NHL Playoffs Preview: First Round Week 2
Summary
The NHL playoffs have been spectacular so far, and we look to only be getting better as we progress through the next few weeks.
Electricity from wire to wire, each series has had some absolutely crazy turnarounds and the road team has won the past eight games dating back to the weekend.
What has been an unprecedented set of matches, teams are ripping the stick and laying siege to the opponent’s goalkeeper.
There have been so many great plays by individual players and your MVPs of the league like Nathan MacKinnon and Connor McDavid are truly making these playoffs their own.
Each series has their own story, and there have been so many fights between players that you would never see throw hands in the regular season.
Throwing down the gloves and doing whatever it takes to get the result, all teams are looking at booking a spot in the next round, something that is much easier said than done.
Let’s look at some of the most anticipated matchups this week, available for you to bet on Stake.com’s sportsbook now!
Los Angeles Kings @ Edmonton Oilers - Tuesday, April 25th - Game 5 (2-2)
The LA Kings are kicking themselves after a huge, missed opportunity in game four.
A match where they were up three goals to none in the first period, the Kings are now finding themselves in a best of three series where no one is safe.
Having to travel to Edmonton will be hard enough, but the mentality of the squad will be a whole different situation.
Adrian Kempe and company welcomed back star man Fialla to the lineup but were not able to secure the victory. Many people thought the Kings would be pushovers, but they have been exactly the opposite of that.
Look for the Kings to remain steady and keep putting on the pressure on Edmonton in tough situations.
Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers are fighting back from huge setbacks, and they look to be all the better for it.
The reigning NHL MVP is having to carry the team from multiple losses, and they finally find themselves in a position to do what they have always wanted, win the playoffs.
Their defence leaves a ton to be desired, not to mention their lack of goalkeeping consistency, but this series has proved their willingness to fight and stay in games, no matter what the score is.
One of the, if not the best offense in the league, the Oilers will look to retain home court advantage and take it all.
Betting Prediction - Edmonton Oilers -1.5 and the over 6.5 on goals scored.
Tampa Bay Lightning @ Toronto Maple Leafs - Thursday, April 27th - Game 5
The TB Lightning will be looking to avenge this series against a Maple Leafs team that has been as stacked to the brim as ever.
The Lightning are in danger of losing in the first round, something that has been foreign to them ever since the core of this team formed.
Their veterans are still skating strong, but the talent levels and discrepancies are clearly there nowadays.
The Leafs are taking advantage in the offensive zones and look overall more prepared to get into shootouts than the fundamentally sound Lightning.
In Toronto especially, the Lightning must make huge adjustments, because if not, it could be all awry.
Prediction - TOR Maple Leafs ML and the over on goals.