OOOOO doggy, that was quite the winning night last night! We had our Florida Panthers future cash (to win the series against TBL at -170) for some big profit, coupled with going 8/10 on player props for the night.
The Rats were flying on the ice in Florida last night (in more ways than one) to close out the series against the ancient Lightning. The Bolts tried their best, but this matchup was comparable to a UFC legend, past his prime, fighting an up-and-coming prospect with great skills and sufficient experience. Age and the salary cap have caught up with TBL, and I doubt they’ll have the room to lock up Stammer (probably their best player in the playoffs) to an extension. The Panthers brought the heat and the pressure last night, comparable to the heat and pressure you feel when you’re stuck in the middle seat between two chubsters on an aeroplane. It was just uncomfortable for the Bolts. RIP to that legacy. Now Florida turns its view to their likely next opponent, the Bruins, where there should be at least one face-lick with the characters involved in that series (lookin at you Marchy).
The second matchup of the night was a little less exciting, but those mangy Stars stole two games on the road to even up the series. Would you look at that? I had the Stars to win this series as a future bet, and it’s pretty evident they have outplayed VGK despite the split. Wyatt Johnson looks like a bonafide stud up front, making him the only successful “Wyatt” that I know. Tough name. And VGK …. how is that LTIR magic working out now buds? Stone hasn’t been driving the play like he has in the past, Pietrangelo is looking human out there, and the only chance they have in this series is if Logan Thompson avoids mirrors so he doesn’t realize that he isn’t Patrick Roy. As a wise musician once sang: “What goes around, comes around, goes around, comes around” …. and VGK is reaping the consequences of cheating the system.
Getting on to the plays for tonight, the switch-up to player props worked well last night. Hammered those puppies, and hit on the longshot same-game-parlay at +475. We’re going to stick with player props today, and I have loads for you guys to choose from. I’m also going to give a little longshot same-game-parlay for every game tonight to try to keep that momentum going. So without further ado, Broncos country, let’s ride.
*Units for me will be $100 bets. Bet responsibly.
If you want to keep up with the cash outs I’m taking, it’s easy to toss a follow on X and keep notifications on. You don’t have to take my suggested cash outs, but they are helpful in certain situations:
Game: Toronto Maple Leafs vs Boston Bruins, 5:00 p.m. CST
We go back to Boston tonight where the Leafs are on the brink of elimination after losing two straight games at home. Man, what is it with this Leafs team? I swear, on paper, they matchup closely with this Boston team. The offence is clearly better, even though they may lack in that comparison on defence/goalie. But the fact of the matter is, no matter how much skill you have up front, you need some dawgs out there to win the Cup. Toronto seriously lacks guys that have that dawg in them, and Boston has them aplenty.
Just look at all the drama going on with Toronto right now. Everyone has seen the videos of the big three cussing each other out on the bench. I actually liked that, and think they need more accountability, but it’s too little, too late. Marner may be injured, but there’s no excuse for playing as Charmin soft as he has lately. You start to lose the respect of your teammates the more you duck out of hits and refuse to go into the corners hard. They need to blow this thing up: Marner and Keefe gone.
Meanwhile, this may be the worst Boston team in years, but it doesn’t seem to matter. Swayman is playing out of his fucking mind, holding his resentment for the Leafs close after they took Ian Scott (developmental goaltender) one pick before Swayman in the fourth round of the Draft a few years back. McAvoy eats minutes, Lindholm and Carlo are rock-solid, and Marchy looks rejuvenated. Despite the Leafs getting a slight boost from the probable goalie change (Woll instead of Samsonov), they could be missing Matthews. I see this series ending tonight.
Picks:
- Bertuzzi Over 2.5 SOG (+100) 0.25u – Bertuzzi has been one of the only Leafs generating consistent offence, with 3, 4, 5, and 2 SOG over the last four games in this series. Expect him to match his mark over the last three games with Matthews possibly out and more opportunities.
- Rielly Over 2.5 SOG (+125) 0.25u – Boston isn’t great at limiting defenseman shots in this series, as can be shown by Reilly having 3 SOG in 3/4 games in this series. Expect offence from Reilly in a do-or-die game.
- Marchand Over 2.5 SOG (+110) 0.25u – While Marchy has only hit this line in 2/4 games in this series, the two times he hit, he had 6 and 5 SOG. He only slightly missed this line last game with 2 SOG, and they will need Marchy’s offence to close out the series.
- Edmundson Over 1.5 Blocked Shots (-140) 0.25u – A big, pure grinder on defence, Edmundson must have some bruises after this run blocking shots in the playoffs. He’s hit this line in 3/4 games this series, and he’ll be leaving everything on the line (including his body) trying to keep the Leafs’ season alive.
Game: New York Islanders vs Carolina Hurricanes, 5:30 p.m. CST
They’re going to hate me on the Island tonight, because it’s all Canes for me in game five. To be honest, the Isles are lucky that this series even went to a game five, because it’s been a case of Carolina acting as the dominatrix to the Islanders. Whips, gags, leather straps: you name it, they got it.
The tough part about it all for Isles fans is that it could easily be a split series right now if the Isles didn’t give up that late lead a couple games back. Varlamov has been lowkey very good, Barzal is actually starting to make an impact, and Horvat is one of those dawgs that I talked about earlier. Surprisingly, this series has been closer than WPG vs COL, and it has no business being this close on paper.
Regardless of all that, the Canes are just so consistent and solid. They play a tight game that translates very well to the playoffs, and the scores throughout the series have reflected that: Islanders haven’t scored more than three goals in any game of the series. Again though, as has happened in the past, this Canes team doesn’t seem to have the consistent scoring up front to make a Cup run. The Islanders are pretty decent defensively, but Carolina has only scored more than three goals once through this series.
It’ll be close tonight, but it’s Raising’ Canes time to move on to round two.
Picks:
- Barzal Over 2.5 SOG (-110) 0.25u – Barzal has been blazing up (not ripping bong tokes, just heating up on the ice) throughout this series. Other than one tough game, he’s had 4, 4, and 5 SOG. Isles need offence tonight to stay in the series, and Barzal is the offensive key for this team.
- Horvat Over 2.5 SOG (-130) 0.25u – Horvat has been the primary playdriver for NYI and his shot totals in the four games this series indicate that: 5, 2, 3, and 5 SOG. A 3/4 hit rate and an elimination game: lock it in.
- Palmieri Over 2.5 SOG (-115) 0.25u – An undercover shooter, Palmieri has sneaky offensive upside. Similar story to Horvat above, 3/4 hit rate in this series and plays PP1.
- Jarvis Over 2.5 SOG (+110) 0.25u – I love me some Seth man. This guy’s electric, and he’s playing first line minutes with good playmakers. 3 SOG in 3/4 games this series.
- Necas Under 2.5 SOG (-110) 0.25u – Marty just ain’t getting those SOG in this series. Likely, he’s just passing the puck too much. But we’ll take advantage with 2, 1, and 0 SOG in his last three games.
- Teravainen Under 1.5 SOG (+120) 0.25u – How the hell did this come to be? I thought Teuvo was a sniper that shot the puck? Well, actually, he has 2 SOG in his last 4 games. No bueno champ.
- Pulock Over 2.5 Blocked Shots (-125) 0.25u – Shin taps go to Pulock this series. 11 blocks over four games and he’s hit Over 2.5 in three out of the four games. Wear it pally.
Game: Colorado Avalanche vs Winnipeg Jets, 7:30 p.m. CST
Yup, it’s time to say buh-bye to the Jets. And I feel horrible saying that being a Canadian myself. I really thought the Jets had a good chance to advance here. Whoever said that defence wins championships clearly never met MacKinnon, Makar, Rantanen, and Nichushkin. That’s not even touching on other top-six guys playing out of their mind, such as Lehkonen with his stellar numbers and Mittlestadt looking like the best acquisition at the deadline. Colorado is just …… absolutely filthy, no other way to put it.
And what’s up with Helle in net for the Jets? The Vezina winner can’t show up in the Ploffs? In fairness to Hellebuyck, the Jets defence has been like that ten-year-old sieve in your cabinets that you use for draining pasta. Worn down, holes everywhere, and should be replaced very soon. Oh, and those Jets’ deadline acquisitions up front? Well, Toffoli plays like he’s on LSD out there, in his own little world for a majority of the time. Monahan has been solid, but hasn’t been able to contribute on the score sheet. The series is a disappointment no doubt, but there may be no bigger disappointment than giving up all your draft picks for next year only to have the acquisitions disappear in the playoffs.
Lastly, I would be remiss if I didn’t give the lubed up, double-wrister, sandpaper finish special to Makar for his play in this series. He’s the best dman in the league by a mile, his skating is as smooth as 21-year-aged whiskey, and his wrist shot could dent a Tesla Cybertruck. Honestly, good luck stopping this guy, because he looks like the Terminator out there, and the Jets sure look a lot like Sarah Connor (well, not really, but you get the analogy).
Picks:
- Lehkonen Over 2.5 SOG (-140) 0.25u – They keep setting this line at 2.5, and we keep taking it. 3, 5, 4, and 7 SOG throughout the series. That’s stupid. Getting a lot more offence with his move up the lineup due to the Drouin injury.
- Manson Over 1.5 SOG (-140) 0.25u – Nobody is pegging Manson as an offensive defenceman, but he gets a lot of minutes, and the shots from the point have been hitting Helle. Only 1 SOG last game, but 2, 3, and 6 SOG the three games before that.
- MacKinnon Under 4.5 SOG (-120) 0.25u – I don’t usually like taking a Under with a star player unless it’s pretty obvious; and here, it is. MacKinnon has been Under this line in 3 of the 4 games in this series and being away from the homebarn tonight, I’m expecting the trend to continue.
- Toews Under 1.5 SOG (+100) 0.25u – I also don’t like taking an Under when it’s only 1.5 unless it’s very obvious. Again, with Toews, it is. 0, 2, 0, and 1 SOG through the series for a 3/4 hit rate.
- Ehlers Over 2.5 SOG (-130) 0.25u – I won’t be taking many Jets to put up offensive numbers, but Ehlers is an exception. Even though his shots aren’t necessarily dangerous, he gets a ton off the rush because he loves skating it into the zone.
- Niederreiter Under 1.5 SOG (+100) 0.25u – Niederreiter doesn’t play a ton of minutes, and mostly gets any SOG chances he has from rebounds. He’s hit Under this line in 3 of his last 4 (and he only had 2 SOG when he hit Over), I expect something similar tonight.
Game: Nashville Predators vs Vancouver Canucks, 8:00 p.m. CST
The snoozer series of the first round. I wouldn’t blame anyone if they just set and forget these bets without watching the game. It’s still playoff hockey, so I’ll be tuning in. But come on Canucks, lets just play some feasible offence so we can enjoy the game.
It’s absurd that VAN is up 3-1 in this series. That comeback in game four was an absolute dagger, as Nashville outplayed them for about 55:00 minutes prior to that last three minute stretch. What a kick-in-the-dick for Preds fans. Juuse Saros has been less than adequate in net, and it doesn’t seem as though this Preds team can tickle twine despite the fact that Vancouver has started three different goalies in this series. Regardless, the only explanation for Vancouver winning three games in this series with three different tendy’s …. dark voodoo magic. So I’m not betting against them tonight.
And how lucky is Pettersson that VAN is up 3-1. The guy has been a ghost, and in all honesty, Casper might have made a bigger impact in this series. Petey is Marner and Marner is Petey – skilled, sick mitts, not built for playoffs. Vancouver’s lucky they have those dawgs Boeser, Miller, and Lindholm, or this is easily Nashville’s series.
Picks:
- Josi Under 2.5 SOG (+110) 0.25u – Surprisingly, Josi just can’t get pucks through in this series. 1, 3, 0, and 2 SOG in the four games, good for a 3/4 hit rate on the under. Vancouver’s blocked shot numbers are deadly throughout the series, so I’ll roll here.
- Nyquist Under 1.5 SOG (-110) 0.25u – Despite the goal last game, Nyquist only had one shot (to go along with broken ankles after that Hughes move at the blueline). To take it one step further, he has 3 SOG total in 4 games this series, and he’s Under this line in every game.
- Zucker Over 1.5 SOG (-150) 0.25u – The only Over SOG prop I’m taking in this game, it seems as though Zuckdaddy is the only guy getting consistent shots. 3/4 hit rate in this series and on the brink of elimination, he’ll need some more.
- Boeser Under 2.5 SOG (-120) 0.25u – Boeser absolutely went off last game with 8 SOG, and they needed it for that comeback. However, a lot of those shots came with the goalie pulled in the last three minutes, and in the three other games of this series, Boeser has: 1, 1, and 1 SOG.
- Garland Under 2.5 SOG (-150) 0.25u – Shawty Garland has been a pretty good playdriver, but he has yet to surpass 2 SOG in this series and has two goose eggs as well. Nail it.
- Lindholm Under 1.5 SOG (+125) 0.25u – Lindy has been a great offensive presence for the Canucks, but mostly as a playmaker. 1, 0, 1, and 1 SOG in the four games this series. Gotta hit it at plus money.
AND …. last but not least, the same-game parlays for tonight’s action:
SGP – TOR vs BOS:
- Over 1.5 Goals BOS + Under 8.5 Goals + Bertuzzi 2+ SOG + Rielly 2+ SOG + Carlo 2+ Blocked Shots (+375) 0.1u
SGP – NYI vs CAR:
- Over 1.5 Goals CAR + Under 7.5 Goals + Horvat 2+ SOG + Palmieri 2+ SOG + Jarvis 2+ SOG + Pulock 3+ Blocked Shots (+425) 0.1u
SGP – COL vs WPG:
- Over 2.5 Goals COL + Over 5.5 Goals + Lehkonen 2+ SOG + Ehlers 2+ SOG + Makar 2+ Blocked Shots (+280) 0.1u
SGP – NSH vs VAN:
- Over 1.5 Goals NSH + Under 8.5 Goals + Garland Under 2.5 SOG + Zucker 2+ SOG + Myers 2+ Blocked Shots (+475) 0.1u
Well that’s it people. I will be posting another betting article soon with more NHL Playoff game bets. If you want to make sure you don’t miss these articles, follow me on X at @plusmoneypost as I will be sharing them there.
Summary of Picks
Game: Toronto Maple Leafs vs Boston Bruins, 5:00 p.m. CST
Picks:
- Bertuzzi Over 2.5 SOG (+100) 0.25u
- Rielly Over 2.5 SOG (+125) 0.25u
- Marchand Over 2.5 SOG (+110) 0.25u
- Edmundson Over 1.5 Blocked Shots (-140) 0.25u
- SGP: Over 1.5 Goals BOS + Under 8.5 Goals + Bertuzzi 2+ SOG + Rielly 2+ SOG + Carlo 2+ Blocked Shots (+375) 0.1u
Game: New York Islanders vs Carolina Hurricanes, 5:30 p.m. CST
Picks:
- Barzal Over 2.5 SOG (-110) 0.25u
- Horvat Over 2.5 SOG (-130) 0.25u
- Palmieri Over 2.5 SOG (-115) 0.25u
- Jarvis Over 2.5 SOG (+110) 0.25u
- Necas Under 2.5 SOG (-110) 0.25u
- Teravainen Under 1.5 SOG (+120) 0.25u
- Pulock Over 2.5 Blocked Shots (-125) 0.25u
- SGP: Over 1.5 Goals CAR + Under 7.5 Goals + Horvat 2+ SOG + Palmieri 2+ SOG + Jarvis 2+ SOG + Pulock 3+ Blocked Shots (+425) 0.1u
Game: Colorado Avalanche vs Winnipeg Jets, 7:30 p.m. CST
Picks:
- Lehkonen Over 2.5 SOG (-140) 0.25u
- Manson Over 1.5 SOG (-140) 0.25u
- MacKinnon Under 4.5 SOG (-120) 0.25u
- Toews Under 1.5 SOG (+100) 0.25u
- Ehlers Over 2.5 SOG (-130) 0.25u
- Niederreiter Under 1.5 SOG (+100) 0.25u
- SGP: Over 2.5 Goals COL + Over 5.5 Goals + Lehkonen 2+ SOG + Ehlers 2+ SOG + Makar 2+ Blocked Shots (+280) 0.1u
Game: Nashville Predators vs Vancouver Canucks, 8:00 p.m. CST
Picks:
- Josi Under 2.5 SOG (+110) 0.25u
- Nyquist Under 1.5 SOG (-110) 0.25u
- Zucker Over 1.5 SOG (-150) 0.25u
- Boeser Under 2.5 SOG (-120) 0.25u
- Garland Under 2.5 SOG (-150) 0.25u
- Lindholm Under 1.5 SOG (+125) 0.25u
- SGP: Over 1.5 Goals NSH + Under 8.5 Goals + Garland Under 2.5 SOG + Zucker 2+ SOG + Myers 2+ Blocked Shots (+475) 0.1u