Underdogs are the storyline in the NHL playoffs so far, and the Toronto Raptors look to jump back into their series with the Cavs
It’s a story of two Canadian NHL teams heading in opposite directions – the upstart Montreal Canadiens, with the chance to put the squeeze on the Tampa Bay Lightning on home ice, up 2-1, and the Edmonton Oilers, led by two banged up superstars, down 2-1 in their series in Anaheim.
Both series are back on tonight.
The Habs are coming off a 3-2 win in overtime Friday night. It was a big night for underdogs overall, actually, with the Ducks winning their game over the Oilers, 7-4.
Out west, the Utah Mammoth are handling the Vegas Golden Knights in their series as well, up 2-1 now. The young Turks in today’s NHL are upstarting, that’s for certain.
Back to the Oilers, who have crumbled defensively. Over three games in the series, that’s 16 goals against.
The odds on both series have shifted accordingly, with the Canadiens now betting favorites to take their series, -150 at Betway (Lightning +125), with the Ducks -135 to take theirs (Oilers are +110).
For the Oilers, captain Connor McDavid has played a ton of hockey the past two seasons – 82-game regular seasons, long playoff runs into the Stanley Cup finals, the intensity of the 4 Nations Faceoff tournament last winter and the Milan Olympics a few months ago. To these eyes McDavid looks tired and banged up and needs a long rest.
Leon Draisaitl is managing a knee injury, suffered in March, and is obviously not 100 per cent.
BEST BETS
NHL
Tampa Bay Lightning at Montreal Canadiens, 7:00 p.m. EST, Bell Centre, Montreal
Canadiens lead 2-1
Under 5.5
At Betway this morning, on a tight Moneyline, the Lightning are betting favorites, at -115, with the Canadiens -105. Against the spread: Lightning -1.5 (+200), Canadiens +1.5 (-275), and the Over/Under 5.5 (O -130, U +110).
I am also leaning Lightning Moneyline, but I like the Under more, since this stands to be a tight, physical, low-scoring game, with the Under hitting in four of the last five meetings. The Lightning, for one, can’t mess around and take stupid penalties. And they have one of the best goaltenders in the world to back them up, Andrei Vasilevskiy.
BEST BETS
NHL
Edmonton Oilers at Anaheim Ducks, 9:30 p.m. EST, Honda Center, Anaheim, CA
Ducks lead 2-1
Oilers Moneyline
At Betway, the Oilers are betting favorites, at -135 on the Moneyline, with the Ducks +115. Against the spread: Oilers -1.5 (+155), Ducks +1.5 (-200), and the Over/Under 7.5 (O +125, U -165).
The Oilers are reeling, and as of this morning hadn’t decided if Connor Ingram will start in net for tonight’s game – understandable since Ingram allowed six goals on 38 shots in the 7-4 loss, with a 4.70 GAA over the three series games he has started.
Still, no way the Oilers go down this feebly. They overcome crappy defence and crappy goaltending in this one and pull off the road win.
BEST BETS
NBA
Cleveland Cavaliers at Toronto Raptors, 1 p.m. EST, Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, ON
Cavaliers lead 2-1
Collin Murray-Boyles Player To Get 15+ Points, +160
At Betway, the Cavaliers are betting favorites, at -165 on the Moneyline, with the Raptors on home court at +135. Against the spread: Cavaliers -3.5 (-115), Raptors +3.5 (-105), and the Over/Under 220.5 (O -110, U -110).
The Raptors jumped back into their first round series against the Cavaliers Thursday night, feasting on a Cleveland team that just doesn’t have it defensively. Even if they take out Toronto this isn’t a team that’s going much further in the playoffs.
The Raptors rode the coattails of Scottie Barnes (33 points, 11 assists) in their commanding 126-104 win Thursday night, and hometown boy RJ Barrett, 33 points on 12-for-19 shooting.
Plus, I’m buying all the available Collin Murray-Boyles stock I can get my hands on (22 points on 11-for-15 shooting off the bench). Murray-Boyles 20+ points at +550 at Betway feels a little greedy, but 15+ points at +160 sounds realistic, based on where the rookie is trending (28 minutes off the bench the other night).
It’s tough one to call because this is the way playoff series normally play out – favourite team plows out to a 2-0 lead, underdog wins a game, then the series re-sets in the favourite team’s direction for Game 4, and they head back home to close out the series.
