Daily NHL Odds and Betting Trends – 08/04/20
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.
Panthers vs Islanders | OddsShark Matchup Report
Opening NHL Odds: Islanders -125 Favorites
The Islanders will look to go up 2-0 on the Panthers in Game 2 of their best-of-five qualifying round series on Tuesday. New York won Game 1 on Saturday 2-1 behind stellar goaltending from Semyon Varlamov, who stopped 27 shots in the victory. The Islanders jumped out to a 2-0 lead after two periods before Jonathan Huberdeau halted the shutout by scoring the lone goal for the Panthers at the 23-second mark of the third. The only real concern for New York is the health of defenseman Johnny Boychuk, who took a hit to the head in the second period and did not return. The Isles had lost their previous seven games to end the regular season.
Coyotes vs Predators | OddsShark Matchup Report
Opening NHL Odds: Predators -135 Favorites
The Predators hope to even their qualifying round series with the Coyotes at 1-1 after seeing their rally fall short in Game 1. Nashville fell behind 4-1 at the end of the second period before scoring two goals in the third and also trailed 3-0 late in the first. Nashville chose to start Juuse Saros between the pipes instead of veteran Pekka Rinne in the series opener, and you have to wonder if head coach John Hynes will switch things up in Game 2. Saros surrendered four goals on 37 shots, including the three early ones that put the Preds in a deep hole. On the other side, Arizona’s Darcy Kuemper made 40 saves as the team ended a two-game skid.
Blue Jackets vs Maple Leafs | OddsShark Matchup Report
Opening NHL Odds: Maple Leafs -159 Favorites
The Maple Leafs looked terrible in Game 1 against the Blue Jackets and will attempt to right the ship and even the series in Game 2. Toronto has been labeled an underachieving club the past few years due to a wealth of talent and no playoff series wins to show for it. The Leafs now seemingly have an edge playing on their home ice yet fell on their faces in the opener as they were blanked 2-0. That said, Columbus goaltender Joonas Korpisalo was outstanding with 28 saves in the shutout victory, and head coach John Tortorella continued to prove he remains one of the best in the business. The UNDER is on a 4-0 run for the Blue Jackets.
Flames vs Jets | OddsShark Matchup Report
Opening NHL Odds: Flames -110 Favorites
The Flames and Jets will be playing on back-to-back days after splitting the first two games of a heated series. Winnipeg bounced back nicely on Monday with a 3-2 win as a +145 underdog after falling 4-1 as a +105 dog in the opener on Saturday. The Jets evened the series despite playing without two of their best players in Patrik Laine (wrist) and Mark Scheifele (leg), who was hit hard by Matthew Tkachuk in Game 1. While the team picked up a great victory there, it is hard to imagine Winnipeg continuing to play this well without them. Calgary has also won three in a row in the second game of a back-to-back situation.
Hurricanes vs Rangers | OddsShark Matchup Report
Opening NHL Odds: Hurricanes -135 Favorites
The Hurricanes can become the first team to move on to the next round if they can sweep the Rangers in this spot. Carolina has won five straight road games following a 4-1 victory in Game 2 as a -140 favorite, and this year’s club is starting to look very similar to last year’s version that rolled to the Eastern Conference Final. Andrei Svechnikov was the star on Monday with the Hurricanes’ first-ever playoff hat trick, as the 20-year-old Russian scored once in each period en route to the victory. The Hurricanes have won four of the last five times they have played the second game of a back-to-back.
Wild vs Canucks | OddsShark Matchup Report
Opening NHL Odds: Canucks -160 Favorites
There may have been a goalie controversy going into this series for the Wild, but not so much anymore after Alex Stalock blanked the Canucks in an impressive 3-0 victory in Game 1 on Sunday. Stalock stopped all 28 shots he faced for Minnesota, which also tallied a goal in each period. The series opener surprisingly closed as a pick’em, with the Canucks falling for the sixth time in eight games dating back to the regular season. The Wild have now won four of five, seven of nine and nine of 12, picking up where they left off when play was halted.
Check out OddsShark on Twitter and Instagram or head to YouTube for analysis on this week’s top games. As well, the OddsShark Computer serves up daily NHL picks for bettors.