Once again, the NHL playoffs bring forth numerous unexpected twists in the initial round. Although a few teams have already advanced to the next stage, the majority of first-round clashes are still in progress and can be bet upon at West Virginia sportsbooks.
The focus of numerous hockey enthusiasts in the area is currently on the Pittsburgh Penguins as they face off against the New York Islanders in their series.
Following their victories in games two and three, the Penguins suffered defeats in the last two matches, leaving them behind in the series with a 3-2 deficit. Despite securing the leading position in the regular season for the East Division, Pittsburgh is now faced with the challenge of avoiding elimination on Wednesday night.
On Monday, in the crucial fifth game, the Isles emerged victorious in double overtime. It was center Josh Bailey who secured the game-winning goal, stunningly scoring within a minute into the second OT. This was all made possible by goalie Tristan Jarry’s disastrous turnover.
Pittsburgh cannot afford to ponder over its mistakes; instead, it must secure victories in the upcoming two matches.
Now, let’s delve deeper into the betting odds for Game 6 and analyze the remaining NHL playoff scenario.
Penguins-Islanders Game 6 preview
Despite the possibility of the Pens’ season concluding on Wednesday, DraftKings Sportsbook WV slightly favors the Isles. The odds show the Islanders at -109 to advance to the second round, while the Penguins are at -106.
The online sportsbook offers a puck line on the New York team with a -1.5 spread, accompanied by odds of +235. Alternatively, bettors can choose the Pittsburgh Penguins to receive a +1.5 spread at odds of -286.
The total number of goals for the game is 5.5.
Pittsburgh has encountered a scoring deficiency during their postseason run. Despite netting five goals in Game 3, the Penguins managed to score merely three times in their last two games.
In this series, the performance of Islanders’ goalie Ilya Sorokin has been exceptional. In Game 4, he showcased his skills by making 29 saves and allowing only a single goal to secure the victory.
Sorokin continued to impress in the last game, delivering an even more exceptional performance by stopping 48 shots in the victorious match. Remarkably, he has been the starting goaltender in all three of New York’s wins during this series, whereas Semyon Varlamov has yet to secure a victory, with a record of 0-2.
Following his remarkable performance on Monday, it is probable that the Isles will opt to continue with Sorokin tonight.
The Penguins require the contribution of their key players, regardless of who is playing as the goaltender for New York. Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel concluded the season as the two highest point scorers on the team.
In the first five playoff games, their collective point total stands at a mere three.
Those who have faith in the Pens’ potential comeback in this series can take advantage of favorable odds. DraftKings has assigned a +210 odds for the Pens to advance, while the Isles have been given -275 odds.
In addition, the online sportsbook offers alternative betting options for the series. One such option is to place a wager on the total number of games played. For instance, you can bet on the over 6.5 games with odds of -109 or choose the under with odds of -118.
Stanley Cup playoff odds
The team that emerges victorious from the Pens-Isles series will face the Boston Bruins in the second round. They swiftly eliminated the Washington Capitals in a mere five games to advance.
The Colorado Avalanche and Winnipeg Jets have both advanced. The Avs triumphed over St. Louis in four games, while the Jets achieved a sweep over the Edmonton Oilers.
FanDuel WV predicts that the Avs are leading the race for the title, having assigned them a +270 odds to emerge as Stanley Cup champions. Following closely behind is Boston, currently in second place with +500 odds.
There are numerous ongoing series that are quite intense.
Minnesota trails Las Vegas 2-3, just like Nashville trails Carolina, and Florida trails Tampa Bay.
This evening, both Vegas and Tampa have the opportunity to seal the deal.
The series odds for the Golden Knights to finish are -650, while the Wild’s odds are +430. In the Florida battle, Tampa is favored with odds of -460, whereas the Panthers are the underdogs with odds of +340.
In this scenario, Carolina stands as the clear frontrunner. FanDuel odds place them at -700, while the Preds trail behind with odds of +470.
The odds are intriguing due to the lack of clear advantage between these two teams throughout the entire series. The previous three matches have all been determined in overtime.
The sole remaining series that hasn’t been mentioned is between Toronto and Montreal. Despite losing the initial game, the Leafs have triumphed in three consecutive matches and appear to have discovered their rhythm.
The odds for their series are heavily tilted, making it an unattractive bet unless you believe in Montreal’s potential comeback. Toronto is listed at -3500 for advancing to the next round, whereas Montreal is at +1600.
The Maple Leafs’ chances in this postseason are highly favored by most WV sportsbooks. FanDuel, in particular, places them with the third-best odds of winning the championship at +550.
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