The NHL Playoffs are off and running as every team in the postseason has played at least one game up to this point. There are four games on the schedule on Thursday night, and two of the games provide good betting opportunities.
There are a couple of home favorites that are looking to even up the series after already giving up home-ice advantage in Game 1. The unexpected usually seems to happen in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but you can bet on two home teams on Wednesday night.
Pittsburgh Penguins at New York Rangers (-160)
The longest game up to this point in the postseason took place in New York on Tuesday night as the Pittsburgh Penguins picked up a 4-3 over the Rangers in three overtimes. This series was expected to be tight before it began, and that appears to be the case.
The Rangers entered the postseason as one of the hottest teams in the league, and they are also a team that doesn’t really have a weakness. Artemi Panarin leads the offense, and New York is always tough defensively.
Pittsburgh might not have had a great year, but this team always seems to turn things around when the playoffs begin. The Penguins do have plenty of offensive talent, and that talent showed up in Game 1.
New York can’t afford to go back to Pittsburgh after losing two straight games, and the Rangers will throw everything at the Penguins in this matchup.
Washington Capitals at Florida Panthers (-260)
The most surprising result in the NHL up to this point was the Washington Capitals’ 4-2 win over the Florida Panthers on Tuesday night. Florida won the President’s Trophy this season, and they are one of the most talented teams in the league.
Washington is another team that is loaded with veterans, and those players stepped up in a big way in Game 1. The Capitals used their physical style of play to slow down and frustrate the Panthers in that win.
Florida scored over four goals per game in the regular season, and they have to find a way to get the offense going. The Panthers will have to be more physical as well, but speeding up the tempo will be a key for this team.
This is going to be a high-scoring series, and the Panthers will try to wear down the Capitals as the series moves along.
Panthers, Rangers Even Things Up
There is going to be a sense of desperation from both the Panthers and the Rangers, and that will make these teams dangerous. Not only that, but Florida is better overall than the Capitals, and New York is just as talented as the Penguins.
While both teams have already given up home-ice advantage, these teams can steal that back again when they go on the road. Florida and New York are going to pick up a win on Thursday night to make their playoff series more interesting than they were entering the day.
Take Florida -260 and New York -160 to win on Thursday night.
