NHL Tuesday best bets: Panthers to pounce on Capitals

We were roughed up a bit Monday night, with the Bruins and Wild both laying eggs in their playoff openers.

We'll look to turn things around as the next batch of matchups begins.

The Panthers won the season series 2-1 and scored 13 goals over the three meetings against the Capitals. Expect more of the same in Game 1.

Florida has been magnificent - especially offensively - on home ice all season. It led the NHL in shot attempts, shots on goal, scoring chances, high-danger scoring chances, expected goals, and goals while playing in its own building; the team was essentially unstoppable.

And there's reason to believe this version of the Panthers is the best yet. The team has added Claude Giroux, and Aaron Ekblad is expected to return after being sidelined for months. Florida's nearly unmatched firepower allows it to overwhelm opponents on a consistent basis, and that will likely be the case in the series opener.

Washington is a solid team, but it doesn't have the Panthers' scoring depth or offensive production from the blue line. Goaltending could also be a major issue.

Vitek Vanecek appears a better bet than Ilya Samsonov, but can he steal games against this Panthers team? The Capitals' netminding duo limped to the finish line, with Washington ranking 31st in team save percentage over the final 25 games of the season.

If the Capitals don't get great goaltending - good won't be enough - they won't have much of a chance. Look for the Panthers to take care of business in 60 minutes.

Bet: Panthers in regulation (-145)

The Rangers aren't getting the respect they deserve heading into the playoffs. The knock on them for most of the season was that they couldn't carry play or defend well enough at five-on-five; they won games on the back of Igor Shesterkin and a great power play. That was true. But things changed after New York made a handful of quality adds at the trade deadline.

From that point forward, the Rangers controlled 52.44% of the expected goals at five-on-five. That was the eighth-best output in the league, slotting them ahead of quality playoff teams like the Flames, Oilers, and their first-round opponents in the Penguins.

New York's strong expected goals share stemmed mostly from airtight defense. Only the Bruins allowed fewer expected goals at five-on-five during that period.

This Rangers team is much better defensively than it was just a few months ago. The offense is more balanced, with Andrew Copp fitting in seamlessly on the second line. And Shesterkin is playing at an all-world level again.

The Penguins are a very good team. But we'll happily back the Rangers at home at this price - especially against a team missing its starting goaltender.

Bet: Rangers (-130)

The Avalanche are a different animal. They were not healthy - or all that close - for most of the season, and they still put together a 56-win campaign while staying in the running for first in the league until Game 81. Impressive.

They're getting healthy just in time for the playoffs. Captain Gabriel Landeskog is expected to return to the lineup tonight, while Nazem Kadri should also play. The return of those two players gives Colorado a devastating top six while pushing a 60-plus-point player in Andre Burakovsky down to the third line. That's terrifying.

With Devon Toews, Cale Makar, Samuel Girard, Josh Manson, Bowen Byram, and Erik Johnson all healthy, Colorado's defense looks like a huge strong point. This team is stacked top to bottom and should have no problem walking all over the Predators.

Though Nashville is a competent team, it doesn't have the depth, speed, or scoring to keep up with the Avalanche. It also doesn't have Juuse Saros - who finished sixth in goals saved above expected - between the pipes to help mask its problems.

Unless Colorado takes an abundance of penalties and consistently gives Nashville's best players extra time and space, it's hard to see this game staying close.

Bet: Avalanche -1.5 (-125)

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.

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