Of the 8 first-round series’ in these Stanley Cup playoffs, there are 3 opportunities for a sweep. Saturday’s 3-game slate presents opportunities in 2 of those 3-0 series’. The Senators and Penguins are just looking to get on the series board, while the Wild need a win to avoid going back to Dallas with a 3-1 series deficit. Backs are against the wall on Saturday, and it makes for some great hockey.
If you will be tuning in and want to have some action, I have picked out my 2 NHL best bets for the playoff slate on Saturday, April 25, with lines and odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook at the time of publishing. Also, be sure to check out our NHL predictions for all 3 games tonight and throughout the playoffs.
NHL best bet: Senators ML (+105)
While a first-round 3-0 series deficit is far from ideal, it is not an unfamiliar spot for this Senators team. Last year, they faced the same uphill battle in their opening round against the Maple Leafs. Carolina’s last 2 wins have each been by a goal. Just like Toronto had over Ottawa in games 2 and 3 last year. The Senators would then claw back a narrow win in game 4, then a dominant win in game 5. This is largely the same team that learned some lessons from last year that they need to bring to Saturday.
The Senators have not played poorly in this series. They have had their fair share of scoring chances, and are technically just shot or two away from being 1-2 or even 2-1 in this series. Obviously, that is not the case. But that does not matter now. Pressure and urgency will be the highest they have faced all year. The Senators will come out desperate. They are a bigger, more physical team than the Hurricanes. Look for Ottawa’s desperation to wear down Carolina and score some ugly goals to bring this series back to Raleigh.
NHL best bet: Wild win and game total over 5.5 (+188)
A same-game parlay may appear bold for a best bet. But the +188 odds for individual picks that are each at -135 bring value that is difficult to ignore. The Wild have played well in this series, but have only been rewarded for it in game 1. Now their backs are against the wall in a home game. While they still have a loss to spare before being on the verge of elimination, the last thing this team wants is to face elimination on the road in Dallas where the Stars were 26-11-4 during the regular season. The Wild are a solid home team themselves, and will come out with the most desperation then any point in the series.
In addition to the appeal of a Wild outright win, the over looks good as well. Instead of separating individual picks without much value, the +188 here to combine them are nice odds. The game totals in this series have been 7 goals, 6 goals, and 7 goals. Combining the regular season and playoffs, the over is now 5-1-1 in the 7 games played head to head. Despite both teams having just decent goal scoring and excellent goal prevention during the regular season, totals climb when they play against each other. It is not difficult to see why, though. This series features 2 players aside that scored 40+ goals, 6 total players that averaged well over a point-per-game, and an excellent mix of youthful talent and veteran experience. Both teams may be looking to stick to what has worked when they have seen success in this series. For both teams, that would be offensive production.
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