The Stanley Cup Playoffs continue to deliver massive amounts of entertainment on a nightly basis. The action continues on Sunday evening with a pair of intriguing matchups, as the Canadiens battle the Sabres in Game 3 before the Golden Knights take on the Ducks in Game 4. Both games present great opportunities to find betting value, so if you will be following along and want some action, I have picked out a trio of NHL best bets for Sunday’s slate with lines and odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook at the time of publishing. Additionally, don’t forget to check out all of our NHL predictions for EVERY game throughout the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
NHL best bet: Vegas Golden Knights ML (-122) vs Anaheim Ducks
Despite a split result, the Ducks were the better team through the first 2 games of this series. That said, the Golden Knights made a serious statement in Game 3 with an emphatic 6-2 victory. Vegas’ strong veteran presence and playoff experience came to the forefront, as they dominated the game from start to finish. Mitch Marner led the way with his first-career hat trick. Now heading into Sunday’s Game 4, the Golden Knights have all the momentum.
A big key for Vegas has been limiting Anaheim’s power play. The Ducks were extremely reliant on their man advantage in the first round, going a strong 8-for-16 on the power play. However, the Golden Knights have held the Ducks to an 0-for-11 mark on the power play through the first 3 games of this series. Anaheim tends to be a bit too reliant on the power play, and neutralizing that threat gives Vegas a big edge when it comes to 5-on-5. Look for the Golden Knights to find the win column and take a 3-1 series lead.
Check out our NHL predictions for all Stanley Cup Playoff games!
NHL best bet: Montreal Canadiens vs Buffalo Sabres Under 5.5 (+110)
Each of the first 2 games between the Canadiens and Sabres featured exactly 6 total goals. However, Sunday’s Game 3 could be a bit more low-scoring. Buffalo put forth a very sloppy performance in Game 2, as they were not strong with the puck and allowed way too many Grade-A chances. After such a poor outing, I expect the Sabres to be a bit more buttoned-up in this one. It’s also worth mentioning that while the Sabres weren’t strong defensively in Game 2, they were still extremely physical and dished out a whopping 44 hits. Look for that same physicality to continue heading into a pivotal Game 3.
Both goaltenders have been outstanding so far in the postseason. Montreal’s Jakub Dobes owns a 2.14 goals-against average to go along with a solid .917 save percentage. On the other side, Alex Lyon has taken control of the Buffalo net thanks to owning a minuscule 1.73 goals-against average and a stellar .934 save percentage in the playoffs. With each netminder playing as well as they are, look to the under here at a nice plus-money price.
NHL best bet: Vegas Golden Knights vs Anaheim Ducks Under 6.5 (-112)
After a high-scoring Game 3 that featured 8 total goals, things should come back down to Earth in Game 4 between the Golden Knights and Ducks. The first 2 games of this series were defensive battles that saw 4 total goals in each contest, and the lack of power-play scoring significantly lowers Anaheim’s offensive ceiling. The Ducks scored 8 power play goals through 6 games in the first round against the Oilers, but have yet to score a power play goal through 3 games in this series. Vegas leads all playoff teams with a sensational penalty-killing percentage of 96.3% so far in the postseason, and they should be able to continue making life difficult on the Anaheim man advantage.
The Vegas scoring attack has been fairly up-and-down so far this postseason, and after allowing 6 goals in Game 3, Anaheim should enter this contest with a more defensive-minded approach. The Ducks surrendered great chance after great chance to the Golden Knights in Game 3, and Joel Quenneville cannot be pleased with the effort from his team. Looking to avoid a 3-1 hole, the Ducks know that a similar defensive performance won’t cut it in this one. With that in mind, look for Anaheim to have a solid defensive structure that limits Vegas’ Grade-A scoring chances in Game 4. With a total of 6.5, the under is the play.
Click here to add us to your Google preferred sources and never miss a story
