Daily NHL Odds and Betting Trends – 08/20/20
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.
Stars vs Flames | OddsShark Matchup Report
Opening NHL Odds: Stars -145 Favorites
The Stars will attempt to eliminate the Flames in Game 6 on Thursday after winning three of the last four in this series as small favorites. Dallas closed as -135 chalk en route to a 2-1 victory in Game 5 on Tuesday, and the line has continued to grow in Game 6 as the team has regained some of the fire that made it a Stanley Cup contender heading into the playoffs.
Despite not starting Ben Bishop between the pipes, the Stars have seen Anton Khudobin shine as his replacement, making 28 saves in Game 5 and 36 in a 5-4 overtime win in Game 4. Meanwhile, Calgary seems to be flaming out offensively, managing only one goal in the last 80 minutes or so going back to early in the third period of Game 4. The Flames really miss 22-year-old winger Matthew Tkachuk, who remains day-to-day with an undisclosed injury.
Islanders vs Capitals | OddsShark Matchup Report
Opening NHL Odds: Islanders -115 Favorites
Will the Islanders take care of business and knock out the Capitals in Game 5, or can their opponent rally around a late comeback victory to stay alive in this first-round series? New York appeared ready to knock out Washington early on Tuesday, taking a 2-0 lead in the first period. But the Capitals fought back with two goals in the second period and won it on Alex Ovechkin’s second of the game at the 3:40 mark of the third to pull off the win as a +100 underdog.
The Islanders had won the first three games by a combined score of 11-5, but goaltender Semyon Varlamov struggled and surrendered three goals for just the second time in eight playoff games. Varlamov had been the superior goalie through the first three games, stopping 69 of 74 shots (.932 save percentage). Counterpart Braden Holtby has given up three goals or more three times in six games for the Capitals, including four in each of the first two in this series.
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