Daily NHL Odds and Betting Trends – 08/12/20
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.
Hurricanes vs Bruins | OddsShark Matchup Report
Opening NHL Odds: Bruins -152 Favorites
A rematch of last year’s Eastern Conference Final will begin Wednesday when the fifth-seeded Carolina Hurricanes battle the struggling fourth-seeded Boston Bruins a day after they were scheduled to meet due to a five-overtime game between the Columbus Blue Jackets and Tampa Bay Lightning. The Hurricanes have been off since completing a three-game sweep of the New York Rangers in the qualifying round on August 4. Carolina got strong goaltending from Petr Mrazek, as the UNDER cashed in each of his two starts. Mrazek lost two games versus the Bruins in last year’s playoffs, surrendering 10 goals on 52 shots (.808 save percentage). Boston went 0-2-1 in round-robin play this year to fall from the top seed down to fourth, which is disappointing because the team had the best record and most points in the NHL prior to the pause. That said, the Bruins have won six straight meetings in the series, including 2-0 as -150 home favorites on December 3.
Islanders vs Capitals | OddsShark Matchup Report
Opening NHL Odds: Capitals -138 Favorites
The sixth-seeded Islanders and third-seeded Capitals will face off in one of the most intriguing first-round matchups in the Eastern Conference. New York head coach Barry Trotz led Washington to the Stanley Cup two years ago before leaving as a free agent after he was not offered a contract to return. Since he joined the Islanders, the Capitals have won four of the seven meetings, with the OVER cashing in the last three following a 4-0 UNDER run. New York got here by disposing of the Florida Panthers in four games while Washington went 1-1-1 in round-robin play to earn the No. 3 seed in the East.
Coyotes vs Avalanche | OddsShark Matchup Report
Opening NHL Odds: Avalanche -172 Favorites
The second-seeded Avalanche will continue their quest for the Cup when they meet the seventh-seeded Coyotes, who advanced to this round after upsetting the Nashville Predators as the 11th seed in the Western Conference. Colorado went 2-1 in round-robin play, falling to the Vegas Golden Knights 4-3 in overtime as a -120 favorite on Saturday with the No. 1 seed on the line. Meanwhile, Arizona scored four goals in all three wins over Nashville, with the OVER going 3-0-1 in that series overall. The Coyotes closed as underdogs in all four games as well, and they have lost four of the past six meetings in this series, with the UNDER on a 3-0 run.
Canadiens vs Flyers | OddsShark Matchup Report
Opening NHL Odds: Flyers -160 Favorites
Perhaps the most surprising first-round matchup in the Eastern Conference will pit the eighth-seeded Canadiens against the top-seeded Flyers. Montreal entered the postseason as the No. 12 seed in the East but stunned the fifth-seeded Pittsburgh Penguins in five games behind stellar goaltending from Carey Price (.947 save percentage in qualifying round). Price stopped all 22 shots he faced in a 2-0 clinching victory on Friday to help his team pull off the upset as a +150 underdog. If he can continue to play at the same level in this round and help the Habs advance again, Price will likely be the frontrunner for the Conn Smythe Trophy. On the other side, Philadelphia goalie Carter Hart has similar potential and allowed only two goals on 59 attempts in the two games he won versus the Lightning and Bruins in round-robin play. The Canadiens have won three of the past five meetings though after a five-game series skid.
Canucks vs Blues | OddsShark Matchup Report
Opening NHL Odds: Blues -154 Favorites
The defending champion Blues begin the first round of this year’s playoffs as the fourth seed in the Western Conference against the fifth-seeded Canucks. Of course last year St. Louis won it all as the third seed in the Central Division, upsetting Boston in seven games to hoist the Cup after knocking out the Winnipeg Jets, Dallas Stars and San Jose Sharks. The Blues had the most points in the West before the regular season ended prematurely, and then they went 0-3 in round-robin play to drop down to the fourth spot overall in the conference. St. Louis has also struggled against Vancouver recently, losing four of the past six meetings dating back to 2018. The Canucks beat the Minnesota Wild in three straight games to earn the fifth seed after getting blanked 3-0 in the qualifying round series opener between the teams.
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