NHL Western Conference Playoffs Conference Semi-Finals
During the course of the regular season, the Western Conference was extremely balanced and competitive. This balance was showcased during the first round as the Los Angeles Kings upset the Vancouver Canucks in five games. Now, the Kings will play the second seeded St. Louis Blues and look to knock off another heavily favored opponent. In the other second round series, the Nashville Predator will travel to Phoenix to take on the Coyotes. Hockey fans are not used to seeing these two team in the second round of the playoffs as Nashville advanced to the second round of the playoffs for just the second time in franchise history and the Coyotes won their first playoff series since 1987.
St. Louis Blues vs. Los Angeles Kings
Both Western Conference second round matchups will feature excellent goaltender matchups, but the series between St. Louis and Los Angeles should be the better of the two. Not many goals are expected during this series as St. Louis and Los Angeles finished first and second during the regular season in goals against. The team that is able to get the most out of their top line figures to gain the advantage in this series. St. Louis is the odds on favorite, but Los Angeles may be peaking at the right time.
Phoenix Coyotes vs. Nashville Predators
With the way goalies Mike Smith of Phoenix and Pekka Rinne of Nashville played in their first round series, it is only logical to expect several low scoring, tightly contested games in this series. Both teams do not have much prior playoff success to draw from in the second round of the Western Conference playoffs, so this matchup may come down to coaching. If that is the case, expect Nashville’s Barry Trotz to work his magic and find a way for his Predators to make it to the Conference Finals for the first time in franchise history.
The Western Conference is not getting as much respect from the oddsmakers when it comes to Stanley Cup odds. Currently, St. Louis and Los Angeles have the best odds from the Western Conference at 5-1, thanks in large part to both teams’ goaltending.
Preview: Toronto Maple Leafs vs. New Jersey Devils
Toronto Maple Leafs (32-34-8, 72 pts) and New Jersey Devils (42-27-5, 89 pts) will clash in Game 4 of the four game series. This match will be held at Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey (7:00 PM ET, March 23, 2012). New Jersey leads the series by 2-1. The Maple Leafs will look to draw against New Jersey. The betting odds for Toronto Maple Leafs are (8/5) and for New Jersey Devils (5/9). The Leafs are the favorites to win.
In the last two meetings between the clubs, the Devils have won, but each team has four points in the season series. On Nov. 2 at Prudential Center, Toronto beat New Jersey in regulation; while most recently on Feb. 21 at Toronto, each of the Devils' wins have come in overtime.
The Devils won against Ottawa on Tuesday by 1-0 and are looking to build up from there. They currently have 89 points and sit in sixth place in the Eastern Conference right now. The Leafs are coming off a pair of embarrassing losses from Boston (8-0) and Islanders (Islanders).
Following Tuesday's drubbing at the hands of the Islanders, the team held a closed-door meeting. It was the Leafs' fourth time loss in nine games this month and second straight blowout loss. The Leafs are dealing with an elongated crisis in confidence.
Center Travis Zajac has an outside chance he could play Friday. He continues to work his way back from his left Achilles tendon injury. Zajac has played in only eight games this season. He went for surgery in August to repair the tendon. Zajac is continuing his practice on full scale on Thursday. Only after Friday’s morning skate, decision will be made on his availability, said coach Pete DeBoer. After watching Johan Hedberg makes 34 saves for a 1-0 win over Ottawa on Tuesday, Martin Brodeur is expected to start in goal.
Devils right wing Ilya Kovalchuk is the man to watch out. He is in good touch. He has scored his 400th career goal Tuesday at Ottawa and he has points in three straight games. This season he has 31 goals and 43 assists for 74 points.
Nikolai Kulemin (broken finger), Mike Brown (leg) and Joffrey Lupul (shoulder) for the Leafs will stay out due to injury. For the Devils, Henrik Tallinder and Zajac will not be part of the team due to blood clot issue.
Ryan Kesler Vancouver Canucks Center
Ryan Kesler, the Vancouver Canucks 27-year-old center was the key reason for the Vancouver Canucks rise to the Stanley Cup Finals. The seventh year center scored 41 goals for the Canucks en route to his best season as an NHL player.
Kesler averaged under 25 goals a season before his breakout 2010-2011 season. The center is also known as one of the best two-way players in the NHL. A fact confirmed when he received the Frank Selke Award for being the best defensive forward in the NHL during the 2010-2011 season.
Finding a scoring threat who is willing to sacrifice themselves by getting back on defense quickly is a rarity in the NHL. Kesler is never afraid to get into the corner and dig out a puck and he is also one of the better fore checking offensive players in the game.
Kesler began his career in Vancouver in 2003, playing just 28 games as he fought for a roster spot and then in his sophomore season he suited up for all 82 games playing on the checking line for the Canucks.
Kesler didn't begin showing his scoring abilities until the 2007 season, when he broke the 20 goal mark for the first time in his NHL career. Kesler then had the second best season of his career in 2008, scoring 26 goals along with a plus 8. Kesler's best plus/minus stat came in the 2010-2011 season when he scored a career high +24 for the season to earn the Selke Award.
Visit your favorite online sportsbook for prop bets on Ryan Kesler and any number of NHL Award based wagering options.
Changes in NHL Rosters can bring value in Futures Betting
The Los Angeles Kings, San Jose Sharks, Chicago Blackhawks, Philadelphia Flyers, Washington Capitals and Buffalo Sabres are the sexy picks to win this year’s edition of the Stanley Cup because of what’s seen as very positive changes in each of the respective organizations.
Oddsmakers with various online sports betting sites will have to be adjusting the odds on each team up to accommodate for this additions. Check around, as betting what team will win the division, the conference and the Stanley Cup can vary from sportsbook to sportsbook. Interestingly, the defending Stanley Cup Champion Bostonb Bruins and the Western Conference Champion Vancouver Canucks are not on this list.
The LA Kings seemed to have made the biggest splash, with the additions of centre Mike Richards and winger Simon Gagner, and now have a dynamic 1-2 punch up the middle along with All-Star Anze Kopitar. The San Jose Sharks added another dynamic puck rushing defenceman in Brent Burns to go along with perennial All-Star D-man Dan Boyle. The Hawks bolstered their lineup with lots of muscle and size, adding Dan Carcillo, D-man Sean O’Donnell and skilled forward Andrew Brunette.
Over in the Eastern Conference, the Philadelphia Flyers traded away both Richards and winger Jeff Carter, but added much in budding superstar Brayden Schenn in the Richard deal, and added goalie Ilya Bryzgalov, and wingers Maxime Talbot and Jaomir Jagr. Washington added a veteran netminder in Tomas Vokoun and size with gritty forward Joel Ward. Finally, the Buffalo Sabres really added to their roster by adding swift puck moving defenceman Christian Ehrhoff, rugged rearguard Robyn Reghr, and the pugnatious Ville Leino.
NHL – Vancouver Canucks vs. Boston Bruins
Vancouver Canucks will be facing Boston Briuns in the Stanley Cup Finals Game 2 on June 4, 2011. Vancouver leads the seven game series by 1-0. The Canucks seems to be the favorite to win the Game 2. The best odds for Bruins are 17/10 while Canucks 8/15.
An extraordinary pass from Jannik Hansen to Raffi Torres was the decider in the Game 1, with 18.5 seconds to play. On Wednesday night, Vancouver astonished the Boston Bruins 1-0.
Meanwhile, for supposedly biting the finger of Boston Bruins forward Patrice Bergeron, Canucks forward Alex Burrows will not be suspended. This incident happened during a squabble between the two in the Stanley Cup Finals Game 1 Wednesday night, at the end of the first period.
During the Canucks' series-opening 1-0 victory in the Stanley Cup Final, Burrows was caught with the gloved index finger of Boston's Patrice Bergeron in his mouth. Bergeon had the bandage around his digit as evidence that his fellow Quebecer had bit him.
However, Mike Murphy, NHL senior vice-president found no irrefutable proof against Burrows that he deliberately bit his opponent's finger and therefore he acquitted Burrows of any further discipline.
Murphy's decision was not questioned by the Bruins, as they took the high road. The incident was fun for some players on both Boston and Vancouver sides.
In a prepared statement from the NHL, Murphy said that he could not find any conclusive evidence that Alex Burrows intentionally bit the finger of Patrice Bergeron, after he reviewed the incident, including clarifications with the on-ice officials.
San Jose Sharks, Vancouver Canucks clash in Western Conference Final
After a long seven-game series, the San Jose Sharks finally dispatched the Detroit Red Wings to advance to the Western Conference Finals to take on the Vancouver Canucks, with Game 1 slated for Sunday (8 pm ET, VERSUS).
The Canucks are a -160 favorite and the over/under total is 5.5 in NHL Betting.
The second round took a little longer to complete than San Jose, and their fans, would have liked, as the series ended up going the full seven games after San Jose jumped out to a three games to none lead over Detroit. The Sharks will be making their second consecutive appearance in the Western Conference Finals, and the team hopes this year’s result is better than last year’s where the Sharks were swept by the eventual Stanley Cup winners, the Chicago Blackhawks.
The Vancouver Canucks have been patiently waiting to see who their next round opponent would be after beating the Nashville Predators in six games. This year marks the first time the Canucks have been to the Conference finals since the 1993-94 season, and the fans in Vancouver have high expectations for this year’s team.
Sporting the best offense and third best penalty kill in the regular season, the Canucks are certainly one of the most talented teams in the league, but will be tested by the fast, physical San Jose Sharks. If Vancouver can get better production out of its star players, the Canucks should win this series.
However, if the Sedin twins continue their postseason struggles, there could be more angst in Vancouver this offseason as fans and team management will feel they let a chance to win the Stanley Cup slip through their fingers.
Wednesday Clash Between Philadelphia Flyers And Boston Bruins
This Wednesday, the Philadelphia Flyers and the Boston Bruins will play the third game of their series. The Bruins have forced the Flyers into somewhat of a “must-win” situation as they are currently up 2-0 in the series.
For this matchup, the total at 5.5 and sports handicappers has Boston as a -140 moneyline favorite.
In dominating fashion the Bruins started off the series. Even though the Bruins came out with some fire, the series looked like it would be an evenly matched series. By showing their offensive prowess they put the puck in the net 7 times in the first game. By limiting the Flyers to 3 goals in the game, they also had a decent game defensively. They managed to go up 1-0 in the series with this effort.
As the score was tied 2-2 at the end of regulation, the Flyers came out with a better effort in the 2nd game and forced the game to overtime. By scoring a goal to take a 2-0 series lead, the Bruins came through in the clutch.
For the Flyers, the bad news is that they lost their two home games and now they’ll have to win the next couple games in Boston. The advantage of playing at home seems to be much more demonstrated in the playoffs while these teams both were good road teams in the regular season. During this third game, look for the Boston fans to get involved to support their team.
The Bruins will go up 3-0 and be just one win away from securing the series if they can win. As they are actually the lower seeded team in this series this would be a big win.
Thursday Clash Between Boston Bruins And Montreal Canadiens
This Thursday in the 4th game of their best of 7 game series, the Boston Bruins and the Montreal Canadiens will square off. The Canadiens are up 2-1 as these teams have had a solid series to this point.
The over/under total at 5 and NHL Betting has the Bruins as a -115 favorite.
The Canadiens will have the chance to go up 3-1 at their home arena in front of their fans as they are also the home team in this game. To come out ready to play in this game, look for the Canadiens.
As the Canadiens were able to put up a shutout against the Bruins in the series opener, they started out the series in dominating fashion. Winning the game 2-0 they looked dominant over the Bruins.
As the Bruins were held to just 1 goal, the Canadiens continued to dominate the Bruins in the 2nd game of the series. Nobody expected the Canadiens to hold them to a single goal in the first two games as the Bruins are a solid team. By a score of 3-1 to go up 2-0 in the series, Montreal ultimately took home the victory.
With a much more typical offensive performance the Bruins bounced back in game three. They limited the Canadiens to 2 goals as they put 4 goals in the net. In the series this allowed them to pull back within contention. For the Bruins a win in this game would even up the series. After winning 2 games in a row it would also give them a lot of momentum.
Buffalo Sabres face Philadelphia Flyers in first round of NHL Playoffs
The Buffalo Sabres and the Philadelphia Flyers will play this Thursday in the first game of a 7 game series in the 2011 NHL Playoffs. The Flyers will have the home court advantage in this game as they are the 2nd seed and the Sabres are the 7th seed in the Eastern Conference Playoffs.
The Flyers finished an excellent season in which they narrowly missed landing the top seed in the Eastern Conference. They had just one more overtime loss and one win less than the Washington Capitals. While they while have the home court advantage in this game, this does not necessarily favor them. They are actually a better team playing on the road than they are at home. They had a record of 22-12-7 in Philadelphia this season compared to the 25-11-5 record that they achieved on the road. The Flyers are a -160 moneyline favorite to win the opener in NHL odds.
The Sabres are actually a better team on the road than they are at home as well this season. They had a 22-13-6 record on the road and a record of 21-16-4 at home. This will make them a dangerous team in the playoffs as they very well could sneak away a victory or two from the Flyers in Philadelphia.
Both of these teams are solid, but Philadelphia does have a slightly more potent offense than Buffalo does. Look for Philadelphia to attack early on as the Sabres have somewhat of a “middle of the pack” defense and may be vulnerable to a strong attack. The Flyers are favorites in online sports handicapping to win this match.
This should be a good series as both teams are talented and capable of winning on any given night.
Chicago Blackhawks, Columbus Blue Jackets meet in NHL Central division battle
The Chicago Blackhawks and the Columbus Blue Jackets will play this weekend. Both of these teams are over the .500 mark on the season, but it look as if the Blackhawks will be the only one of the two teams to qualify for the playoffs.
Chicago, the defending Stanley Cup champion, opened the season at 5-1 betting odds to repeat but is now down to 18-1 in NHL Betting.
The Blackhawks are currently in position to grab the final playoff spot and they are seen as a very dangerous team. While they have not been as consistent as they would have hoped to be, they are a very strong team all around.
The Blackhawks are 4th in the league in goals per game, averaging 3.1 goals each contest. They are also a solid defensive team, allowing just 2.7 goals per game to their opponents. The key to the offense of the Blackhawks has been their power play. They are the 2nd best team in the NHL on the power play and they convert 24 percent of the time.
The Blue Jackets have a solid record, but they are very mediocre in every category. Despite winning more games than they have lost, they surrender 3 goals a game while they only score 2.6 goals per game. The Blackhawks should be able to put this team away. The Blackhawks really need to win games like this if they hope to hold onto the final playoff spot.
The Blue Jackets will need a stellar performance or they will fall further down the standings after this game. The game will be held in Columbus on Friday, April 1st at 7 pm Eastern Time.