Updated 2017 NHL Western Conference Odds (April 18th)
Posted by Henry Watkins on Tuesday,April 18, 2017 4:45, EDT in
Heading into this year’s version of the Stanley Cup playoffs, the general consensus appeared to be that the eventual winner would come from the Eastern Conference. There are 3 or 4 teams in there who most consider to be championship material, while the Western Conference looked a little more even. That has certainly proven to be the case in the opening round, as the favorites struggle, and a couple of series are already on the brink of being over. We plan on following the NHL playoffs from start to finish, keeping you guys up to date as we go, and we will continue our coverage by taking a look at what is going on in the Western Conference. Find out more about the latest NHL betting odds here.
Updated 2017 NHL Western Conference Odds (April 18th)
Chicago Blackhawks Vs Nashville Predators
The Blackhawks came into the postseason as one of the favorites to go all the way. After all, they finished the season with the best record in the West, and also had a wealth of playoff experience to draw upon. All that has been for naught as they are now in a 3-0 hole to the Predators. It took Chicago until Game 3 to actually put the puck in the net, but they then gassed a 2-0 lead in that game, going down 3-2 in OT. It looks to be over for the Blackhawks, while the Predators are suddenly a hot bet.
Minnesota Wild Vs St. Louis Blues
The Wild had entered the postseason with somewhat poor odds, as they struggled to maintain their early season form all the way to the finish. Their end of season slump appears to have carried over into the postseason, as they have only managed to score 3 times in 3 games, going down 3-0 in the series versus the Blues. The Wild now look like betting poison, while the odds for the Blues are getting shorter, as they have the chance to kill off the series on home ice on Tuesday night.
Anaheim Ducks Vs Calgary Flames
I had the Calgary Flames as my dark horse pick in the West heading into the playoffs, but may have changed that had I known at the time of writing that they would be up against the Anaheim Ducks. Calgary has not beaten the Ducks in Anaheim in 29 attempts, and while the series has been very competitive this time around, the Flames still find themselves in a 3-0 series hole. The Ducks stock is rising in a big way, while the Flames are flickering.
San Jose Sharks Vs Edmonton Oilers
We all knew that the Edmonton Oilers were an exciting young team with the ability to put the puck in the net, but who knew they had great D, too. Since losing the opening game of this series, the Oilers have slammed the door shut, posting back to back shutouts and taking a 2-1 series lead. The Oilers now look like the dark horse pick in the West, while the Sharks suddenly find themselves swimming in waters tainted by their own blood.
