadiens aren't out of the question when it comes to the postseason. Just last year they rose to the Eastern Conference Finals after finishing as the eighth and final playoff seed. The Bruins, in contrast, have 10/1 odds of winning the Cup despite falling in the second round in the postseason last spring.
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The Phoenix Coyotes have thrived in 2010-11, predominantly under the radar while the Dallas Stars and San Jose Sharks shared duties at the top of the Pacific Division. Now, with just a handful of games remaining in the regular season, the Coyotes, who have lingered in the playoff position for the majority of the year, are making a push for division bragging rights.
With a 41-24-11 record, the Coyotes sit fourth in the West, just two points behind the division-leading Sharks. Although their odds to win the Stanley Cup aren't as optimistic as those of the leaders of the conference, the last thing playoff teams will want to do this spring is underestimate the unheralded squad making their second consecutive postseason appearance.
Tonight the Coyotes will take on the team that stands between them and the No. 3 seed. According to Bodog's online sportsbook, the Coyotes are -105 underdogs against the 43-23-9 Sharks, but the Dave Tippett-led franchise isn't about to bow out of the way any time soon. The Coyotes have gone 8-1-1 in their last 10 games, gaining valuable ground in their gruelling division.
Will their recent play be enough to lead them past Joe Thornton and the Sharks? Bet on the NHL match up with Bodog.
Currently four of the five Pacific Division teams sit in playoff position, while the Stars trail in ninth by a single point. That the Coyotes, Sharks and Los Angeles Kings have all already reached the 90-point mark speaks to how dominant they have been in their opportunities against the rest of the league.
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The Los Angeles Kings suffered a blow to their Stanley Cup chances last night as star forward Anze Kopitar fell in a 4-1 victory over the lowly Colorado Avalanche. In the second period of the Saturday night match up Kopitar fell victim to a broken ankle, one which will keep him out of action for at least six weeks.
Currently fifth in the Western Conference with a 43-26-6 record, the Kings will now look to stay alive until their star can return. But, according to Bodog's online sportsbook, a romp through the playoffs won't come easy. It will take a lot of luck for the Kings to come through on their 18/1 odds of winning the Stanley Cup now that the club's primary offensive option is sidelined.
In 75 games with the Kings in 2010-11, Kopitar had scored 25 goals and added an impressive 48 assists.
If the playoffs were to start today, the Kings would find themselves matched up with the surging Phoenix Coyotes, a match up that could fall either way. Unfortunately, LA will have their work cut out for them maintaining their current spot in the standings. If the Kings slip out of their current spot, lower in the Western Conference rankings, they'll face one of Vancouver, Detroit or Pacific Division-leading San Jose.
Is a trip to the second round in the cards for the Kings? Will the young franchise adjust to life without Kopitar in time for a smooth transition into the postseason? Always an intriguing choice in NHL betting, LA's playoff hopes remain in the balance.
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The Washington Capitals could get superstar Alex Ovechkin back on Tuesday night after the Russian took a week off to recover from an undisclosed injury. Ovechkin practiced with the team Monday and said he was "ready to go" for Tuesday night's game against Carolina. Bet on the game with Bodog’s NHL odds.
However, Coach Bruce Boudreau was more cautious, saying Ovechkin skated well and may be back by the end of the week. He has missed three games so far.
While he wasn’t in a no-contact jersey, Ovechkin also didn’t receive any significant hits from his teammates. After the workout, Ovechkin said he’s feeling “good.” He admitted he wasn’t sure if he would play against the Hurricanes.
“I don’t know. It’s not my decision,” Ovechkin said. “How I said, I’m ready to go, but I don’t know how it’s going to work right now with tomorrow.”
The Caps probably won’t get back star defenseman Mike Green on Tuesday. He skated in full pads Monday was only on the ice for about 25 minutes, the majority of which came before his teammates started full practice. Green has missed 20 of the last 22 games with concussions suffered on Feb. 6 when he was struck in the head by a puck and again on Feb. 25 when he was hit by the Rangers’ Derek Stepan. Last week Boudreau said the team believed it would know if Green would be able to return prior to the start of the playoffs.
The two-time Norris Trophy finalist said he is feeling better, but acknowledged that he was still experiencing symptoms.
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The Washington Capitals may have star Alex Ovechkin back in the line-up, but it won't necessarily be smooth sailing until he gets back into routine with the club. The Caps fell in a Tuesday night match up with the Carolina Hurricanes.
Though they dropped the 3-2 decision, Ovechkin burst out of the gates raring to go, firing the team's first shot on net and adding the physical presence that has made him one of the most well-rounded All-Stars in the NHL. Despite the loss, the fact that Washington salvaged a point in the affair bodes well for the club looking to hang on to the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference.
With a current record of 44-22-11 there is a good chance the Capitals will hang on to the spot, despite the best efforts of No. 3 seed Boston (43-23-10).
Will the return of Ovechkin be enough to put the Caps at the top of the list when it comes to potential Stanley Cup winners? That remains to be seen. Regardless, their odds of winning the Stanley Cup are considerably higher with him than without.
In 74 games with the Capitals this season, Ovechkin has scored 29 goals and added 48 assists for good measure. The numbers, compared to his totals in years previous (109, 110, 112, 92, 106 in the past five years respectively) represent, it seems, a significant decline but all coincide with a larger picture; the Bruce Boudreau-led Capitals have consciously focused less on offense this season and more on defense?
Will it help them win big games in the post-season? That's the question fans of NHL betting will be mulling over as the club braces for the playoffs.
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A day after NHL betting fans saw Alex Ovechkin return to the ice for the Washington Capitals, the Pittsburgh Penguins have announced that their own injured superstar – Sidney Crosby – has been cleared to practice with the team. Crosby will travel with the team to Florida when they take on the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday night.
Though he won't participate in games until shortly thereafter, the presence of the superstar on the ice in practice bodes well for the 2009 Stanley Cup champion. If the Pens hope to follow up an impressive, albeit short-handed, 2010-11 regular season with a deep playoff run, they'll need their captain.
Prior to missing the majority of the final half of the season, Crosby had tallied a then-league-leading 66 points. His 32 goals and 34 assists put him on a pace to exceed even the best seasons of his short, but accomplished, career.
According to Bodog's online sportsbook, the Penguins have 11/1 odds of winning the Stanley Cup. With Crosby back at full health, the club is destined to give Atlantic Division rival Philadelphia and the aforementioned Capitals a run for the Eastern Conference title. Crosby had been out of action since early January with a concussion.
Despite missing their best player (and their second; Evgeni Malkin) for a significant chunk of the season, Pittsburgh has managed to salvage a dominant campaign. Through 77 games so far, the Pens have gone 45-24-8, good enough for the third most points of any team in the conference.
Think a healthy Crosby will be enough to close the door on the Flyers and Capitals?
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The NHL announced it's stars of the month for March and the results show just how competitive the Western Conference is shaping up to be. All three of the stars hail from not only teams in the West, but playoff-bound teams in the West to boot. With NHL betting opportunities more intriguing by the day as the post-season nears, it will be interesting to see how these stars fare in the final stretch of the season.
The first star of the month was awarded to Anaheim Ducks forward Corey Perry. Perry added 15 goals and 21 points in 14 March games, helping the Ducks climb into playoff consideration and into the seventh spot. With time running out before the regular season ends, it appears as though the Ducks will live on into the spring. According to Bodog, the Ducks have 30/1 odds of winning the Stanley Cup.
The second star of the month was given to Vancouver Canucks wondertwin Daniel Sedin. Sedin put forth 21 points in 15 games with the Canucks, helping the franchise clinch the best record in the NHL this season. The recipients of the President's Trophy now have 3/1 odds of going all the way. Bet on the Canucks with Bodog.
The final star was awarded to Nashville Predators netminder Pekka Rinne. Rinne and the Predators currently sit sixth in the Western Conference thanks to the star goalie's 9-3-2- record. Rinne has posted a 1.91 GAA with a save percentage of .936 along the way. The Predators have 28/1 odds of winning the Stanley Cup.
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The Eastern Conference playoff picture is far from decided even in the final weeks of the regular season. On Sunday afternoon the No. 7 Buffalo Sabres will look to defend their spot in the postseason against the jealous Carolina Hurricanes.
Currently ninth in the East, the Hurricanes can make themselves heard with a victory today, listed as -135 favorites against the Sabres in the NHL betting section of Bodog's online sportbsook.
At 38-30-10, a spot in the playoffs is still within reason for Carolina, and you can bet they'll do everything they can to take it, especially since just two points separate them from seventh in the conference. Will team captain Eric Staal be able to guide his club into the foray of playoff teams? It will mean that either Buffalo or the New York Rangers fall short.
With just a handful of games remaining before the end of the 2010-11 season, exactly how the first round of the playoffs will look remains to be seen. Though technically the Montreal Canadiens (sixth) could fall out and the Toronto Maple Leafs (10th) could climb in, the focus seems to be on how the seventh, eighth and ninth seeds will play out.
The Buffalo Sabres at 39-29-10 have ridden a solid second half of the season to a possible spot in the show, whereas the 41-32-5 New York Rangers are desperately clinging to a berth that eluded them in 2010.
Why wait until the NHL playoffs to bet on hockey, when the final stretch of the regular season can be every bit as intense? Choose your winners for Sunday's match ups with Bodog's online sportsbook and don't forget to consider Stanley Cup futures.
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The New York Rangers are struggling to hang on to their seed in the NHL playoffs as the regular season comes to a close, and were dealt a devastating new blow on Monday when it was announced that assistant captain Ryan Callahan would miss the remainder of the year with a fractured leg.
The injury, sustained Sunday while heroically blocking a Zdeno Chara slapshot in a win over the Boston Bruins, will keep the gritty forward out of action "long term" and presumedly for the remainder of the 2010-11 campaign.
With just two games remaining before the end of the season, the Rangers will be sad to see Callahan take to the sidelines. It won't be the first time the 26-year-old has been hampered by an injury this year. Earlier in the season he missed significant time after blocking a Kris Letang slapshot.
In 60 games with the Rangers, Callahan has logged 48 points in addition to the physical and defensive presence he provides every time he steps on the ice. Although his absence won't entirely cripple the franchise, it certainly doesn't help their odds of winning the Stanley Cup.
The Rangers will have their work cut out for them replacing Callahan's ability to stop shots and kill penalties, but they still sit poised to hang on to their playoff spot after surrendering it in the second half of the 2009-10 season. At 42-32-5 the Rangers could still finish anywhere between sixth in the East and out of the playoffs altogether?
Think they'll be able to bounce back and contend without one of their leaders? Bet on the NHL now.
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It’s been an up-and-down season for the defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks, but things got just a bit weirder on Tuesday night during a game between the Hawks and Montreal Canadiens. A Habs fan claims that he and Blackhawks netminder Marty Turco made a wager regarding the game’s outcome.
The nameless fan called in to a Montreal-based radio program and recounted the story of the numerous wagers he and Turco made during the game, starting after Montreal’s Mike Cammalleri scored the first goal.
A photo on Twitter shows Turco sitting on the end of the Chicago bench accepting a Canadian $5 bill from the fan, on which the fan wrote “Habs Rules!” in black Sharpie.
When the Canadiens won 2-1 in overtime, the fan claims Turco handed him a stack of $5 bills, including the original bill, but crossed out “Habs” and wrote “Turco” above it.
In a text message to ESPNChicago-com, Turco admitted to passing the $5 in question back and forth with the fan, but did not admit to accepting any wagers with him.
Exhibit 14.2 of the current NHL Collective Bargaining Agreement, which applies directly to NHL players, explicitly states “gambling on any NHL Game is prohibited.”
The NHL has refused to comment on the situation to this point, but you can bet they’ll launch an investigation. Bodog has -140 odds that Marty Turco will be fined for his actions and +100 odds that he won’t. Place your bets now and check out out all of Bodog's NHL props in the online sportbsook.
This is hardly the worst case of gambling in sports history. We’ve seen how other sports have dealt with those involved in the games making wagers on their sports, from the Chicago Black Sox scandal of 1919 to Pete Rose to the NBA game fixing scandal in 2007.
Turco signed a one-year, $1.3 million contract with the Blackhawks prior to the 2010-11 season. So far things haven’t exactly gone according to plan.
His record for the season is 11-11-3. He has a 3.02 goals against average and an .897 save percentage, which doesn’t even put him in the top-30 among NHL goalies in either category. He hasn’t started a game for the Blackhawks since Feb. 11 and hasn’t even seen game action since March 17. Since Feb. 1, Turco has logged 258:27 minutes of game time. He has to find something to do in the meantime.
The Blackhawks are holding onto eighth-place in the Western Conference, fighting off Turco’s former team, the Dallas Stars as well as the Calgary Flames for the final admittance into the playoffs. The Hawks have 20/1 odds of winning the Stanley Cup.
With only three games left in the season, Chicago has a game in hand over Calgary, who take on Edmonton tonight at home. Chicago will finish the season with games against St. Louis followed by a home-and-home against the Red Wings, who clinched the Central Division title last Sunday.
With so much at stake, don’t let Marty Turco hog all the fun.
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The Vancouver Canucks will be without forward Raffi Torres for the final two games of the regular season and the first two games of the 2011 NHL playoffs. The Canucks, who sit first in the entire NHL with a record of 52-19-9 will have home ice in the playoffs (having already clinched the top record in the league), but will miss the presence of the 29-year-old veteran.
Torres was dealt the suspension for an ill-advised elbow that caught Edmonton Oilers rookie Jordan Eberle on the head in a Tuesday night match up.
Through 80 games this season Torres has contributed 14 goals and 15 assists for the Canucks, adding 78 penalty minutes for good measure. Though his absence won't likely cripple the chances the Canucks have of making noise this post-season a commitment to discipline certainly won't hurt. According to Bodog's online sportsbook, the Canucks have the most optimistic odds of winning the Stanley Cup of any team in the NHL.
Before the Canucks can make their push for a championship, however, they'll have to get through a pair of games, first tonight against the Minnesota Wild and then on Saturday against the Calgary Flames. Think you know how Vancouver's final two regular season contests will play out? Bet on the NHL with Bodog.
Although the Minnesota Wild have long been eliminated from playoff contention, hope still exists for the Calgary Flames to sneak into the Western Conference playoff as the eighth seed.
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When the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday night, it meant that the New York Rangers wouldn’t be able to clinch an Eastern Conference playoff spot by winning tonight’s game against Atlanta. But a win would certainly have the Rangers totally in control of their own destiny and they are -220 favorites on Bodog’s NHL odds.
The Rangers enter at No. 8 in the East and with two games remaining, this one and Saturday against the eliminated Devils; Carolina is No. 9 with two games left, on Friday night at this same Thrashers team and Saturday at home vs. the Lightning. The Rangers really just need to avoid a regulation loss tonight. If that happens, New York would still have the same number of non-shootout victories as the Hurricanes — the first tiebreaker in the playoff race — but Carolina will have a game in hand and the Hurricanes won the next tiebreaker, having earned more points in the season series against New York by going 2-0-2.
New York enters what was both a huge and crushing 5-3 win over Boston on Monday. The Rangers scored 2:55 apart in the final four minutes on Monday night to turn a one-goal deficit into a crucial two points. However, second-leading scorer Ryan Callahan (23 goals, 25 assists), arguably the team’s heart and soul, broke his ankle in that one and is probably done for the season, playoffs included. That could mean more of a burden on goalie Henrik Lundqvist. He will make his career-high 25th consecutive start in goal for the Rangers tonight. Over his last 14 games Lundqvist is 10-3-1 with a 2.05 goals against average, .933 save percentage, and three of his league-leading 11 shutouts.
Atlanta has pretty much mailed it in and enters on a two-game losing streak, allowing nine total goals. The Thrashers have the second-worst goals-against average in the NHL at 3.2 per game. Atlanta has won two of the three matchups with New York this year.
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Might Sidney Crosby sit out for opening round of the playoffs next week? That's the word on the street in Pittsburgh despite the fact that he was on the ice skating with the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday morning. Though not official, it's something to take into consideration when betting on the NHL playoffs.
According to head coach Dan Bylsma, Crosby has "a couple more steps to go in his rehabilitation before he can even think about returning to play".
The news shouldn't really come as a surprise considering the obscurity surrounding the injury, one that dates as far back as Jan. 5. It was shortly after the Penguins lost in the Winter Classic on New Year's Day when Crosby's career-best pace was offset by a concussion. Though Bylsma originally said the torrid scorer would be shelved for around a week, one week turned into several, several into months and now this.
Though Crosby had managed to score 66 points in his 41 games of action, his absence has weighed on the Pens. But despite not having their star and team captain in the lineup, Pittsburgh still managed to hang on to one of the Eastern Conference's top playoff seeds. Now with a game remaining the Penguins have a chance of stealing the No. 2 seed out from under state rival Philadelphia. Bet on the Pittsburgh Penguins with Bodog.
Whether the Pens finish No. 2 in the conference or No. 4, the fact that Crosby will remain unavailable doesn't change. Though his return is nearing – it was alleged that he might consider playing the last few games of the regular season – there has been no concrete proof suggesting that he will be back in game shape any time soon.
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While we won’t know how the Western Conference playoffs will shape up until later Sunday, the East is finally set in stone for the NHL playoffs. And of course Bodog will have the best NHL odds and props available throughout the Stanley Cup chase.
The Washington Capitals are the East’s top seed for the second year in a row, but that did them no good last year as the choked away a 3-1 series lead against the Montreal Canadiens. This year they the New York Rangers, thanks to the Carolina Hurricanes losing at home on Saturday to Tampa Bay. This appears to be a bad matchup for Alexander Ovechkin and Co. as the Rangers won the season series 3-1, including wins of 7-0 and 6-0. And the Rangers clearly have the edge in net in Henrik Lundqvist.
The second-seeded Philadelphia Flyers take on No. 7 Buffalo. This will be the ninth playoff meeting between the organizations. Philadelphia holds a 5-3 series edge. Buffalo has won the past two meetings, in 2001 and 2006. The Flyers enter slumping, having finished 1-3-2 in their last six.
It’s an Original Six matchup when No. 3 Boston faces No. 6 Montreal. For the season, the Canadiens hold the edge in the series, winning four of six games. But the Bruins won a 7-0 rout the last time the teams met. There is bad blood between these two as in their final meeting Zdeno Chara checked Max Pacioretty into a stanchion. Pacioretty hasn’t played since and it’s still unclear if he’ll be ready for the playoffs.
Finally, the No. 4 Pittsburgh Penguins face the No. 5 Tampa Bay Lightning. The Pens were Stanley Cup favorites for a while but of course won’t have Evegni Malkin, who is done for the year, and probably won’t have Sidney Crosby either. Crosby hasn't played since Jan. 5 because of a concussion. He has been skating with the team but hasn’t been cleared for contact.
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The Chicago Blackhawks needed some help squeezing into the Western Conference NHL playoff picture but that doesn't change the fact that they remain the defending champions. Their eighth seed may leave a lot to be desired, but their 22/1 odds of winning the Stanley Cup could yield potentially significant returns.
Though they won't have an easy time matched up against a league-leading Vancouver Canucks team that has dominated for much of the season, the Hawks could be arguably the scariest opponent in the conference the Canucks could face. The fact that they return last year's Conn Smythe winner, the man who scored the Stanley Cup-winning goal in 2010 and a blue line worthy of praise in its own right can not be ignored, regardless of how they've struggled in 2010-11.
If goaltender Corey Crawford can string together a successful spring, another deep playoff run can't be ruled out. In order for such a run to happen, however, they'll have to pull off the upset of the year. In each of the past two years the Blackhawks have disposed of the Canucks in the second round of the playoffs, but in neither year did Vancouver have the momentum that they have this time around.
Provided Patrick Sharp can stay healthy and Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane continue bringing the offensive presence they've come to be synonymous with, fans of NHL betting could be looking at one of the most intriguing playoff series of the year.
Think the reigning champions will have enough in the tank to thwart Vancouver for a third consecutive season.
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After dominating on NHL betting boards for most of the season, the Philadelphia Flyers collapsed down the stretch. Now they’ll have to face the red-hot Buffalo Sabres in the first round of the NHL playoffs.
Philadelphia (47-23-12) has just three wins in its past 10 games. The club had lost five consecutive games heading into the regular-season finale. The Flyers came through with a 7-4 win over the Islanders, which clinched the Atlantic Division.
The Flyers boast one of the most balanced attacks in the NHL. Seven different players scored at least 19 goals this season, and five different players notched 50-plus points. It makes stopping Philadelphia extremely difficult, as there isn’t one or two players—or even lines—you can concentrate on. The Flyers also get a ton of scoring from their defensemen, with four of them notching 30-plus points.
Goaltending, though, is a big question mark. Philadelphia will head into the postseason with untested rookie Sergei Bobrovsky in the crease. Bobrovsky has played well this season, but he was a little shaky down the stretch, including a brutal four-game effort in April (3.95 GAA, .880 save percentage). That hardly inspires confidence.
Buffalo (43-29-10), on the other hand, is the hottest team in the NHL. The Sabres are 8-1-1 in their past 10 games, including the current four-game winning streak.
Buffalo’s biggest weapon is Ryan Miller. The American goaltender had a bit of a down year compared to last season, but that’s to be expected considering he was nothing short of brilliant last year. Still, Miller is as good as they get in crunch time, and he’s more than capable of stealing a series.
The Sabres have a very similar attack to Philly, with a bunch of young, quick forwards sprinkled through the lineup. Thomas Vanek is the most dangerous threat (32 goals, 73 points this season), but he’s only one of four players who scored 20-plus goals for Buffalo this season. Buffalo also had 11 different players score 10-plus goals this season.
Buffalo and Philadelphia hooked up four times this season. Each team won two of those games, and they’ve split their past 10 meetings at five wins apiece.
The Flyers have 8/1 odds of winning the Stanley Cup, according to Bodog's online sportsbook, compared to Buffalo's 22/1.
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The Pittsburgh Penguins might be starless, but that doesn't mean they don't have more than enough options to dispose of the Tampa Bay Lightning. In a Game 1 match up on Wednesday night, the Penguins – and specifically goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury – blanked the Lightning 3-0.
Though Alex Kovalex, Arron Asham and Chris Kunitz netted markers for the 2009 Stanley Cup winners, it was Fleury's 32 saves that hand-delivered the victory to the club still adapting to life without superstars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.
For months the franchise has been making headlines for their attempts and eventual success in coping without the dynamic duo, now it appears as though they might just start making some for their own reasons. According to Bodog's online sportsbook they even have significant odds of winning the Stanley Cup.
With a one-game lead now over the Bolts, the Penguins will host Tampa Bay once again on Friday night looking to take the 2-0 edge. Those looking to bet on the NHL playoffs will take consolation in the fact that the gritty Pens have managed to thrive without Crosby in the lineup. Considering that a return to the ice over the remainder of the post-season hasn't yet been ruled out, the club could be staring at an interesting bonus whenever he does return to the ice.
After the Friday game the two clubs will break for the weekend before reuniting with their opponents in Florida.
Uncertain about getting involved with a series that has already started? Place your bets on the upcoming Bruins/Habs, Flyers/Sabres and Sharks/Kings series with Bodog.
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Losing the opening game of a playoff series to the Vancouver Canucks is nothing new for the Chicago Blackhawks. They did in the previous two postseasons and still managed to eliminate Vancouver in six. But this is clearly a very different Canucks team and they are -180 favorites on Bodog’s NHL odds to take a commanding 2-0 lead tonight.
Roberto Luongo, who was very mediocre in the two previous postseasons against Chicago, was easily the No. 1 star on Wednesday night in the 2-0 victory, which ended the Blackhawks’ five-game postseason winning streak in Vancouver. Luongo made 32 saves, including several which left Hawks players shaking their heads. It was his fifth shutout of the season and second of his playoff career. Chicago was the more physical team in the previous matchups with the Canucks, but on Wednesday the Blackhawks were 47-21 for the game and 20-9 in the first period when Vancouver scored its two goals. Super-pest Maxim Lapierre registered a team high eight hits for the Canucks. Vancouver will again be without winger Raffi Torres, who serves the final game of his suspension.
The good news for Chicago is that Corey Crawford was good in his first NHL playoff start. He stopped 31 of 33 shots giving up only a tip-in goal and a breakaway score. But that Hawks aren’t healthy. Tomas Kopecky suffered an upper-body injury during the first period of Game 1 and is doubtful to play tonight. He likely will be replaced by Fernando Pisani, who was a scratch in the opener. And center Dave Bolland, a crucial part in slowing the Sedin twins in last season’s playoffs, remains sidelined with a concussion and is not expected to be ready for Game 2.
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Of the five contenders, the Blackhawks have the best chances of going all the way, with 16/1 odds of winning the Stanley Cup.
Currently in poll position for the sixth seed at 39-25-8, Chicago has 86 points in just 72 games. They have 10 more opportunities to protect their lead before the end of the regular season, but they may have to do so without injured star Patrick Sharp. The Hawks are joined by Nashville who has a similar point total but in an additional game. The Predators will have the opportunity to strengthen their grip on a spot with a win against the Edmonton Oilers tonight.
The Predators are currently listed as -260 favorites over the lowly Oilers. Bet on the NHL with Bodog.
Tied for the eighth and final playoff spot in the West are Anaheim and Dallas, Pacific Division rivals. With a 40-27-5 mark in 72 games, the Ducks are equalled in points by Dallas but not in wins. The Stars boast a 38-25-9 record on the year.
Trailing in the standings, but not in heart are the Calgary Flames, who, with Jarome Iginla and Miikka Kiprusoff, have the experience to pull through in the post-season. In order to turn heads this spring, however, they'll have to take care of business at the end of the regular season. They have 85 points in the race to the playoffs, but in 75 games, meaning they have considerably less opportunities to claim more points.
Bet on the NHL's Western Conference playoff push before it's too late.
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