NHL playoff betting is about to get underway as the puck drops on the playoffs on Wednesday night with four games from coast to coast, and here’s who you should take in your sportsbook.
Senators vs Penguins odds – 7:00 PM ET
The Penguins are -205 favorites at home, but the Senators have won seven of their last 10 in Pittsburgh. The Senators are going to have to contain Sidney Crosby, who was tied for the NHL lead with 51 goals, but none of those have come against Ottawa. The Senators have dropped three of their last four, and goalie Brian Elliott needs to step up if the Senators are going to have a chance over seven games against the defending champions.
NHL betting pick: Pittsburgh
Flyers vs Devils odds – 7:30 PM ET
The Devils are listed at -190 at home in your sports book, even though they’ve lost five of six against their Atlantic Division rival Philadelphia, who needed a shootout just to get to the playoffs. Martin Brodeur has been awful against the Flyers this year, but that should change in the postseason as he’s won four of his last five starts. The Flyers played a tough home-and-home against the Rangers on the weekend just to get here, and you have to think that on the road, they may not have the legs to handle the Devils for 60 minutes.
NHL betting pick: New Jersey
Red Wings vs Coyotes odds – 10:00 PM ET
Both teams are split down the middle with online sports betting odds of -110, and the Coyotes are in the playoffs for the first time since the 2001-02 season. The Coyotes haven’t won a first-round series since moving to Phoenix from Winnipeg for the 1996-97 season, while the Red Wings have won four Stanley Cups since then, and they are aiming for their third straight appearance in the finals. The veteran Red Wings paced themselves all season, and then picked up a notch coming down the stretch to storm into the playoffs, and as far as experience goes, there’s probably not a team with more in the league. However, Phoenix will steal the opener as the home crowd should be wild after almost losing their team, and goalie Ilya Bryzgalov will be the difference.
NHL betting pick: Phoenix
Avalanche vs Sharks odds – 10:30 PM ET
The Sharks are favored at -240 at home, where they have beaten the Avalanche four straight times and eight of 10 overall. The Avalanche are waiting on the status of rookie Matt Duchene, who has a torso injury and missed the final game of the season. These two have different outlooks, as the Sharks are the perennial underachievers, while the Avalanche have a young squad, and a lot of them haven’t been here before, but that could cause them to play loose. The Sharks have a lot to prove after last year’s first-round loss to Anaheim, and they may be a bit tight, but they’re too good at home to lose the first one.
NHL betting pick: San Jose
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