Philadelphia Flyers vs. New Jersey Devils
The moneyline has not budged since NHL odds makers opened the Devils -115 favorites. Interestingly, the total is holding at 5.5.
Game 2 presented a couple of surprises but the biggest key for me was the performance of Ilya Brygalov – and probably not the way you’re thinking. Yes, he did give up three goals in the third period, but the Flyers absolutely hung him out to dry. Many of the team’s key leaders even said so after the game.
Through two periods of play, Bryzgalov was fantastic in net as he single-handedly kept them in the game. The Flyers were outshot 12-2 in the second period and really had no business even having a lead going into the third.
But the Flyers are an excellent bounce-back team as they’ve gone 11-2 this season when scoring one goal or less in their previous game and 13-8 after a loss by two goals or more. The UNDER is 8-4 in Flyers games when they’ve scored one or less in their previous game and that’s somewhat of a telling sign for a team that plays plenty of OVERS.
Look for the Flyers to give Bryzgalov more help in their end, and with Martin Brodeur standing on his head at the other end, this game should stay below the total. Eight of the last 12 meetings in New Jersey have gone UNDER.
NHL Picks: UNDER ---
St. Louis Blues vs. Los Angeles Kings
NHL betting lines currently have the Kings as -120 home favorites. The total is at 4.5
Third verse, just like the first.
The St. Louis Blues have not only lost their way in the Western Conference semifinals, they’ve come completely unglued. Although they faced a veteran team in the San Jose Sharks in the first round of the playoffs, they played like a team filled with seasoned veterans. Facing their first wave of adversity in the second round, they look as flimsy as one of Kate Upton’s bikinis.
The Blues are not only losing, they’re getting whipped. They lost Game 1 in “playoff fashion” as a boarding cheap shot led to a key injury and the Blues never recovered. In Game 2, they were down 4-0 after the first period and it was game over.
It’s simply déjà vu all over again.
In Round 1, the Kings won two straight road games to start the series and were fueled by shorthanded – and special teams – goals. They’ve won the first two games of this series and have scored shorthanded goals in both contests. In both cases, the Blues and Vancouver Canucks were excellent home teams and really figured to have a big advantage playing on their own ice.
St. Louis really misses their top blueliner Alex Pietrangelo, who missed Game 2. He’s questionable for Game 3, and it might not matter a whole lot if he plays hurt.
The Kings just have the Blues number. On top of that, they’re playing with plenty of confidence and are gaining steam as they go. Meanwhile, the Blues are desperately in search of answers.
The trends in this series continue to point to the Kings. They’ve now won five of the six meetings this season while outscoring St. Louis 17-6. Why expect anything to change?
NHL Picks: Kings +++
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