NHL Best Bet: Wednesday, May 18th

While one pair of Conference semifinal games gets underway on Tuesday night, another twin-bill will feature two more series that begins on Wednesday. Our resident NHL expert Ej Garr is on the prowl for a big tip full of value and he believes he has found a gem for our readers to enjoy from the Canes / Rangers matchup.

NHL Playoffs Best Bet May 18th

• Carolina vs NY Rangers: Rangers ML (OT Included)

Odds as of 09:00 am May 18th, 2022. Odds may now differ.

Carolina vs NY Rangers Best Bet

May 19th, 00:05 (UK time)

Just after midnight in the UK the Rangers and Hurricanes will start their Eastern Conference semifinals encounter in the states. It is the first of two games tonight as the Oilers and Flames will also begin their series in the Western Conference after this contest.

Betting is all about finding value and the momentum that the NY Rangers are carrying into this contest is too tough for me to ignore. Being down 3 – 2 to the Penguins only to make that incredible comeback gives the Blue Shirts the confidence they’ll need to steal a big victory for game 1 on the road, The line setters seem to disagree with that because they are listing the Canes to take game 1 as heavy favourites with 1.60 on the Moneyline offer.

What does that do to Ej? Oh, wait, that’s me, so let me start that over. What that does for me is make me point right to the dig because I am seeing the NY Rangers at 2.50 to find a game 1 win and oh, baby, that is more valuable than you can shake a hockey stick at!

Now, you can get on me for being a Rangers fan if you like, but I know how to separate bias from reality and make my bets with a straight face. Am I going to go bonkers here in New York if the Rangers find a win in game 1 to start the series in style? Duh!

Okay, so let’s point out the lines as far as series prices go because you already know the Canes are big favs for game 1.

Carolina to win the series: 1.50

NY Rangers to win the series: 2.65

Naturally, the Canes are expected to land in the Eastern Conference Finals to face the winner of the series between Florida and Tampa Bay. Not so fast, my friends!

Here it comes, so soak it in because I am about to hand you two lovely tickets to cash for tonight and later in the week. You know where the big guy is going here, right? You bet that I am going Blue Shirts to win this opening game of the series. and then they can take command back home in the Garden. We are not going to see a 2.50 again for the New York Rangers because the line setters are not about to keep offering all that value.

If you are looking ahead, the lines being offered for game 2 are already showing the Rangers at 2.30 so the Canes are big favs here but not as big for the next game here in two nights. Also, if you recall the Rangers and Canes met near the last day of the regular season and because the Canes went on and won that game we are here in Carolina and not in New York for game 1.

We all know how Carolina has gotten here and that is solely on their defensive adjustments and ability to keep the puck out of their net. Holding down Boston was certainly no easy task and let’s be honest – they didn’t! The Bruins scored 4 or more goals 3 times against the Canes so yes, the Canes may rank #1 in so many defensive statistical categories but this is the playoffs. 

Every team is open to getting dumped on when things fall apart and the Rangers’ offence can certainly find a way to break through the Canes’ backline and have success scoring. The Rankers will need to stop skating around on their power play and shoot the puck much more often than they have because they get stuck passing and not putting rubber on the goal. By the same token, the Blue Shirts rank 4th in the league up a man so they will need to hone in on that and not repeat their performance in that last regular-season effort against this team.

The Canes took 3 of 4 games in the regular season against the Rangers but the road team has taken wins from 4 of the last 5 meetings. The Rangers are 9 – 4 in their last 13 road games and the New Yorkers are 35 – 16 in the last 51 meetings with Carolina. What does it all mean? 

Say it with me, Let’s Go Rangers (Clap Clap, Clap Clap Clap) Extreme value of 2.50 on the road team points me to the Rangers to take game 1 and Igor Shesterkin better find his inner Vezina and stand on his head keeping the puck out of the net 

Hey, I mentioned we’d be cashing two tickets, right?
New York Rangers TO WIN THE SERIES at 2.65!! Oh, baby!

• Selection: Rangers to Win (OT Incl)
• Best odds: 2.50 (Bet365)
• Stakes 4/10

Odds as of 09:00 am May 18th, 2022. Odds may now differ.

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