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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
NHL Central division foes Detroit Red Wings, Nashville Predators meet Saturday
Two Central Division rivals will clash on Saturday night when the Detroit Red Wings travel to Nashville to play the Predators. With the season winding down, many teams are fighting for their playoff lives and Nashville is no exception to this rule.
Currently, Nashville sits only one point out of the eighth and final playoff spot behind Calgary, but does have two games in hand. Nashville was one of the surprise teams early in the season, and even led the Central Division for some time.
However, in the last month or two, the Predators have fallen on hard times and find themselves having to fight for every point they can gain in the standings. This late season matchup with Detroit was viewed a month or so ago as a potential game that could help decide the Central Division race, but now it is just essential to Nashville’s playoff hopes.
Detroit on the other hand continues to roll towards another playoff appearance. While the Red Wings were once comfortably atop the Central Division, the Chicago Blackhawks have closed the gap to just six points thanks in large part to a 7-1-2 record in their last ten games. Detroit has struggled as of late only going 4-4-2 in their last ten, but with two consecutive wins the Red Wings may be back on track.
Saturday’s contest should be a hard hitting, fast skating game, as both teams would love to win and get the two points in the standings.
Philadelphia Flyers visit New York Rangers on Sunday on NBC
The Sunday NHL game of the week features the Philadelphia Flyers traveling to New York to take on the Rangers in a contest between two Atlantic Division rivals.
The Flyers are a top favorite in hockey betting Future Odds to win the Stanley Cup at 5-1.
Philadelphia is currently in first place in the Eastern Conference with a five point lead over Boston, and looks like one of the dominant teams in the league poised to make a run at the Stanley Cup. While the Flyers continue to cruise through the regular season, the Rangers are fighting for their playoff lives on a nightly basis. Currently in seventh place, New York is only one point ahead of Carolina for the eighth playoff spot and just three points ahead of Buffalo who is on the outside of the standings looking in.
The Rangers hope their strong goaltending and defensive play will carry them through the remaining month and a half of the season the same way it has all year long. Each game is extremely important for the Rangers as they cannot afford to miss any opportunity to gain a point or two in the standings.
While Philadelphia has their playoff ticket all but punched, they still have something to play for as the regular season winds down as well. Earning that number one seed in the Eastern Conference will be a big boost for the Flyers as they are 20-8-3 on home ice this year. Also, Philadelphia has a chance to catch Vancouver for the best record in the NHL, which would secure home ice advantage throughout the playoffs. Except a hard fought battle between these two teams on Sunday as they both try to get those coveted two points.
Colorado Avalanche visit San Jose Sharks in NHL clash
The Colorado Avalanche and San Jose Sharks will square off this weekend in a game between two Western Conference teams. The Sharks are the 7th best team in the league in terms of record this season with a record of 31-21-6 on the season. The Avalanche are the 2nd worst team in the conference this season.
San Jose is at 16-1 in NHL Odds to win the Stanley Cup this season while Colorado is way back at 100-1.
Interestingly enough, the Avalanche are not all that bad despite the fact that they are near the cellar of the conference. They are actually just one game under .500 at 25-26-6 on the season. While their record isn’t terrible, they have been outscored by their opponents by 24 goals this season.
The Sharks are a pretty solid team on all fronts, but they are not very dominant in many aspects. The key to limiting the productivity of the Sharks’ offense is limiting their power play opportunities. They are a very effective team on the power play, converting 21.9 percent of the time, the 4th best average in the league.
The Sharks need to pull out wins against weaker teams like Colorado because the Western Conference playoff picture is extremely crowded. The Avalanche may not be able to make a run for the playoffs with so many teams in contention, but they can definitely play the role of a spoiler this season.
The Avalanche are excellent offensively, but they are allowing 3.4 goals per game. This game could turn into a shootout if the Sharks allow the Avalanche to set the pace of this game.
Saturday Clash Between New York Rangers And Montreal Canadiens
On Saturday the Montreal Canadiens will square off with the New York Rangers. With similar records these two teams are in similar positions this season. While the Canadiens are 28-18-5 this year, the Rangers are 29-20-4 on the season.
For this matchup NHL Odds have not yet been posted.
What should make this a very physical battle is that these two teams have very similar approaches to the game. In order to keep the game at a low score, both of these teams rely heavily on their defenses. Allowing 2.4 goals per game, the Rangers have the 5th best defense in the NHL. By allowing 2.4 goals per game, the Canadiens are 6th in the NHL.
While they are a man down, both of these teams rely heavily on their defense during the power play to keep things under control. In terms of Penalty Kill percentage each of these teams are within the top 10 teams in the league.
As the Canadiens are a much better team on the Power Play, they could have the advantage in this game. It may be enough to pull ahead of the Rangers, if they are able to take advantage of a power play opportunity during this game. By converting just 16 percent of the time, the Rangers are a very poor Power Play team. If they can’t find a way to put the puck in the net during the Power Play, they will struggle against this defense.
Trying to get a lead in the game, look for both teams to come out aggressively on offense. They will likely drop back on defense and try to play to their strengths after taking the lead.
Nashville Predators at Chicago Blackhawks
The Nashville and Chicago Blackhawks will square off on Sunday. These two teams are division rivals and are fighting to overtake the Detroit Red Wings in the Central Division. The Blackhawks are currently 23-18-3 on the season, while the Predators are sitting at 23-13-6 on the season.
These teams match up against each other very well. The Predators are one of the best defensive teams in the NHL. They are only allowing 2.3 goals per game, the second best average of any team in the league. Much of their success defensively has come because they have a fantastic penalty kill percentage. They are 3rd in the NHL in penalty kill percentage at 85.7%.
The Blackhawks are almost the opposite of the Predators in every way. The Blackhawks have one of the best offenses in the league. They are averaging 3.1 goals per game this season. That is good for the 5th best average in the NHL. The key for the Blackhawks offensively has been their fantastic attack on the power play. The Black Hawks have the best power play conversion percentage in the NHL at 24.8 percent.
It will be very interesting to see if the defense of the Predators will be able to stand against the offense of the Blackhawks. One other factor in this game will be whether or not the Predators can get going offensively. While they only allow 2.3 goals per game, they have only managed to score 2.5 goals per game this season.
This game will take place in Chicago on Sunday night.