NHL Playoff Showdown: Top Betting Lines for Tonight’s #4 Games

The NHL is down to its Sweet 16 with the Stanley Cup playoffs set to begin on Saturday with two first-round games from the Eastern Conference. Here’s a preview and parlay NHL pick on Islanders at Hurricanes and Maple Leafs at Bruins

2024 Top NHL Playoffs Betting Picks for Round 1 | MyBookie NHL

New York Islanders +142 at Carolina Hurricanes -175

When: Saturday, 5 p.m. ET
Where: PNC Arena, Raleigh
TV/Stream: TBS, truTV, MAX, SN, SN360, TVAS, BSSO, MSGSN
NHL Betting: Hurricanes -0.5 (total 1.5)

Carolina is the favorite to win the Stanley Cup even though it only finished second in the Metro Division behind the New York Rangers. The Hurricanes had a five-game winning streak snapped in their regular-season finale, a 6-3 loss in Columbus, but throw that out as Carolina rested many key players as it was a meaningless game.

One bright spot from the loss was two goals from Teuvo Teravainen. He twice tied the game up, making it 2-2 late in the first period and 3-3 midway through the second, but the Hurricanes’ offense went cold after Teravainen’s second tally. Teravainen had missed the prior two games with an undisclosed issue. He set a career high with 25 goals and totaled 53 points in 76 games. Fellow winger Jesper Fast left the game with an undisclosed injury and his status for this one is unclear.

It’s the sixth straight season for the Hurricanes in the playoffs after reaching the playoffs just five times in their first 20 years.

New York, which finished third in the Metro Division, didn’t clinch a playoff spot until Monday’s 4-1 win in New Jersey. The Isles then closed the season with Wednesday with a 5-4 win over Pittsburgh. The Islanders finished their season with an 8-0-1 (17 points) record in April, leading all teams in wins and points this month. New York has recorded as many points in April just twice prior: 2013 (8-1-4, 20 points) and 2021 (8-5-1, 17 points).

Kyle Palmieri scored his 30th goal of the season on Wednesday, joining Brock Nelson and Bo Horvat who reached the plateau earlier this season. The Islanders have three 30-goal scorers in a campaign for the first time since 1993-94 (4).

“Playoffs are always another level, a different animal,” Nelson said of facing the Hurricanes. “They (Carolina) have a great team. They’ve been playing great all year.”

It’s the second year in a row the teams meet in the first round. The Hurricanes also had home-ice advantage last year and won in six. This year, they split four meetings with the road team winning each. Three of those games occurred before Patrick Roy was hired by the Islanders to replace Lane Lambert on Jan. 20. New York, which was sixth in the Metropolitan at the time of the hiring, is 19-12-5 under Roy.

Toronto Maple Leafs +103 at Boston Bruins -126

When: Saturday, 8 p.m. ET
Where: TD Garden, Boston
TV/Stream: TBS, truTV, MAX, SN, CBC, TVAS
NHL Betting: Bruins -0.5 (total 1.5)

These Original Six rivals meet in the postseason for the 17th time but first since 2019. The teams have split the previous 16 overall.

Boston should have been the Atlantic Division champion and opening against wild-card team Tampa Bay, but the Bruins inexplicably lost at home to non-playoff team Ottawa 3-1 on Tuesday. That coupled with Florida’s win gave the Panthers the Atlantic title and a date with the Lightning and dropped the Bruins to second. Each of the Bruins last two Stanley Cup victories came on the heels of capturing the division title that same season. Toronto finished third in the division.

We did not see history this season from Leafs star Auston Matthews. While he did break his own franchise record with 69 goals, Matthews failed to find the net in his final two games to become just the ninth player ever to reach 70. One shot of Matthews’ at Tampa Bay in Wednesday’s finale hit the post. Matthews’ consecutive scoreless games followed an eight-game goal streak in which he scored 10 goals.

“I wanted it, for sure, but it just wasn’t meant to be,” said Matthews. “The most important thing is the team and the team’s success, making sure I’m pulling my weight as a leader on this team and help the team win. That’s where my focus is at.”

Boston was 4-0 vs. Toronto this season, although two were decided by just a goal. They last played March 7 in Boston and the Bruins prevailed 4-1 behind 28 saves from Jeremy Swayman. The teams combined for 19 penalties that covered 30 minutes. At one point, Swayman stood near mid ice and challenged Toronto’s Joseph Woll to a goalie fight, but Woll wanted no part of that. Boston extended its winning streak to seven games against Toronto, which last beat the Bruins on Nov. 22, 2022. Swayman was 3-0-0 against Toronto this year with a 1.30 GAA and .959 save percentage in three starts.

Woll went 0-2-1 against the Bruins, with a 3.97 GAA and .865 save percentage in three games. Ilya Samsonov allowed two goals on 40 shots in his only appearance, the 3-2 shootout loss on Nov. 2. Samsonov probably starts opposite Swayman in Game 1.

The Bruins also have won each of the last six playoff series against the Maple Leafs dating back to the 1969 quarterfinals and are one of four teams to win six consecutive playoff series against one franchise. The others: the Canadiens against Bruins (18; 1946 to 1987), Penguins versus Capitals (7; 1995 to 2017) and Oilers versus Original Jets (6; 1983 to 1990).

NHL Playoffs Expert Predictions

Parlay Islanders puckline (-150) and Bruins moneyline

The Stanley Cup playoffs have begun, with the first round of games already in the books. Even this early in the proceedings, you can tell that some of these series are going to be tight, with 2 of the first 4 games going to OT. Winning Game 1, especially when it comes on the road, is big, but 1 win is no indication of how a whole series might play out. We will get into those first 4 games a little deeper tomorrow, but for now, we have to turn our attention to the next group of games, with 4 new series set to begin on Tuesday night. Let’s take a close look at these games, with a series NHL betting prediction for each.

NHL Playoffs First Round Games: 4/18 | NHL Lines

New York Rangers at New Jersey Devils

When: Tuesday, April 18 at 7:00 pm ET
Where: Prudential Center, Newark, NJ
TV / Streaming: TBS

One thing that we tend to see quite a bit in Round 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs are divisional matchups, and we have another good one set to go here on Tuesday night. The Devils took the regular season series 3-1, but 3 of the 4 games these teams played were decided by a single goal, so we are looking at some very slim margins indeed. The Rangers would love to get the split from the 2 road games to start the series, but either way, I think this will go all the way, with the Devils taking it in 7 games.

Tampa Bay Lightning at Toronto Maple Leafs

When: Tuesday, April 18 at 7:30 pm ET
Where: Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, ON
TV / Streaming: ESPN

Yet another divisional matchup and one that is certainly going to be tough to predict. On paper, it looks as though Toronto is the better team, but the Maple Leafs have been an absolute disaster in the postseason. On the flipside, you have a Tampa team that has won Stanley Cups and is loaded with playoff experience. I am legitimately torn here, as I am worried about taking Toronto to win, only to have them put in another awful playoff showing. They did win 2 of 3 versus Tampa in the regular season, and I think this series goes the distance.

Winnipeg Jets at Vegas Golden Knights

When: Tuesday, April 18 at 9:30 pm ET
Where: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, NV
TV / Streaming: ESPN 2

If you look at nothing but the regular season series between these teams, you have what looks to be a rather lopsided affair. The Vegas Golden Knights won all 3 meetings with the Jets in the regular season, and while one of those games was a blowout, the other two were decided by a single goal. Those are games that could, on any given night, go the other way. That said, I think that Vegas are a little stronger from top to bottom, which is why I like them to win this series in 6 games.

Seattle Kraken at Colorado Avalanche

When: Tuesday, April 18 at 10:00 pm ET
Where: Ball Arena, Denver, CO
TV / Streaming: ESPN

This is an interesting matchup in a number of ways. You have a team making their first ever playoff appearance going against a team that a lot of people believe will win the West, and potentially the Stanley Cup. It’s big that Seattle made it in, and you can argue that they are essentially playing with house money at this point, while all the pressure is on the shoulders of the Colorado Avalanche. The Kraken actually took 2 of 3 from the Avs in the regular season, but I think Colorado moves into a higher gear and takes this series in 6 games.

Previous Betting News

After a long, hard-fought, tiring regular season, the 16 teams that survived and moved on to the NHL Playoffs will start their quest for the Stanley Cup on Monday night. We will have 4 series starting on Monday, with the remaining 4 set to begin on Tuesday. There are some great matchups in Round 1, and while there are certainly a couple of definite favorites to win it all, we are not taking anything for granted. There will be some surprises along the way, and we will cover as much of the action as possible. Let’s start by talking about the Monday games and how each series might play out.

NHL Playoffs First Round Games: 4/17 Matchups and Potential Outcomes | NHL Lines

New York islanders Vs Carolina Hurricanes

When: Monday, April 17 at 7:00 pm ET
Where: PNC Arena, Raleigh, NC
TV / Streaming: ESPN 2

The Islanders had to wait until the very last day of the season to punch their playoff ticket, with their reward being a Round 1 series against the Carolina Hurricanes, a team that a lot of pundits like to win the Stanley Cup. The Islanders won the first meeting in the regular season, but the Hurricanes won 3 in a row to take the regular season series by 3-1. I think we get more of the same here, with the Hurricanes taking it in 5, maybe 6 games.

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Florida Panthers Vs Boston Bruins

When: Monday, April 17 at 7:30 pm ET
Where: TD Garden, Boston, MA
TV / Streaming: ESPN

The Bruins were, by far, the best team in the league in the regular season, but this is a whole different game. Home ice advantage is huge for a team that was about as close to unbeatable as it gets in their own building, and they might just need that against the Panthers. These two teams split their regular season series, so this might not be a walk in the park for the Bruins, although I do think they will take the series in 6 games.

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Minnesota Wild Vs Dallas Stars

When: Monday, April 17 at 9:30 pm ET
Where: American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX
TV / Streaming: ESPN 2

We have ourselves a Central Division matchup in Round 1, with the familiarity possibly making this series a little more difficult to predict. The Stars took 3 of 4 from the Wild in their regular season series, which might just give Dallas the edge. You have to look at how these teams closed out the season, too. Minnesota lost their final 2 games, while the Stars ended on a 6-game win streak. Momentum tends to play a role in the postseason, so with that in mind, I am taking the Stars to move on in 6 games.

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LA Kings Vs Edmonton Oilers

When: Monday, April 17 at 10:00 pm ET
Where: Rogers Place, Edmonton, AB
TV / Streaming: ESPN

The final game on the Monday night schedule is another divisional matchup. This time, it is the Pacific Division in the spotlight, with the LA Kings and Edmonton Oilers set to renew hostilities. The regular season series between these teams was a tight affair, with a 4-game split how it ended. The Oilers come into the postseason with all the momentum, winning 9 in a row to close out the regular season. I think we get a close series here and one that goes all the way. I am giving the slight nod to the Oilers, who I think will take it in 7 games.

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Previous Betting News

We have now seen all 8 games from the opening round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, with a few of the results different than what we expected. While a win in Game 1 is big, especially when it comes on the road, the teams who have the lead know that there is a lot more to be done before they can move on to the next round. Wednesday night will see no less than 4 Game 2 games played. We have already taken a quick look at all the Round 1 series, but we thought it might be worth doing a quick recap now that we do have a game in the books, so let’s look at the games taking place on Wednesday night.

NHL Playoffs First Round Games: 4/19 | NHL Lines

New York Islanders at Carolina Hurricanes

When: Wednesday, April 19 at 7:00 pm ET
Where: PNC Arena, Raleigh, NC
TV / Streaming: ESPN 2

We all know the old nugget about defense winning championships, and while we are just 1 game in, we are seeing a couple of teams look solid on D in the early going. One of those teams is the Carolina Hurricanes, who came away with a 2-1 win over the Islanders in Game 1. This is perhaps not that surprising when you consider that the Hurricanes took 3 in a row from the Islanders in the regular season, surrendering just 3 goals in the process. My initial pick was the Hurricanes in 5 games, and that stays the same.

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Florida Panthers at Boston Bruins

When: Wednesday, April 19 at 7:00 pm ET
Where: TD Garden, Boston, MA
TV / Streaming: ESPN

Given how good the Bruins have been at home this season, I think the only way this series becomes interesting is if the Panthers can steal Game 2 on the road. The Bruins looked in control throughout as they took Game 1 by a score of 3-1. If they can also take the 2nd game on home ice, this thing might be over before it even gets started. I initially had the Bruins winning this series in 6 games but hitting the road with a 2-0 lead might just see them getting the job done sooner.

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Minnesota Wild at Dallas Stars

When: Wednesday, April 19 at 9:30 pm ET
Where: American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX
TV / Streaming: ESPN 2

Starting out a series on the road is tough, with most teams looking to come away with the split, which would mean stealing home ice advantage. The Minnesota Wild did just that, taking out the Stars 3-2 in a double OT Game 1. I had a feeling that this series was going to be tight, and I think it’s fair to say that the opening game proved that. The pressure is very much on Dallas in Game 2, but we very often see the home team bounce back in a big way after an opening game loss. I had Dallas winning the series in 6, but this one might just go the distance.

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LA Kings at Edmonton Oilers

When: Wednesday, April 19 at 10:00 pm ET
Where: Rogers Place, Edmonton, AB
TV / Streaming: ESPN

The Oilers came into the postseason on a staggering run of form, winning 9 in a row to close out the regular season. That all went out the window in Game 1, though, as they fell to the LA Kings in OT on home ice. This is not entirely surprising, as I always felt as though this was going to be a series that went the full 7 games. Yes, the pressure is on Edmonton heading into Game 2, but there will be no panic in that squad, at least, not yet.

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It’s always a little sad to see the end of the NHL regular season arrive, but the great news is that the end means that we get to head into the excitement of the playoffs. The 2022 version of the Stanley Cup Playoffs began on Monday night and will continue unabated until we crown a champion. There are 8 series across 2 different conferences to keep an eye on. Let’s take a look at all of the Round 1 series as we try to pick who will move on and in how many games so you can bet against the NHL Playoffs Odds.

Betting Predictions for the NHL Playoffs Matches: Round 1 Series

MLB Eastern Conference Betting Predictions

Carolina Hurricanes in 5 games
Game 1 of the series between the Boston Bruins and Carolina Hurricanes saw the Hurricanes come away with a dominating 5-1 win on home ice. That closely resembled how things looked in the regular season, with Carolina beating up Boston 5 straight times. This could well be a short series.

Toronto Maple Leafs in 6 games
It was another blowout in the East in Game 1, with the Toronto Maple Leafs besting the two-time defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning by a score of 5-0. I’m not so sure it will be that easy for Toronto throughout this series, but I still like them to move on.

New York Rangers in 6 games
Tuesday night will see the Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Rangers get their series started. It was a bit lopsided in the regular season, with the Rangers taking 3 of 4 from their division rivals. I see a low-scoring series here, but only one winner.

Florida Panthers in 6 games
The final series in the East sees the #1 seeded Florida Panthers open up at home against the Washington Capitals on Tuesday night. It was 3 very close games between these teams in the regular season, so I don’t expect a quick conclusion here.

 MLB Western Conference Betting Predictions

Minnesota Wild in 7 games
Given that the Wild and Blues both finished with over 100 points and just 4 points apart in the regular season, it was surprising to see St. Louis cruise to a 4-0 win in Game 1. I think we are still on for a very long series here.

Edmonton Oilers in 7 games
The other series that has seen a game played already has the LA Kings a game up on the Edmonton Oilers after a 4-3 road win in Game 1. This is another series that felt as tough it might take a whole to decide, and I think Game 1 just verifies that.

Colorado Avalanche in 6 games
The #1 seeded and Stanley Cup favorite Colorado Avalanche will start their playoff series versus the Nashville Predators on Tuesday night. The Predators are a team that I don’t think too many wanted to face in Round 1, but I do still like the Avs to prevail and move on.

Calgary Flames in 5 games
The final opening round series in the Western Conference sees the Calgary Flames start out at home against the Dallas Stars. The Flames have arguably the best top line in hockey and look too good from top to bottom for the Stars.

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