After a combined 18 tense, back-and-forth games filled with more emotional swings than you’ll see at an average wedding, it all comes down to this: A Game 7 NHL playoff tripleheader that stretches from the southeastern U.S. to central Canada to western Canada.
Six teams, all facing the same reality: Win or go home. Which squads have the edge Saturday? More importantly, which offer the most value on the NHL playoff odds board? Props.com breaks it all down in a Game 7 edition of our NHL playoff odds and action report.
Odds via DraftKings and updated as of 5:45 p.m. ET on May 14.
Bruins Vs Hurricanes (Game 7)
Puck Drop/TV: 4:30 p.m. ET/ESPN
Moneyline: Hurricanes -140/Bruins +120
Puckline: Hurricanes -1.5 (+175)/Bruins +1.5 (-210)
Total: 5.5 (Over -115/Under -105)
Best-of-7 series: Tied 3-3
Game 6 recap: The NHL’s most predictable first-round series remained predictable Thursday, as the Bruins rolled to a 5-2 victory as a consensus -120 favorite. Boston opened up a 2-0 lead after two periods, then tacked on three goals in the third to put the game away. The home team has won all six games in the series. A late meaningless goal by Carolina pushed the game past the 6-goal total, bringing the Over to 5-0-1 in the series.
Series slap shots: Not only is the host 6-for-6 in this series, but the final scores have been nearly identical: 5-1 (Game 1), 5-2 (Game 2), 4-2 (Game 3), 5-2 (Game 4), 5-1 (Game 5) and 5-2 (Game 6). … Carolina is just 5-for-33 on the power play, while the Bruins are 6-for-28. That’s a combined 21.6% hit rate.
Betting Nuggets
- The favorite is 6-0 in this series and 10-1 in the last 11 head-to-head clashes
- Despite losing three of the last four games (all in Boston), Carolina remains 6-3 against the Bruins this season, with a +18 goal differential overall (37-19) and a +14 goal differential at home (18-4)
- The Hurricanes are still 11-2 in their last 13 games. They’ve tallied at least four goals in 12 of their last 15 contests
- Carolina is 32-8-4 at home this season, including 4-0 against the Bruins
- Boston is 1-5 in its last six road games (all as an underdog), allowing 27 goals (4.5 per game)
- The Over is 7-0-1 in the last eight series meetings
- The Over is also 8-0-1 in Boston’s last nine overall and 9-0-1 in Carolina’s last 10 overall
Prediction: Bruins 3, Hurricanes 2
Lightning Vs Maple Leafs (Game 7)
Puck Drop/TV: 7 p.m. ET/TNT
Moneyline: Maple Leafs -135/Lightning +115
Puck line: Maple Leafs -1.5 (+180)/Lightning +1.5 (-220)
Total: 6.5 (Over +100/Under -120)
Best-of-7 series: Tied 3-3
Game 6 recap: The Maple Leafs dug out of a 2-0 hole by scoring three straight goals in an eight-minute span in the second period. However, Tampa got the equalizer midway through the third period, then scored the game-winner with just under two minutes left in the first overtime. With the win, Tampa Bay improved to 17-0 in their last 17 playoff games after a loss, cashing as a consensus -140 home favorite. The game ticked Over the 6.5-goal total, the fifth straight Over in the series.
Series slap shots: The last two games had identical 4-3 results. Prior to that, seven straight head-to-head meetings were decided by multiple goals. … The winning team has scored at least four goals in nine straight Lightning-Leafs meetings. … The teams have combined to find the back of the net 69 times in the last nine matchups (7.67 goals per game). … Even though the Lightning had the lone third-period goal Thursday, these squads have tallied 17 third-period goals in the last five contests.
Betting Nuggets
- Toronto is still 17-5-2 dating to March 27
- Toronto is 50-18 in its last 68 games as a favorite
- Tampa Bay is 10-5 in its last 15 overall
- Tampa Bay is 10-3 in its last 13 playoff games as an underdog (1-2 in this series)
- Eight of the last nine Lightning-Leafs battles have gone Over the total. The lone exception: Toronto’s 5-0 home win in Game 1
- The favorite and home team are 5-2 in the last seven series meetings
- The Over is on overall runs of 18-5 for Tampa Bay and 15-4-5 for Toronto
Prediction: Lightning 5, Maple Leafs 3
Kings Vs Oilers (Game 7)
Puck Drop/TV: 10 p.m. ET/ESPN
Moneyline: Oilers -205/Kings +165
Puckline: Oilers -1.5 (+120)/Kings +1.5 (-140)
Total: 6 (Over -115/Under -105)
Best-of-7 series: Tied 3-3
Game 6 recap: Some 48 hours after a crushing 5-4 overtime home loss, the Oilers kept their season alive with a 4-2 victory in Los Angeles on Thursday. Edmonton blew a 2-0 lead, but scored the final two goals, including an empty-netter with one minute remaining. The Oilers cashed as a consensus -140 road chalk, with the game falling just short of the 6.5-goal total.
Series slap shots: Since L.A.’s 4-3 victory in Game 1, four of the last five contests have been decided by multiple goals. … The winning team has found the back of the net at least four times in every game. … Five of the six games have featured at least six goals.
Betting Nuggets
- Edmonton is on positive runs of 16-5-1 overall, 15-2-1 at home (but 1-2 in this series) and 8-4 against the Kings
- Edmonton is still just 5-14 in its last 19 playoff contests (5-10 as a favorite)
- Los Angeles is 8-4-1 in its last 13 overall
- Los Angeles is now 3-11 in the playoffs since winning the 2014 Stanley Cup
- The road team is 8-3 in the last 11 Oilers-Kings battles
- The total has alternated in all six games of this series and each of the last eight head-to-head tussles
- The total has alternated in 10 straight Oilers games and eight consecutive Kings contests
Prediction: Oilers 6, Kings 1
NHL Playoffs Odds & Action Updates
Bruins vs Hurricanes
UPDATE 12:30 P.M. ET: Carolina opened as a -130 favorite late Thursday night in DraftKings’ Saturday NHL playoff odds market. The Hurricanes toggled between -130 and -135 until mid-Friday morning, then toggled between -135 and -140 until dipping back to -130 this morning. But the moneyline is now back at Hurricanes -140/Bruins +120. Ticket count and money are in the 2.5/1 range on Carolina.
The total opened at 5.5 (Over -120), made multiple trips to 6 at various prices, and is now 5.5 (Over -115). Ticket count is 4/1 and money 3/1-plus on the Over.
Maple Leafs vs Lightning
UPDATE 5:45 P.M. ET: TwinSpires Sportsbook opened Toronto as a -123 favorite on the Saturday NFL playoff odds board. The Maple Leafs are now out to -134 while attracting 58% of bets and 72% of money.
“It’s a mix of public and sharp money on the Leafs,” TwinSpires director of retail sports Zachary Lucas said.
The total opened at 6.5 (Over -115) and is now 6.5 (Under -120), with 68% of bets/55% of cash on the Over.
“Sharp play on Under 6.5,” Lucas said.
UPDATE 12:30 P.M. ET: Toronto hit DraftKings’ Saturday NHL playoff odds board as a -125 chalk late Thursday night. Shortly thereafter, the Maple Leafs bottomed out at -120, before peaking at -130 Friday morning. The moneyline has been fairly stable at Leafs -125/Lightning +105 from lunchtime Friday up until this afternoon.. Ticket count is almost dead even, and Toronto is taking a nominal majority 57% of money.
Kings vs Oilers
UPDATE 5:45 P.M. ET: Edmonton ping-ponged around a bit on TwinSpires’ Saturday NHL playoff odds board. The Oilers opened at -210, peaked at -230 and are now -220, with four hours to go until faceoff. Ticket count is 3/1 and money nearing 3/1 on Edmonton.
“The public is all over the Oilers tonight,” Lucas said.
The total opened at 6.5 (Under -120) and is now 6 (Over -120), although 62% of tickets/61% of dollars are on the Over.
UPDATE 12:30 P.M. ET: Late Thursday night, DraftKings opened Edmonton as a -225 favorite, and that moneyline quickly dropped to -204. By early this morning, the Oilers moved up to -215, where they sit now, with the Kings +175 underdogs. Ticket count is almost 5/1 and money just shy of 4/1 on the favored Oilers.
The total opened at 6.5 flat and is down to 6 (Over -120), although ticket count is 3/2 and money 3/1 on the Over.
Check back prior to puck drop for additional NHL playoff odds and action updates.
