Top NHL Playoffs Betting Predictions For The 2nd Round
Posted by Henry Watkins on Tuesday,April 25, 2017 9:35, EDT in
And then there were 8. The first round of the NHL playoffs is now a thing of the past, which means it’s time to start looking ahead to the second round of hockey action. As is always the case with the playoffs, there were a few surprises, as well as a couple of teams perhaps leaving the realms of dark horse to move into favorite territory. There are 4 great match-ups to look forward to in the second round, and that means it’s time that we broke down each series to see if we can come up with the 4 teams that will move on to the conference finals. Find out more about the updated NHL betting odds here.
Analyzing The Top NHL Playoffs Betting Predictions For The 2nd Round
Washington Capitals Vs Pittsburgh Penguins
While it’s not really a surprise that these two teams would still be alive, how they got to this point was different than we might have expected. The defending champion Pittsburgh Penguins totally dominated the Columbus Blue Jackets in 5 games, while the Washington Capitals were made to work very hard for a 6-game win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. These two are very well matched, as they split their 4-game regular season series. The Penguins have the benefit of playoff experience, which I think will carry them through.
Penguins in 7
Ottawa Senators Vs New York Rangers
The Senators come into the second round after taking out the Boston Bruins in a hard-fought series that went 6 games, 4 of which required OT. The New York Rangers also won their opening round series versus the Montreal Canadiens in 6. It was the Ottawa Senators that won the regular season series 2-1, which included a win over the Rangers on the road. Despite that, I still think they are up against it a little here, and I believe that if the Rangers can get the split on the road in the opening two games, they will win the series.
Rangers in 6
Anaheim Ducks Vs Edmonton Oilers
The Ducks swept the Flames in their opening round series, although it was a match-up that was a little tougher than the outcome might suggest. The Oilers sprung a bit of an upset in knocking off the San Jose Sharks in 6 games, and they are an exciting young team that we need to keep an eye on. The deeper that you go in the playoffs, the more important experience becomes, and that is an area where the Oilers are lacking. My money is on the Ducks in this one.
Ducks in 6
St. Louis Blues Vs Nashville Predators
The St. Louis Blues got past the Minnesota Wild in 5 games, doing so by playing some stifling defense and only giving up 8 goals in the series. While that was impressive, it was nothing compared to the beating that Nashville put on the Chicago Blackhawks, sweeping them in 4 games and only allowing 3 goals in the process. This could well prove to be a very tight battle, but the Predators suddenly look like the team to beat in the West.
Predators in 5
