Eastern Conference Semifinal Odds

Both series in the Eastern Conference semifinals are headed down to the wire as Philadelphia and Montreal continue to find ways to stave off elimination to live to play another day. Here is a brief look at each series along with each team’s current odds to win their conference and the Stanley Cup.

#4 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. #8 Montreal Canadiens

Penguins                Current odds to win the Eastern Conference 4-9 Stanley Cup 2-1

Canadians             Current odds to win the Eastern Conference 14-1 Stanley Cup 30-1

Montreal continues to amaze, as once again faced with elimination in a series they find a way to keep winning. After losing game one 6-3 they bounced back with a huge 3-1 win in Pittsburgh in game two. The Peguins recaptured home ice with a 2-0 shutout in game three, but the Canadians promptly responded by winning game four 3-2 to even the series at two games apiece.

Back in Pittsburgh, the Peguins pounded out a 2-1 win in game five to take an all important 3-2 edge, giving themselves a chance to close things out last night in game six and once again advance to the conference finals. Led by Michael Cammelleri’s two goals and the hero of these playoffs goalie Jaroslav Halak’s 34 saves, Montreal found a way to come away with a 4-3 win to force a game seven for the second straight series. The game is scheduled for Wednesday night in Pittsburgh.

The Penguins have to be scratching their head, wondering what it will take to finally put this team away. In game six they outshot the Habs 37-25 but could not put the puck in the net when they needed to the most. The good news for the Pens is that Sidney Crosby finally broke his five game scoring drought with a goal in the first period.

#6 Boston Bruins vs. #7 Philadelphia Flyers

Bruins                Current odds to win the Eastern Conference 12-5 Stanley Cup 8-1

Flyers                 Current odds to win the Eastern Conference 25-1 Stanley Cup 55-1

Boston had taken complete control of this series by winning the first three games. After two tight one goal wins in the first two games; 5-4 OT in game one and 3-2 in game two, they blew the Flyers out 4-1 in game three in Philadelphia.

Given up for dead, Philly found a way to avoid the sweep and save face in front of the home town crowd with a dramatic 5-4 OT win in game four. After Mark Recchi tied the game for Boston with just 32 seconds left in regulation, Simon Gagne scored the game winner for Philadelphia in overtime.

In game five, Philadelphia served notice that they are very much alive in this series by shutting out the Bruins in Boston 4-0. Flyer goalie Brian Boucher left the game early in the second period with leg injury and was replaced by Michael Leighton, who had missed the previous 21 games with a high ankle sprain. He stopped all 14 shots he faced to preserve the shutout and close the gap in this series to 3-2. With Boucher expected to be out for a couple of weeks, it will be up to Leighton to keep the Flyers season alive. Game six is scheduled for Wednesday night in Philadelphia.