Daily NHL Odds and Betting Trends – 08/23/20
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.
Bruins vs Lightning | OddsShark Matchup Report
Opening NHL Odds: Lightning -118 Favorites
One of the most evenly matched second-round playoff series will begin in the Eastern Conference on Sunday when the Lightning take on the Bruins. While neither team is at full strength right now, the rivalry goes on between the top two teams in the Atlantic Division. Boston continues to play without goaltender Tuukka Rask — who left the Toronto bubble — but got back leading scorer David Pastrnak while Tampa Bay still does not have Steven Stamkos (lower-body injury) available.
The Lightning won each of their first-round games against the Columbus Blue Jackets by exactly one goal, making the puckline a risky proposition with this bunch. The Bruins beat the Carolina Hurricanes by one goal three times in their first-round series as well, so both teams are used to winning close games. But Boston has struggled recently versus Tampa Bay, losing six of the past seven meetings and 11 of 13 dating back to April 30, 2018.
Canucks vs Golden Knights | OddsShark Matchup Report
Opening NHL Odds: Golden Knights -200 Favorites
Just when you thought there could not be any distractions in the bubble, the Golden Knights are dealing with a bit of a goaltender controversy heading into Game 1 of their second-round playoff series against the Vancouver Canucks in the Western Conference. Allan Walsh, the agent for Vegas goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, implied that his client will not be starting the series opener with an illustration he posted on Twitter showing a sword through the three-time Stanley Cup winner and head coach Peter DeBoer’s name on it.
Fleury owns a dominant 12-2-2 mark against Vancouver and has not lost to the team since 2006, but DeBoer said he does not anticipate making any changes to the lineup, with Robin Lehner starting four of five games between the pipes in the first round. Lehner was acquired at the end of February and has just one loss as a starter for the Golden Knights, who have won eight of the 10 all-time meetings with the Canucks. Regardless of the goalie situation, this could be a high-scoring series, with at least eight goals scored in each of the last three games between the teams and the OVER going 3-0.
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.