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NHL Hockey Playoffs Friday Best Bets: Friday, April 21st
It’s time to switch venues for game 3 of the first round of the NHL Playoffs, and our resident pucks expert Ej Garr is offering a pair of plays for Friday night from the four games on the schedule.
The day’s events start with the first puck drop of the night in New York as the Islanders look to get back in the series with the Canes after dropping both games on the road to start the series. The Stars and Wild pick up their series tied at a win apiece after Dallas leveled the battle on Wednesday with a resounding 7 – 3 success after dropping game 1 at home.
In this article:
- NY Islanders vs Carolina Hurricanes Preview
- NY Islanders vs Carolina Hurricanes Best Bet
- Minnesota Wild vs Dallas Stars Preview
- Minnesota Wild vs Dallas Stars Best Bet
NY Islanders vs Carolina Hurricanes Preview
April 22, 00:07 (UK time)
The Carolina Hurricanes have had the Islanders’ number all season, as they have taken all 5 of the meetings in the series including two playoff wins after sweeping the regular season, 3 – 0. The line setters can’t decide which team to give their allegiance to as the Moneyline offer on both teams is about even money.
To that, I say thank you because I do not think the Islanders have a snowball’s chance in hell to win any of these games and I believe they will be swept right out of the series with the Canes. Might I add that I have played the Canes to win and Both Teams to Score in game 1 and game 2, and would you look at all that value on the prospects of it happening again?
Hello, 2.82! Nice to meet you!
Even when the Canes and Islanders went to overtime on Wednesday night I had zero concern that the Isles were going to steal a win, and they didn’t after the 4 – 3 loss. New York got down 2 – 0 through the mid-point of the game and just when it looked like they were out of gas they fought back to not only tie the game at 2 – 2, but they were the first team to score in the third period that gave them their first lead of the series. Jacob Slavin scored the tying goal at the 12-minute mark and five minutes into the extra frame Jesper Fast ripped a wrister past Ilya Sorokin to send the home crowd into a frenzy.
The Canes’ road record this year is 24 – 11 – 5 – 1, and it almost matches the Islanders’ home record at 25 – 13 – 1 – 2. Home ice should always be a source of wins, but as I said I am just not convinced that the Islanders can use that to their advantage at all. A series sweep means that I expect the Canes to win both games being played here in New York, so take advantage of a sweet line of 2.82.
NY Islanders vs Carolina Hurricanes Best Bet
The Canes will go up 3 – 0 in the series and improve to 6 – 0 vs the Islanders this campaign after they win this game 5 – 3. Goal-scoring has not slowed down after a high-scoring regular season around the NHL, so expect goals to be scored here too!
- Selection: Carolina Win + Both Teams to Score
- Best odds: 2.82 (Marathon)
- Stakes: 4/10
More NY Islanders vs Carolina Hurricanes Tips
Minnesota Wild vs Dallas Stars Preview
April 22, 02:37 (UK time)
Is that a 5.5 on the total? And the Over with OT Included is being offered at even money? Game 2 in Dallas was an absolute showcase featuring 10 goals, and moving venues to Minnesota doesn’t make me think that the scoring will slow down.
The Wild stole game 1 of the series on Monday, but they still have some ugly history to shake off if they plan on advancing to the next stage of the NHL Playoffs. The Wild has not won a playoff series since 2015 and they have been bounced out of the first-round 7 straight times.
As is the case from the Islanders / Canes series, these two teams have almost identical road/home records. Dallas has managed a 25 – 11 – 4 – 1 road record and the Wild have accumulated a 25 – 12 – 0 – 4 home record this season. The line setters are also unsure of who they think will take the game 3 win because it’s about even money for either team if you can simply pick the winner of the match.
I am not bothering with any of that because this total at 5.5 is hysterical to me. This has been a crazy season full of goal-scoring, and most people are used to the playoffs providing low-scoring, defensive games that we are just not seeing. If you have played the Grand Salami the last two nights, the over has poured in because everyone is still scoring goals in droves, and the Stars sure wasted no time finding 7 on Wednesday night.
Ironically 4 of the 5 meetings that these two teams have played have seen 5 goals or less but with so much on the line and the way Dallas looked the other night, I cannot shy away from the expectation that game 3 will be high-scoring. I can easily see this as a 3 – 3 game early in the third period and I don’t think we need to settle for that 5.5 on the total.
You have been around me long enough by now to know the Mayor of Value City has other thoughts in mind when it comes to this total, so let’s move this puppy to 6. Pinnacle is offering 2.32 for the Over 6 with OT Included and we are on that tip like white on rice!
Minnesota Wild vs Dallas Stars Best Bet
It will be 3 – 3 in plenty of time for us to sit back and enjoy the rest of the game knowing a 2.32 ticket is in our pockets waiting to be cashed. So, you get a 2.82 and a 2.32 tonight from both best bets, and I know no one is shocked a bit! Have a splendid weekend!
- Selection: Over 6 OT-Included
- Best odds: 2.32 (Pinnacle)
- Stakes: 4/10
Odds as of 9:00 am April 21, 2023. Odds may now differ.
More Minnesota Wild vs Dallas Stars Tips
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