Daily NHL Odds and Betting Trends – 05/30/21
by OddsShark (@OddsShark) – Sponsored Post
Here’s a look at the NHL odds and betting trends for the games on today’s schedule.
All NHL betting lines below are as listed at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.
Lightning vs Hurricanes | OddsShark Matchup Report
Opening NHL Odds: Hurricanes -111 Favorites
The two best teams in the Central Division for most of the regular season will clash in Raleigh on Sunday when Carolina hosts Tampa Bay in a near-pick’em series opener to start the second round. The Hurricanes won the division title with 80 points but will need to prove themselves again versus the defending Stanley Cup champions, who finished third in the Central with 75 but have been one of the most impressive clubs so far this postseason.
The Lightning have been better offensively with star winger Nikita Kucherov back in the lineup despite the fact that he is still battling a knee injury, as he totaled two assists in last Wednesday’s 4-0 win over the Panthers as -145 home favorites in their series-clinching Game 6. Carolina did not have to deal with him in splitting eight meetings this year. The Hurricanes are coming off a grueling six-game series win versus the Predators that saw the last four decided in overtime after they took a 2-0 lead. This series could be low-scoring, with the UNDER on an 8-1-1 run dating back to 2019.
Golden Knights vs Avalanche | OddsShark Matchup Report
Opening NHL Odds: Avalanche -182 Favorites
The most highly anticipated second-round series will kick off in Denver when Vegas visits West Division champion Colorado in Game 1. The Avalanche won a tiebreaker over the Golden Knights for the division title with more regulation wins, as each team had an NHL-best 82 points. That ultimately decided home ice here, with them splitting eight regular-season meetings and both winning twice on the road.
The big difference in terms of current form though is how they played in the first round. Colorado swept St. Louis in relatively easy fashion, winning each of the four games by three goals or more. Meanwhile, Vegas needed to go to a Game 7 against Minnesota on Friday before advancing with a 6-2 victory as a -200 home favorite. The extra time off could help or hurt the Avalanche, who have not played in exactly one week, and the Golden Knights are healthier now than they were to start the last round with leading scorer Max Pacioretty returning to the ice for the first time since May 1 in Game 7. Like the earlier game, this one could be low-scoring, with the UNDER going 6-2 in the eight regular- season meetings.
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