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Updated 2024-11-24 00:15
Kuemper exits Game 3 after taking stick through mask
Colorado Avalanche goaltender Darcy Kuemper left Saturday's Game 3 against the Nashville Predators late in the first period after Ryan Johansen's stick inadvertently went through his cage.Pavel Francouz entered the contest in relief and remained between the pipes as Kuemper was ultimately ruled out.Head coach Jared Bednar said postgame that Kuemper has an eye injury but could play in Game 4 on Monday, according to Mike Chambers of the Denver Post.
Off-ice official released from hospital after being stretchered off Friday
Joe Foley, the off-ice official who was stretchered away following a scary incident Friday in Boston, appears to be on the mend.Doctors at Massachusetts General Hospital released Foley not long after examining him Friday night, and the hope is he'll return to his role later in the first-round series between the Bruins and Carolina Hurricanes, an NHL spokesperson told the Boston Herald's Steve Conroy.Foley sustained the injury during Game 3 when fans at TD Garden inadvertently dislodged a pane of glass by banging on it after the Bruins took a 3-1 lead. The pane fell on Foley while he worked in the penalty box.Trainers from both teams attended to him before he was stretchered off and taken to hospital.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Bettman says Senators aren't for sale: 'The club's not unstable'
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said the Ottawa Senators are not looking for a new ownership group in the wake of Eugene Melnyk's death."The franchise is being professionally run," Bettman said Friday night, according to the Canadian Press' Joshua Clipperton. "The club's not on the market. There's no urgency. The club's not unstable."There are no problems."Melnyk died March 28 at 62 years old after dealing with an undisclosed illness. He helped the Senators franchise escape bankruptcy when he bought it in 2003.Bettman said that it's up to Melnyk's two daughters - aged 19 and 23 - to decide what to do with the team.Melnyk was a polarizing figure during his time in ownership. One of the main issues he faced was the Senators' arena situation: The club has played in suburban Kanata since 1996, but there has been immense pressure in recent years to build a new rink in downtown Ottawa.Bettman added that a new arena isn't off the table, but that it isn't the main focus."That door opens, it closes, it opens and closes," Bettman said. "I'm hopeful that maybe at some point it'll happen."Right now we're just focusing on the family's wishes and being supportive of the family at a very difficult time."Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Leafs-Lightning is heating up. Here are 4 matchups to watch in Game 4
The Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-2 on Friday at Amalie Arena. With a pair of empty-net goals, the final score doesn't quite do the game justice. It was a thriller, and Toronto now holds a 2-1 series lead. Here are four matchups to watch in Game 4, which goes Sunday in Tampa.1. Matthews' line vs. Cirelli's line Claus Andersen / Getty ImagesAuston Matthews is the biggest target in a series stacked with star forwards.There's no way around it; the opposing team must game plan against the NHL's only 60-goal scorer. Lightning coach Jon Cooper has tasked center Anthony Cirelli with shutting down Matthews or at least containing him.Line matching wasn't easy with the Leafs having last-change privileges in the first two games. Cirelli, a Selke Trophy candidate, was on the ice for only 37% of Matthews' even-strength minutes in Game 1 and then 49% in Game 2. Cooper increased it to 79% in Game 3 when the series shifted to Tampa. (Cooper's other shutdown guy, blue-liner Victor Hedman, has seen similar deployment, matching up for 23%, 49%, and 70% of Matthews' minutes.)At any rate, the high-level results are so far strongly in Toronto's favor. Matthews' line, with Mitch Marner and Michael Bunting on the wings, has combined to score five goals (all situations), while Cirelli's line has potted just one. Not all of those tallies were scored head to head, but it's still a notable development. Simply put, Tampa has failed to contain Matthews.Nobody on the Leafs was under more pressure coming into the playoffs than Marner, the poster child for last season's collapse against the Montreal Canadiens. Matthews, who had five points but only one goal in that seven-game series versus the Habs, was probably second on the pressure list.Toronto is still two wins shy of clinching a playoff series for the first time in 18 years. So the pressure - or the shadow - hasn't vanished. If anything, it's ratcheting up. Keep an eye on TOR34 vs. TBL71 in Game 4 and beyond.2. Both teams vs. officiating standard Claus Andersen / Getty Images"The parade to the penalty box, it's getting exhausting," Cooper told reporters Friday, referring specifically to Tampa's lack of discipline. He could have easily been talking about the series as a whole. It's been a penalty-taking fest.Leafs bench boss Sheldon Keefe knows Cooper's pain. Forward Kyle Clifford delivered a dirty hit in Game 1, resulting in a five-minute major and one-game suspension. In Game 2, Wayne Simmonds, another depth piece, took multiple dumb penalties, and the Lightning went 3-for-7 on the power play.There's been 30 power-play opportunities - 15 for each squad - and it's safe to say a handful can be traced back to "soft calls" or "non-traditional playoff calls." NHL referees have been whistle-happy during the first week of the playoffs, and this apparent new standard is not exclusive to Toronto-Tampa.Conventional wisdom suggests both teams will adjust ahead of Game 4.The Lightning, owners of four power-play goals to the Leafs' two in the series, currently have the special-teams edge. At least on the surface. Below the surface, it's closer to tied. Toronto also has two shorthanded snipes and scored another just seconds after a Tampa power play expired early in Game 3.As for the series score during even-strength action? Toronto 9, Tampa 3.3. Tavares/Stamkos vs. offensive production Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesJohn Tavares and Steven Stamkos have a lot in common.Both Toronto natives. Both NHL captains. Top-six centers. Key cogs on the power play. Big-money makers cashing $11 million and $8.5 million annually.They have something else in common at the moment: a lack of production.Tavares has one assist in 54 minutes. He's been on the ice for one goal for, one against. His six shots on goal are tied for seventh on the Leafs. He's 65% in the faceoff circle. The Leafs have owned 42% of the shot attempts and 40% of the expected goals when Tavares has been on the ice at five-on-five.Not good. Borderline unacceptable.Stamkos has one assist in 56 minutes. He's been on the ice for four goals for, five against. His four shots on goal are tied for eighth on the Lightning. He's 48% on faceoffs. Tampa has owned 51% of the shot attempts and 39% of the expected goals when Stamkos has been on the ice at five-on-five.Not good. Borderline unacceptable. (Though, to be fair, Jack Campbell robbed Stamkos late in Game 3. One goal would make a huge difference.)While fellow underperforming stars William Nylander (zero points) and Tampa's Brayden Point (one goal) need to get going, too, at least they've had flashes of brilliance in this series. Point, in particular, was superb in Game 3.4. Vasilevskiy vs. Campbell Mark LoMoglio / Getty ImagesTake stock of any playoff series, and goaltending will emerge as an X-factor. This goalie matchup is extra intriguing because Campbell stood on his head Friday while Andrei Vasilevskiy, arguably the best goalie in the world, wilted.Overall, Campbell has allowed seven goals on 92 shots for a .924 save percentage. The only truly egregious goal the 30-year-old journeyman has surrendered came in the dying seconds of the first period in Game 2; Campbell basically jumped out of the way as Hedman shot the puck.Vasilevskiy has allowed 11 goals on 100 shots for a .890 save percentage. The only truly egregious goal the 27-year-old superstar has surrendered came midway through the third period in Game 1; Vasilevskiy mishandled the puck behind the net, and Matthews pounced.Vasilevskiy's track record suggests he'll bounce back not only in Game 4 but for the duration of the series. Campbell has shown no signs of cracking under the bright lights of the postseason, so there's a chance one of these remaining games turns into an old-fashioned goalie duel.(Advanced statistics via Natural Stat Trick)John Matisz is theScore's senior NHL writer. Follow John on Twitter (@MatiszJohn) or contact him via email (john.matisz@thescore.com).Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Leafs gush over Campbell's stop on Stamkos: 'A game-saving save'
Jack Campbell was the hero in Game 3.The Toronto Maple Leafs netminder turned in a sensational performance Friday night, stopping 32 of 34 shots to help his team to a 5-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning.One stop in particular deserved a big star next to it, though.Late in the third period with Tampa Bay on the power play and trailing by one, Nikita Kucherov feathered a cross-seam pass to Steven Stamkos, who unleashed his patented one-timer from the opposite faceoff circle. It's a play the Lightning duo have pulled off numerous times, but Campbell miraculously pushed across his crease to make the save and keep the Leafs ahead."That's a game-saving save," Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe told reporters postgame.He added: "There was a bit of a sense on the bench that it's going in. Stamkos doesn't miss those very much when it comes through like that. Jack is well aware that's a legitimate threat and he's conscious of it. One of the great things about Jack is he never gives up on a puck."Even Stamkos himself had to tip his cap."I got everything (on that) and then some," the Lightning captain said, per The Athletic's Joe Smith. "It was a great save."Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews thinks the biggest key to Campbell's success is simple: have fun."He gives us confidence every time he's out there," Matthews said. "He's talkative, he chats out there, he has a lot of fun out there and I think that's the most important part for him. When he's playing really well, he's having a lot of fun out there. You could see that in his play tonight. He had some really big saves tonight but I don't think any bigger than that one at the end of the third."Campbell now owns a .924 save percentage in the series and a lifetime .931 mark in 10 career playoff games.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Spezza, Holl in for Game 3 as Maple Leafs shuffle lines
The Toronto Maple Leafs shook things up for their Game 3 matchup against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday night.Veteran forward Jason Spezza drew into the lineup for Wayne Simmonds, while defenseman Justin Holl took Timothy Liljegren's spot on the blue line.William Nylander moved from the third line as well, reuniting with John Tavares on the team's second line.The Maple Leafs head into Game 3 in Tampa Bay tied after splitting the series' first two contests at home.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
DeSmith out for playoffs after undergoing core muscle surgery
Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Casey DeSmith will miss the remainder of the postseason after undergoing core muscle surgery Friday, head coach Mike Sullivan announced.DeSmith was tabbed as the Penguins' starter entering the playoffs with Tristan Jarry sidelined due to a foot injury.Sullivan added that Jarry is still rehabbing his injury, according to NHL.com's Wes Crosby. There's no timetable for his return.DeSmith suffered the injury during the second overtime period of Game 1 against the New York Rangers. Louis Domingue entered the contest and stopped all 17 shots he faced before Evgeni Malkin netted the game-winner.Domingue allowed five goals on 40 shots in the Penguins' 5-2 loss in Game 2.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
NHL weekend preview: Panthers to grab series lead in Washington
After a slow start to the week with our best bets, we've gotten on track with four wins on five plays over the last couple of days.Let's carry that success forward into what should be a fun and action-packed weekend of playoff hockey.Hurricanes (+110) @ Bruins (-130)
NHL Friday player props: 3 forwards to back
Thursday was another good night for shot totals, as we picked up wins on two of three - Elias Lindholm again fell just one shy - en route to another profitable night.Let's look at a few totals that stand out as we try to keep the ball rolling.Mitch Marner over 2.5 shots (-134)Mitch Marner has been a completely different player since the calendar flipped. Only eight players scored more goals from Jan. 1 through the end of the regular season. Marner's shot rate drastically increased over that time, as he ranked 24th in shots on goal. He's more of a two-way threat than ever before, which has translated to a lot of success with shot totals, even against teams like the Tampa Bay Lightning.Including the first two games of this series, Marner has amassed 22 shots on goal through five meetings against Tampa Bay. He's gone over the number in four of five, averaging 4.4 per contest.The Toronto Maple Leafs are leaning heavily on their stars in this series, and Marner is averaging nearly 22 minutes per game. He'll have every opportunity to pick up a few shots.David Perron over 2.5 shots (-125)David Perron is the Minnesota Wild whisperer. The veteran winger has enjoyed nothing but success every time he's faced the division rivals.Dating back to the 2020-21 regular season, Perron has generated at least three shots in nine straight games against Minnesota. He's piled up 36 shots on goal in that span, good for an average of four per night.As an added bonus, Perron averages shots on goal at a slightly higher rate on home soil. That should help the cause a little bit as he looks to hit against the Wild for the 10th game in a row.Anze Kopitar over 2.5 shots (+115)Anze Kopitar has enjoyed plenty of success against the Edmonton Oilers this season, accumulating three shots or more in four of six meetings. Kopitar logged better than 25 minutes in both games that he failed to hit the mark, so, if nothing else, he's getting every opportunity to get the job done.Kopitar is an OK shot generator at five-on-five, but he's one of the Los Angeles Kings' go-to guys on the man advantage. It just so happens the Oilers give up plenty of volume while shorthanded. They have taken quite a few penalties down the stretch, and that's carried forward into the playoffs. Only four of 16 teams have spent more time shorthanded through two postseason games this year.Home ice is also working in Kopitar's favor. He hit three shots 63% of the time in L.A. during the regular season, compared to just 40% on the road.Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Rangers' Goodrow out week-to-week
New York Rangers forward Barclay Goodrow is out week-to-week with a lower-body injury, head coach Gerard Gallant announced, according to Newsday Sports' Colin Stephenson.Goodrow missed the Rangers' Game 2 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday night, though the cause of his ailment isn't clear. He played 20:42 of ice time during New York's series-opening triple-overtime loss Tuesday.Goodrow, 29, put up 13 goals and 20 assists in 79 contests during his first season as a Ranger. He signed a six-year, $21.850-million contract with New York in July after helping the Tampa Bay Lightning win back-to-back Stanley Cups.Forward Dryden Hunt replaced Goodrow in the lineup for Game 2.Gallant added that defenseman Ryan Lindgren, who also missed Game 2, is day-to-day.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Brind'Amour: It's obvious Bruins are targeting Canes' goalies
Carolina Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind'Amour is convinced the Boston Bruins are intentionally targeting his team's goaltenders."It can't get any more obvious," Brind'Amour told reporters following his team's Game 2 victory.Brind'Amour's comments come after Bruins star David Pastrnak appeared to catch Carolina netminder Antti Raanta in the head with his gloved hand Wednesday. The first-period collision left Raanta bleeding from the mouth and forced the goalie out for the remainder of Game 2.
Tom Wilson day-to-day, out for Game 2
Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson didn't play in Game 2 against the Florida Panthers on Thursday night after suffering a lower-body injury early in the series opener.Head coach Peter Laviolette didn't want to speculate on Wilson's status for Game 3 and said that he's day-to-day with the injury, according to the Washington Post's Samantha Pell.Wilson opened Game 1 with a power-play marker but ended up playing under two minutes in the contest. He exited after attempting to hit Panthers defenseman Mackenzie Weegar.The 28-year-old came out of the tunnel during a commercial break to take a couple of laps but didn't end up returning.Wilson managed a career-high 24 goals and added 28 assists in 78 regular-season contests.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Rakell, DeSmith held out of Game 2
Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Casey DeSmith and forward Rickard Rakell didn't play in Thursday's Game 2 against the New York Rangers.Both players are still considered day-to-day after suffering injuries in Game 1 of the series. Jason Zucker, a game-time decision entering Game 2, was unable to return.Defenseman Brian Dumoulin also missed the contest and is considered day-to-day with a lower-body injury.With DeSmith out and Tristan Jarry still sidelined, third-string goalie Louis Domingue assumed starting duties. The club recalled Alex D'Orio from the AHL's Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.Domingue entered Game 1 during the second overtime period when DeSmith suffered his injury. Domingue stopped all 17 shots he faced before Evgeni Malkin scored the game-winner.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Devils open to trading 2022 1st-round pick
With the 2022 NHL Draft just two months away, New Jersey Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald has made it clear his team's first-round selection could be in play."I said this two drafts ago when we had the three first-round picks, I'm open to whatever can help our team improve," Fitzgerald said Thursday, according to NHL.com's Wes Crosby. "If that is using a pick like that, wherever it may be, to help bring in a player that we know and feel will help impact the results that we are looking for, absolutely."New Jersey currently holds the fifth-best odds (8.5%) of landing the No. 1 selection at the 2022 draft lottery. The team ultimately picked forward Alexander Holtz, center Dawson Mercer, and defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin with its trio of 2020 first-rounders (Nos. 7, 18, and 20).The Devils finished in seventh place in the Metropolitan Division with a 27-46-9 record this past season and missed the playoffs for the fourth consecutive campaign.However, Fitzgerald believes it's time for his team, which is brimming with talented youth like former first overall picks Nico Hischier (2017) and Jack Hughes (2019), to start contending for the playoffs."No more excuses - 'Oh, we're the youngest team in the league,'" Fitzgerald said. "Guys know how to play. Guys know what the standards are and the expectations of what we're trying to build here and the culture we want to build. We all have to be pulling the same way."Yet no matter what the Devils' roster looks like next season, it's expected that Lindy Ruff will stay on as head coach after the team fired assistants Alain Nasreddine and Mark Recchi on Wednesday."There are areas that have to grow and develop. That's something that Lindy and I had a very frank conversation about," Fitzgerald said. "Supporting him at this moment is something I believe is important because of the snapshot of all the positives I've seen from our players, how they respond to him."The draft lottery will take place May 10 at 6:30 p.m. ET, while the draft will kick off July 7.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Halifax, Moncton to host 2023 world juniors
The 2023 World Junior Championship will take place in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Moncton, New Brunswick, Hockey Canada announced Thursday.Russian cities Novosibirsk and Omsk were originally going to host the tournament, but the IIHF revoked the country's hosting rights in February due to the ongoing invasion of Ukraine.The tournament is scheduled to take place from Dec. 26 to Jan. 5. Halifax last hosted the world juniors in 2003.The 2022 world juniors were canceled just four days into the tournament due to COVID-19 outbreaks in teams. It'll start from scratch in Edmonton this August.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
NHL Thursday player props: 3 volume shooters to target
We continue to see fruitful shot totals on a nightly basis. Leon Draisaitl, Joel Eriksson Ek, and Kirill Kaprizov all came through for us on Wednesday, pushing my season total to nearly 50 units of profit.Here are three more shot totals that stand out as we try and put together another spotless night.Jonathan Huberdeau over 2.5 shots (-125)Jonathan Huberdeau has registered at least three shots in 30 of his last 35 home games - that's an 86% hit rate.Despite piling up the shots every night and hitting in all four meetings against the Washington Capitals this season, the odds imply Huberdeau has only a 55.6% chance of coming through on Thursday night.Even if you expect some regression throughout the playoffs, the gulf between Huberdeau's hit rate and the implied odds is far too large to ignore - especially considering the opponent.Huberdeau's not facing a team that completely neuters opposing offenses. While solid, the Capitals ranked 12th in five-on-five shot suppression during the regular season.The Panthers are not a side we have to avoid, as Huberdeau himself has shown us time after time. Until the odds change drastically, we have to continue riding Huberdeau in Florida.Roman Josi over 3.5 shots (+115)The Colorado Avalanche have quietly given up quite a bit to opposing defenders this season. The team ranked 22nd in shots against per game during the regular season and 25th over the last month.Colorado just so happens to be facing one of the most dominant offensive blue-liners in the sport this round. Roman Josi is never shy about shooting the puck, and he plays so many minutes that it doesn't necessarily matter how trigger-happy he gets. Game 1 was over before it started, so to speak, and Josi still logged more than 24 minutes while firing five pucks on net.I expect the Avalanche to get another somewhat easy victory, but it should be closer this time around, which could lead to even more ice for Josi. He's Nashville's best chance at staying in this game, and he's the best weapon the squad has. Josi should stay well fed.Elias Lindholm over 2.5 shots (-118)Elias Lindholm let us down in the series opener, falling one shot shy in what turned out to be an extremely low-event contest between the Calgary Flames and Dallas Stars.Even so, I'm going right back to the well on Thursday night. The Stars do allow plenty of shots to centers, and Lindholm took advantage of that all year long, recording three shots or more in all three meetings during the campaign.Lindholm is a more consistent shot generator at home than on the road, and it'd be borderline impossible for Game 2 not to feature more shots both ways. I'm comfortable returning to Lindholm in this spot.Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Bruins turning to Swayman for Game 3
The Boston Bruins will start rookie goaltender Jeremy Swayman in Friday's Game 3 against the Carolina Hurricanes, head coach Bruce Cassidy confirmed.Linus Ullmark started the first two games of the series, losing both contests and allowing eight goals on 57 shots.Swayman and Ullmark split games evenly during the regular season, with each netminder starting 39 contests. Swayman finished with a .914 save percentage and 2.41 goals-against average, while Ullmark managed a .917 save percentage and 2.45 goals-against average.Defenseman Hampus Lindholm won't play Friday after exiting Game 2 early. He was on the receiving end of a massive hit from Andrei Svechnikov midway through the contest.The Bruins trail 2-0 against the Hurricanes in the first-round series and haven't mustered much on either end of the ice. The Hurricanes are outscoring them 10-3.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
NHL Thursday best bets: 3 home sides worth backing
After a couple of rocky days to open the postseason, we cleaned up with our best bets Wednesday after winning each contest by at least four goals.We'll look to keep the momentum going with three plays for Thursday night's slate.Capitals (+200) @ Panthers (-250)We backed the Florida Panthers inside 60 minutes in the series opener. However, they couldn't close out the Washington Capitals despite holding a 2-1 lead well into the third period.I expect the Panthers to take care of business this time around, but there's more value in getting creative and backing them to win the opening frame.Everyone knows that Florida has a prolific offense. It generally doesn't waste much time before pouncing on its opponents. The Panthers scored 103 first-period goals during the regular season, putting them eight clear of the second-place Toronto Maple Leafs.Like Florida, the favored Edmonton Oilers and Minnesota Wild were upset on home soil in their series openers. Those clubs responded by scoring six goals each en route to dominant wins to level their series.Expect this game to play out similarly. The NHL's No. 1 seed will undoubtedly come out desperate to put the Capitals back in their place, and the fun should start early.Bet: Panthers 1st period -0.5 (+100)Penguins (+135) @ Rangers (-160)The New York Rangers didn't play well in Game 1. They looked good for a chunk of the first period, but the Pittsburgh Penguins kept them on their heels for most of the game afterward.At five-on-five, the Penguins won the expected goal battle 7.5-3.89. That's a 65.82 expected goal share, which is extremely lopsided.An all-world performance from Igor Shesterkin was the only thing keeping the Rangers alive for so long. That's par for the course with him. Outside of a two-to-three-week stretch when he posted pedestrian numbers, Shesterkin was the NHL's best goaltender from start to finish this season. New York can reliably expect top-tier showings from Shesterkin on a nightly basis.Although Louis Domingue hung in there in relief last time out, I don't love the Penguins' chances with him between the pipes. I think the Rangers will come out with a better effort after dragging their feet for much of Game 1, and I'm not sure Domingue can hold up.With respect to the 30-year-old journeyman, he hasn't been an NHL regular since 2019-20. He posted a .882 save percentage in that season while appearing in 16 games.The gap in caliber between Domingue and Shesterkin is likely as large as you'll see in any playoff contest this campaign. With such an edge in goal and home ice, I think New York will bounce back in this spot.Bet: Rangers in regulation (+105)Predators (+290) @ Avalanche (-365)The Colorado Avalanche are in a completely different league than the Nashville Predators. They have more star power, they're deeper, they're faster, and they have an immense edge in goal.Darcy Kuemper was lights out this season, particularly in the second half. He posted a .928 save percentage over 38 games once the calendar flipped. Only Shesterkin (.936) out-performed Kuemper in that time.It's a much different story in Nashville. With Juuse Saros out of the mix, the Predators turn to David Rittich and Connor Ingram.Rittich has been terrible for a while now. Among 74 eligible netminders, he ranked 71st in save percentage and 73rd in high-danger save percentage from Jan. 1 onward. Rittich offers little chance of keeping the Predators in a contest against the high-powered Avalanche, as we saw in Game 1.While Ingram was solid in the minors this season, there's a big difference in facing AHL competition and the likes of Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, Gabriel Landeskog, Cale Makar, and Nazem Kadri.I expect the Predators to be tighter than they were in the series opener, but it shouldn't matter.Colorado is so much better across the board that it likely won't have a problem grabbing another early lead and front running for 60 minutes.Bet: Avalanche 1st period -0.5 (-115)Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
6 players who could swing Leafs-Bolts as the series shifts to Tampa
The Tampa Bay Lightning topped the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-3 on Wednesday to even their first-round matchup at one win apiece. Expect these players, three on each side, to influence how the rest of the series plays out.Victor Hedman Claus Andersen / Getty ImagesAs time dwindled in Wednesday's first period, a jittery player might have shoveled the scoring chance into Jack Campbell's stomach. But when a loose puck found Hedman by the crease, he waited a beat as Campbell keeled over and then buried the Lightning's first playoff goal with two seconds left in the frame.Tampa Bay's power play flatlined in Game 1 but pumped three shots past Campbell in Game 2. Hedman's patience started the rampage, and his quarterback skills sustained it. He got the primary assist on Nikita Kucherov's goal not long after Corey Perry, slipping behind the Leafs' defense at even strength, scored off his breakaway stretch pass.Hedman is an offensive maestro. Only Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl recorded more points on the man advantage this season. The winner of the power-play battle is undefeated in this series, and Hedman's abilities narrow the gap between Tampa's and Toronto's league-best units.Mitch Marner Claus Andersen / Getty ImagesMarner uplifted whoever he's played with this week. In Game 1, his shorthanded clearance sprung David Kampf for a goal, and he teed up Auston Matthews' lethal power-play slapper. Reunited with Michael Bunting in Game 2, he set up Bunting to score off a giveaway that Matthews forced.Marner's inclination to shoot has already netted him two goals, his first in the playoffs since 2019. Relieved of that baggage, he played loose and attacked with confidence on home ice. Will he maintain that approach in Tampa when the Leafs face adversity?With the exception of Hedman, Marner's ice time (23:28) led all skaters in Game 2, the product of Sheldon Keefe deploying him in all situations. He'll get as many chances as anyone to swing the series by continuing to shoulder all that responsibility.T.J. Brodie Kevin Sousa / NHL / Getty ImagesSparking offense isn't Brodie's job on the penalty kill, so it was a sight to see when he broke free in transition and whirled to assist Alex Kerfoot's late goal. Brodie anchors Keefe's main PK unit, and this was his reward for pinching to steal the puck at the defensive blue line.Priority No. 1 for Brodie is to contain the Lightning's big guns. Brodie and Jake Muzzin draw the tall, unenviable task of matching up with Kucherov, Steven Stamkos, and Ondrej Palat, Tampa's first line that's yet to break out at five-on-five. The trio's expected goals share Wednesday was a paltry 11.5%, Natural Stat Trick reports.When Brodie sprawled to disrupt a Kucherov pass in Game 1, the Lightning forward cross-checked him in frustration and was penalized. When Brodie lost his stick shorthanded in Game 2, Kucherov scored on the shift. Against elite players who've monopolized the Stanley Cup, the defender's objective is to have the good outweigh the bad.Brayden Point Kevin Sousa / NHL / Getty ImagesPoint's a proven playoff performer, and it felt like his power-play goal Wednesday was overdue. Feed Point in the bumper spot often enough, and Campbell was bound to miss one of his snappers.Point hadn't registered a playoff tally since Game 1 of last year's Stanley Cup Final. But he scored in nine straight games in the 2021 postseason, the second-longest heater in NHL playoff history. He also potted 14 goals for the second straight postseason, while no other skater in the league attained double digits.Here's one more Point stat: His 10 individual scoring chances in this series tie him with Kucherov for the team lead (Matthews has 11). Is he about to go on another roll?Nick Paul Claus Andersen / Getty ImagesPaul never reached the postseason when he was with the Ottawa Senators. But the Lightning targeted him at the trade deadline because they thought his size and versatility - Paul's a sturdy 6-foot-3 and can play up and down the lineup - would translate nicely to the playoff pressure cooker.That vision materialized in Game 2. Taking a shift on the fly with Kucherov, Paul induced a turnover with his long reach, accepted Kucherov's pass on the ensuing odd-man rush, and created the rebound opportunity that Brandon Hagel converted.No Lightning forward has logged more PK time than Paul. Hagel, his fellow deadline acquisition, has leveraged his quickness and mettle in front of the net to draw a series-high four penalties. Between that and the Perry goal, Tampa Bay's third and fourth lines are taking care of the dirty work while flashing offensive upside, a major boon.Jack Campbell Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesFew goalies rise to the occasion like Andrei Vasilevskiy, as he reminded the Leafs when he robbed Timothy Liljegren with the glove. A minute after the highlight denial, Perry beat Campbell five-hole when Toronto's netminder thought he'd shoot high.Big picture, Campbell's been solid through two contests, posting a .944 five-on-five save percentage to Vasilevskiy's .881. Campbell made five quality starts - meaning his save percentage was better than the NHL season average - in the Leafs' seven-game defeat last year to the Montreal Canadiens.He stopped 82 of 84 shots in Toronto's wins in that series but outclassed Carey Price one fewer time than the Leafs needed. This week in Tampa, whichever goalie falters first will leave his team in a bind.Nick Faris is a features writer at theScore.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Bettman: NHL not interested in expanding playoffs
While other leagues have expanded their postseason pictures in recent years, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said Wednesday he wouldn't change a thing about the Stanley Cup Playoffs."The reason this is as good as it is is because the regular season and the playoffs are meaningful," he told the media during a conference Edmonton on Wednesday, per TSN. "Having half of our teams eligible, I think, is the right balance. I think it creates great competition throughout the regular season, makes the games most meaningful."There's nothing like our playoff tournament. The Stanley Cup is the hardest to win, and there's nothing in any sport like our first round."The NHL previously expanded its postseason to include 24 teams and an additional qualifying round during the pandemic-shortened 2019-20 season. The NBA has continued to use the play-in tournament it implemented in the 2020-21 campaign, and MLB expanded its postseason to include 12 teams this year. However, Bettman believes there's currently no need for change."Listen, I love the fact that people are so passionate about the game, there's always a debate about what we can change, OK?" he said. "But change for the sake of change, or change because somebody else is doing it differently - under the right circumstances (it) can make sense, but for us right now, we like where we are."Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Hurricanes' Raanta injured in Game 2 after collision with Pastrnak
Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Antti Raanta departed in the first period of Game 2 following a collision with Boston Bruins forward David Pastrnak and was eventually ruled out for the remainder of the contest with an upper-body injury.
Maple Leafs' Bunting returns for Game 2
The Toronto Maple Leafs got another boost Wednesday as Michael Bunting slotted back into the lineup for Game 2 against the Tampa Bay Lightning.He scored in his playoff debut and logged 15:38 of ice time during the Maple Leafs' 5-3 defeat.Bunting missed the final three regular-season contests and Game 1 of the first-round playoff series with an undisclosed injury.The Calder Trophy candidate practiced Wednesday and was projected to line up alongside Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner on Toronto's top forward unit.
Flames brush off Klingberg's threat about Andersson: 'Whatever'
Don't count the Calgary Flames among those who are worried about John Klingberg's not-so-veiled threat toward Rasmus Andersson following a testy Game 1.Klingberg said the Dallas Stars will "go after" Andersson following the players' fight Tuesday."Whatever," Flames head coach Darryl Sutter said Wednesday regarding Klingberg's comments, according to TSN. "I don't think those guys are gonna be fighting each other again this series."Sutter continued: "It's (the) playoffs. Guys get hit. That's the way it works. Guys that don't get hit usually lose."A line brawl broke out between the teams in the first period of the series-opening tilt after Flames pest Matthew Tkachuk bodied Klingberg behind the Stars' net. In the ensuing chaos, Klingberg scrapped with Andersson."I feel like (Andersson is) the one guy there in the scrum, he doesn't have a guy," Klingberg said following the Stars' 1-0 defeat. "I'm standing there with (Blake) Coleman, and he's standing and shaking his gloves to me like he wants to go against me. ... I'm dropping my gloves and I want to go, but he's just standing there for two seconds, and then all of a sudden he drops the gloves."He's acting a little tougher than he is. We're going to go after him."However, Tkachuk isn't overly concerned about the 6-foot-1, 214-pound Andersson moving forward in the series."Well, first of all, I don't even really know what that means, going after somebody," Tkachuk said. "But I think we've got enough guys that can handle ourselves outside of Ras, who can handle himself quite well."Andersson is a key player on the Flames' blue line. He led all Calgary skaters with 22:40 of ice time per contest in the regular season. Andersson only played 8:33 in Game 1 before receiving a game misconduct for the fight."I thought what (Andersson) did last night was great. We're gonna need more of that energy going forward," Tkachuk said. "He's done a great job all year, he's gonna continue it, and we need it. Definitely excited to have him back for, hopefully, a full 60 tomorrow."Puck drops on Game 2 at 10 p.m. ET on Thursday.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Barkov, Hedman, Kreider among King Clancy Trophy nominees
Aleksander Barkov, Victor Hedman, and Chris Kreider are three of the 32 nominees for the 2021-22 King Clancy Trophy.The NHL gives out the honor annually to the player who "best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community."Each team selects its nominee. A committee of senior NHL executives helmed by commissioner Gary Bettman and his deputy Bill Daly will choose the winner.The league will donate $25,000 to charities of the winner's choosing and $5,000 to those of the two runners-up.Here's the complete list:TeamPlayerAnaheim DucksRyan GetzlafArizona CoyotesAndrew LaddBoston BruinsNick FolignoBuffalo SabresJeff SkinnerCalgary FlamesMikael BacklundCarolina HurricanesJordan StaalChicago BlackhawksConnor MurphyColorado AvalancheNazem KadriColumbus Blue JacketsJack RoslovicDallas StarsJason RobertsonDetroit Red WingsAlex NedeljkovicEdmonton OilersDarnell NurseFlorida PanthersAleksander BarkovLos Angeles KingsCal PetersenMinnesota WildMatt DumbaMontreal CanadiensJake AllenNashville PredatorsLuke KuninNew Jersey DevilsP.K. SubbanNew York IslandersAnders LeeNew York RangersChris KreiderOttawa SenatorsNick HoldenPhiladelphia FlyersScott LaughtonPittsburgh PenguinsBryan RustSan Jose SharksMatt NietoSeattle KrakenJaden SchwartzSt. Louis BluesRyan O'ReillyTampa Bay LightningVictor HedmanToronto Maple LeafsWayne SimmondsVancouver CanucksBo HorvatVegas Golden KnightsMax PaciorettyWashington CapitalsGarnet HathawayWinnipeg JetsJosh MorrisseyNow-retired goaltender Pekka Rinne won it with the Predators last season. Dumba claimed the honor in 2020, and Foligno did so in 2017. Henrik Sedin is the only two-time winner, taking it home in 2016 and then alongside his brother Daniel two years later.The NHL began awarding the King Clancy Trophy in 1988 in honor of Frank "King" Clancy, who was admired throughout his NHL career in various roles including player, coach, referee, manager, and goodwill ambassador. The Hockey Hall of Fame inducted Clancy 30 years earlier.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
What to watch for in Leafs-Lightning after Toronto's blowout Game 1 win
The Toronto Maple Leafs thumped the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-0 on Monday to open the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Keep an eye on these storylines as the Atlantic Division series continues.The superstar showdown Mark Blinch / NHL / Getty ImagesFew scorers were hotter to end the regular season than two familiar Bolts. Nikita Kucherov recorded 23 points in Tampa Bay's last nine games; Steven Stamkos bagged 26 points in that span. The Lightning potted six or more goals five times in the back half of April alone.That mojo vanished on Monday when Toronto's dominance was comprehensive while the Lightning's lack of urgency bewildered. The Leafs shackled Tampa Bay's big guns at even strength and on the power play. Meanwhile, Mitch Marner took over in every phase.Marner snapped his 18-game postseason goal drought - dating back to Toronto's opener in 2019 - making this the first playoff game in which he and Auston Matthews both scored. Marner set up Matthews' snipe with the two-man advantage, and he teamed with Alex Kerfoot to wreak havoc shorthanded. Their aggressiveness and stickwork kept springing the Leafs for odd-man rushes during the major penalty in the first period that Tampa squandered.The Lightning didn't record a shot on that power play until the final minute. The defending Cup champs weren't ready to play; Toronto, capitalizing on so many disrupted zone entries and sloppy Tampa passes, turned defense to offense in an instant. David Kampf pounced on a clearance that Hedman failed to save at the offensive blue line for a breakaway goal.The Lightning inflicted beatdowns like this one as the season waned. When they routed Toronto 8-1 on April 21, head coach Jon Cooper cautioned that it was one game and wouldn't be relevant for long. Sixty nightmarish minutes into the playoffs, Cooper has to hope the logic holds up and that Kucherov and Stamkos start to trouble Jack Campbell.Toronto's special teams edge Richard Lautens / Toronto Star / Getty ImagesMichael Bunting sends the Leafs to the power play more than anyone. Ever willing to drive the crease and provoke an opponent, Bunting drew 45 penalties at all strengths this season, per Natural Stat Trick, placing him third in the NHL in the category behind Connor McDavid and Pierre-Luc Dubois.Kerfoot's 23 drawn penalties ranked second on the Leafs. Matthews and Marner, Bunting's superstar linemates, drew 27 penalties between them. You get the idea: Bunting earns the lion's share of the calls, and the Leafs score with the man advantage at the league's best rate.Despite Bunting's injury absence, the Leafs drew six power plays in Game 1. Toronto only converted one of those chances via Matthews' blast from the left faceoff dot. But that was plenty given Tampa's 0-for-5 success rate.Lax passes and puck control haunted the Lightning, which belied the danger their power play usually presents. Campbell stoned Brayden Point by the crease shortly before Kampf scored shorthanded. The Leafs tempted fate by taking several obstruction penalties, and Kyle Clifford's hit from behind was inadvisable, so it bodes well that special teams still swung the game Toronto's way.Bunting's 63 points this season - as it happens, only five came on the power play - made him a Calder Trophy candidate. Shelved by an awkward tumble against the Florida Panthers on April 23, he returned to practice ahead of Game 1 and is in the lineup for Game 2. Bunting could take advantage if the tight officiating persists.The goalie battle Kevin Sousa / NHL / Getty ImagesThe Lightning's projected advantage in net - Andrei Vasilevskiy edges Campbell in key statistical categories and Conn Smythe Trophy wins - didn't materialize in Game 1.Vasilevskiy was good in the first period. He stopped all of Toronto's chances during the Clifford major, plus wraparound and one-time attempts from Matthews, then stood tall on William Nylander's breakaway. But he drifted distressingly far out of his net on the Marner goal and, by mishandling a routine dump-in, gifted Matthews his second tally. The game snowballed and wound up being one of Vasilevskiy's worst ever in the playoffs.Per Evolving-Hockey, Vasilevskiy saved 17.6 goals above expected during the regular season - the No. 4 mark in the league. Campbell's GSAx this year was minus-8.18. But Campbell was sterling when needed on Monday and now has elevated his game to start consecutive playoff series, including Toronto's infamous defeat last spring to the Montreal Canadiens.Campbell's .934 save percentage against Montreal was superb, but he faded a bit as the seven-game series went on and didn't make enough stops to thwart the Habs' comeback. Game 1 against the Lightning was him and the Leafs at their best. Sustaining that is the next challenge.Nick Faris is a features writer at theScore.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
NHL Wednesday player props: Home cooking
Tuesday night was a disappointing one for our shot totals. Jonathan Huberdeau, as usual, breezed to victory at home. Sam Bennett and Elias Lindholm both came a puck short, combining to hit the target on just four of their eight attempts. So close, yet so far.We'll look to get back on track with a winning effort on Wednesday.Joel Eriksson Ek over 2.5 shots (-129)Joel Eriksson Ek has been one of our favorite targets at home all season long and he didn't disappoint on the opening night of the playoffs. Eriksson Ek was one of the Minnesota Wild's most noticeable players, dominating the puck in the offensive zone and creating shots in bulk around the net. He had eight attempts, six scoring chances, and five shots on goal while helping Minnesota control the run of play at five-on-five. Shot attempts were 18-4 in favor of the Wild with the underrated two-way center on the ice.He's being tasked with slowing down the Vladimir Tarasenko line, which does give up plenty in the defensive zone. Expect Eriksson Ek - who has hit in all three games against the St. Louis Blues this year - to take advantage once again.Kirill Kaprizov over 3.5 shots (-119)Kirill Kaprizov created absolutely nothing at full strength in Game 1. It was an off night for him. Even so, he still finished with nine shot attempts, seven chances, and five shots on target. Absolutely everything runs through him on the power play so even if he's struggling at five-on-five - which I don't expect to be the case - he can still get the job done in extra-man situations.Kaprizov has recorded at least four shots in 22 of his last 30 games in Minnesota (73% hit rate) and once again appears to be a standout value at this price.Leon Draisaitl over 3.5 shots (+110)It felt like the Los Angeles Kings did a great job of limiting Leon Draisaitl in the series opener. Quite frankly, they did - especially at five-on-five. That didn't stop Draisaitl from attempting nine shots, five of which hit the target.Edmonton is going to come out desperate in this game - they absolutely have to get a win - which could lead to even heavier usage for their stars. That makes Draisaitl - who has hit in 14 of his last 19 in Edmonton - an even more appealing target.As good as the Kings are defensively, Draisaitl has still managed to register 11 shots and 20 attempts over his last two home games against them.Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
NHL Wednesday best bets: Wild, Oilers to rebound at home
A pair of teams gave away home-ice advantages with disappointing losses in Monday's opening night of the playoffs.I see value in backing both of them as we look to get back on track with our best bets.Blues (+115) @ Wild (-140)The St. Louis Blues borderline embarrassed the Minnesota Wild in Game 1. The Wild lost 4-0 at home, mainly due to putrid special teams.Minnesota struggled mightily to slow David Perron and Co. while shorthanded. The team was equally ineffective on the power play, squandering six opportunities.However, the Wild showed some encouraging signs at five-on-five. Minnesota won the shot attempt battle 44-17 in 35 minutes of play at full strength. It also posted a plus-eight in high-danger chances and controlled nearly 62% of the expected goals.The Wild trailed for a good portion of the game, but they produced excellent underlying metrics, even accounting for score effects.I think refs have used Game 1's league-wide to set the tone for the playoffs. Teams now know officials won't hesitate to blow the whistles early and often. They know what's allowed and what isn't. I expect more five-on-five play moving forward, and Minnesota showed it could tilt the ice at full strength.With an apparent edge at five-on-five, home ice, and the desperation that comes from dropping the opener in their own building, I expect the Wild to rebound with a much better performance.Bet: Wild (-140)Kings (+165) @ Oilers (-200)The Los Angeles Kings played very well in the series opener. They pressured the bottom half of the Edmonton Oilers' roster, and their top pivots did a great job of limiting what Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl could create offensively at five-on-five. The two superstars combined for only three scoring chances (one high-danger) at full strength.The Oilers have now seen how the Kings want to play them and can make necessary adjustments to get their best players in more favorable situations. Don't get me wrong, Anze Kopitar and Phillip Danault won't magically lose their defensive prowess and turn into pumpkins overnight. But I think Edmonton will alter its approach to put its stars in a better position to succeed. Perhaps that means less time against those two.I also think it's fair to expect a natural breakthrough. It's downright impossible to slow McDavid or Draisaitl, let alone both, over a sustained period. They'll take a mile if you give them an inch. Much like Minnesota, Edmonton should start Game 2 with a determined approach to get the win and even things up as the series shifts to Los Angeles.Let's hope Mike Smith doesn't take it upon himself to throw a muffin up the middle and hand over another win. That should be out of his system for a few games.Bet: Oilers in regulation (-130)Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
First impressions of Flames-Stars as shutout gives Calgary the early edge
The Calgary Flames blanked the Dallas Stars 1-0 on Tuesday night in their first clash of the NHL postseason. Here are three thoughts about Game 1 and where the series is headed.Stars' scoring woes Derek Leung / Getty ImagesThe Colorado Avalanche wrecked the Nashville Predators on Tuesday, but Calgary versus Dallas still profiles as the biggest mismatch of the first round. The Flames' plus-85 goal differential ranked second in the NHL this season. The Stars' minus-eight differential made them the rare playoff club to finish in the red.Dallas goalie Jake Oettinger shone in his first playoff start and kept Game 1 close, but one clever passing sequence is all Calgary needed to one-up him. Johnny Gaudreau, Matthew Tkachuk, and Elias Lindholm dominated as a line at even strength this year. They struck on the power play in Tuesday's spicy first period, teeing up the Lindholm snapper that tickled twine within five seconds of a faceoff.The Stars barely controlled the puck that period. Calgary attacked in a straight line with speed and purpose and, aided by rough-and-tumble puck retrieval, racked up the game's first nine shots.Dallas slowed the surge over the game's sleepier last 40 minutes and sometimes tested Jacob Markstrom's glove hand, but it didn't create enough good looks to bother him. The Stars put fewer shots on net than they did Tuesday (16) only once in the regular season. Game 1 marked the 22nd time this campaign that an opponent held them to one goal or fewer.That spells trouble for a one-line team. Stars fans know well that Jason Robertson, Roope Hintz, and Joe Pavelski netted 45% of Dallas' goals in the regular season. Hintz and his wingers helped generate four of the Stars' six scoring chances at five-on-five Tuesday, according to Natural Stat Trick. However, if Chris Tanev and Noah Hanifin keep holding them scoreless, Dallas lacks forwards who could compensate.Playoff breakout candidates Derek Leung / Getty ImagesTkachuk refused to wait to influence the series. At points of the first period, he assisted Lindholm's snipe, steamrolled John Klingberg behind the Stars' net, and drew a penalty when Michael Raffl incited a retaliatory fight at the buzzer, which led to Klingberg and Rasmus Andersson tussling and getting ejected.Tkachuk's busy start came at an opportune time. The superstar winger was a top-10 scorer in the league this season. His 42 goals and 104 points shattered his previous career highs. But his playoff output to date has been modest. Entering Tuesday, Tkachuk tallied three goals and five points in 15 postseason appearances, and he was concussed when Dallas ousted Calgary from the 2020 playoff bubble.If all goes to plan in this round, the Flames will lay the groundwork for a long and fruitful run. Tkachuk and Lindholm - who's up to four career playoff goals now - asserting themselves offensively would help the cause.So would a breakout showing from Markstrom, the 32-year-old potential Vezina Trophy finalist who's appeared in fewer playoff games than Tkachuk. Markstrom backstopped the Vancouver Canucks to Round 2 in 2020, his only previous taste of the postseason, before a groin injury sidelined him during that series.His poor 2020-21 season gave way to the career year he just authored. Markstrom's nine shutouts topped the NHL, and he ranked fifth in the league in goals saved above expected, according to Evolving-Hockey. His first shutout this month was low-event hockey but deserved.Great test for Heiskanen Derek Leung / Getty ImagesWhen theScore handed out hypothetical NHL awards last weekend, we named Miro Heiskanen the league's best defensive defenseman. He erases openings with his fleet feet and quick stick, and Dallas trusts him to shadow offensive forces. The forwards Heiskanen faced most often in 2021-22 included Matt Duchene, Patrick Kane, Clayton Keller, and Trevor Zegras, plus Calgary's top line.He nullified Gaudreau, Lindholm, and Tkachuk throughout three matchups in the regular season. That line didn't score in the 20 minutes that Heiskanen countered them at five-on-five. The trio's only even-strength goal against Dallas capped a cycle shift on Feb. 1 that the Stars' bottom pair, Jani Hakanpaa and Joel Hanley, couldn't contain.Thanks to Klingberg's ejection, Heiskanen played 29:57 in Game 1, though he matched up with Mikael Backlund's line more often than he faced the Lindholm trio. Maybe Rick Bowness will stick him on Lindholm and Co. once Dallas gets the last change at home. In the meantime, Heiskanen stuck tight to Tkachuk on an attempted breakaway pass, quelling a crisis with subtly great positioning. He also fed Tyler Seguin for a promising slot chance in the third period.Heiskanen is capable of offensive brilliance. His 26 points in the 2020 bubble - the most a defenseman has scored in the playoffs this century - highlighted and keyed the Stars' Stanley Cup Final charge. In three separate wins over Calgary that postseason, he netted two goals, dished three assists, and played a game-high 35:45 as Dallas rallied to prevail in overtime.Heiskanen was 1:40 into a shift Tuesday when, with Oettinger pulled, he failed to gain center ice on a dump-in and was whistled for icing, nixing the Stars' last chance to beat Markstrom. If he cuts out the miscues and dictates tempo, maybe he could swing a game in his team's favor or at least help Dallas score before its hole deepens.Nick Faris is a features writer at theScore.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Ovechkin returns to lineup for Capitals' Game 1 win vs. Panthers
Alexander Ovechkin returned to the lineup for Game 1 of the Washington Capitals' first-round series against the Florida Panthers on Tuesday.The captain logged one assist in over 17 minutes of ice time en route to Washington's 4-2 upset victory.Ovechkin missed the final three games of the regular season after suffering an upper-body injury against the Toronto Maple Leafs on April 24.The 36-year-old said Monday he feels good and that he could have played in Washington's final three games if they were playoff contests, according to The Washington Post's Samantha Pell.Ovechkin led the Capitals with 50 goals and 90 points in 77 contests this season.Goaltender Vitek Vanecek started during Washington's playoff opener. He authored a .938 save percentage against the Presidents' Trophy winners.Vanecek managed a .908 save percentage and 2.67 goals-against average in 42 regular-season games this campaign.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Ekblad returns for Game 1 vs. Capitals
Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad returned to the lineup for Game 1 against the Washington Capitals on Tuesday night.He played just over 24 minutes of Florida's 4-2 upset loss and threw two hits.Ekblad hadn't played since suffering a leg injury on March 18. He was hurt in an awkward collision and had to be helped off the ice. Although it appeared to be a devastating injury, Ekblad didn't sustain any structural damage.Head coach Andrew Brunette said that Ekblad would immediately reclaim his spot on the team's top power play, according to team reporter Jameson Olive.These were the Panthers' pairings at morning skate:
Avs get Landeskog back for Game 1 vs. Predators
Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog is in the lineup for Game 1 against the Nashville Predators on Tuesday.
Penguins' Rakell exits after hit by Rangers' Lindgren
Pittsburgh Penguins forward Rickard Rakell exited the contest after taking a questionable hit from New York Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren in the first period of Game 1 on Tuesday night.Lindgren appeared to catch Rakell up high along the boards. Rakell had to be helped off the ice.
Blackhawks GM: Toews, Kane have a place in rebuild
The Chicago Blackhawks are in full rebuild mode following a dismal 2021-22 season, calling into question the futures of franchise staples Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane.Despite the uncertainty, general manager Kyle Davidson said there's "absolutely" still a spot for the three-time Stanley Cup winners in the Windy City."I don't think there's any question about that," Davidson told reporters Tuesday, according to the Chicago Sun-Times' Ben Pope. "What their roles are and how they fit into things, that's part of the dialogue that we're having."He added: "Having them around is something we're never going to shy away from because they can show this next wave of players how it's done. And you never know, maybe they could be part of (this) when we're back to having success."Davidson added the Blackhawks' return to postseason relevancy may be a slow one."It's not that we don't want to win as soon as possible," he said. "It's just when you look at the bigger picture, you realize it might take a little longer than (the players) may hope, perhaps."Toews, who's captained the team since 2008, called for more communication between himself, the coaching staff, and the front office last month amid a losing skid.Those comments came after Toews was noncommittal on his future with Chicago following the Blackhawks' trade of talented forward Brandon Hagel to the Tampa Bay Lightning prior to the deadline in March."Now, all of a sudden, you realize no one on our team is safe, and we could all be going in different directions in the near future - it's pretty discouraging," Toews told The Athletic's Mark Lazerus at the time.Chicago finished seventh in the Central Division with a 28-42-12 record.After missing the entirety of the 2020-21 campaign with chronic immune response syndrome, Toews put up 37 points in 71 games this season. Kane had a stellar year, logging 26 goals and 66 assists in 78 contests.Both players have one season remaining on identical eight-year, $84-million deals.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Canucks not ready to commit to Boudreau beyond next season
Bruce, there it isn't?The Vancouver Canucks aren't currently willing to commit to head coach Bruce Boudreau beyond next season, president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford said Tuesday."We would be willing to have him back under the contract that he agreed to when he came here," Rutherford told reporters during his year-end availability. "And that's certainly not to say at the end of next year we wouldn't want him back."Rutherford added that there's a possibility the organization would be ready to talk about an extension for Boudreau partway through next season."I just feel that, as good a job as he's done, it wasn't a full season," Rutherford said. "I feel that giving him a chance to take the team from training camp all the way through next season - I guess we could get to a point where, partway through the season, we may decide to talk about that."Boudreau signed a two-year deal with the club when he was hired in December 2021, but his contract reportedly contains multiple options for next season."In our agreement, both sides have until June 1, so he can take whatever time he wants," Rutherford said.He added: "Our talks with him have been very positive. He's well aware we appreciate and respect the job he's done. (We) explained to him why we're doing it the way we're doing it and why we want him back."The Canucks went 32-15-10 under Boudreau. They came within five points of making the playoffs after an 8-15-2 start under previous head coach Travis Green. Boudreau became a fan favorite, as home crowds regularly chanted "Bruce, there it is" after a big goal.Rutherford further explained his rationale for not extending Boudreau."In our business, you have to be cautious with your decisions, and you have to do them for the right reasons," the veteran executive said. "If you don't, you're gonna get yourself in a position someday where you're paying three (or) four coaches in the same year."While Boudreau has nearly a month to mull over his future, he said he told management that he wants to return next year."We're just talking right now. Hopefully, things get done," Boudreau told reporters Tuesday. "I think they want me back, and I know I want to be back. So, I think it should work out."Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Leafs' Clifford suspended 1 game for hit on Lightning's Colton
Toronto Maple Leafs enforcer Kyle Clifford was suspended one game by the NHL Department of Player Safety for boarding Tampa Bay Lightning forward Ross Colton on Monday.Clifford received a five-minute major and game misconduct after he caught Colton with a late hit from behind in the first period of Game 1.
Stanley Cup Playoffs betting: How to find in-series value
Aside from a botched clearing attempt by Oilers goaltender Mike Smith, there wasn't much drama on Day 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, with three of the first four games ending in definitive victories.After each game, the betting markets adjust their prices for each team to win. This can often provide an opportunity for bettors, either in recognizing that one team may be overmatched or that there may be an overreaction to previous results.We'll evaluate how each team played on Monday, using five-on-five metrics like expected goals, high-danger chances, and high-danger chance goals. This removes potential outliers like power-play goals, and soft goals allowed - two things that are hard to predict on a game-to-game basis. Even-strength dominance is much more predictive of future success.Game 1: Bruins 1, Hurricanes 5TEAMXGF 5-ON-5HDCHDGBruins2.41110Hurricanes1.7111Hurricanes goaltender Antti Raanta, getting the start due to an injury to Frederik Andersen, looked shaky in the first period, often struggling to contain loose pucks in and around his crease. The normally opportunistic Bruins couldn't convert, and the game remained scoreless for 36-plus minutes.The Bruins had more expected goals in each of the three periods. However, it was Carolina that eventually broke through. The Bruins are expected to give Jeremy Swayman a shot in net for Game 2 after Linus Ullmark gave up three goals from non-high-danger areas.With the expectation that we'll see more urgency from the Bruins, better conversion around the net, and their top line (a collective minus-9 on Monday) to be more engaged, Boston is worth grabbing at a juicy price to eventually take the series.Pick: Bruins to win series (+165)Game 1: Lightning 0, Maple Leafs 5TEAMXGF 5-ON-5HDCHDGLightning1.4490Maple Leafs1.79100Scotiabank Arena was rocking Monday night as '80s pop-rock rang through the rafters more often than even the most ardent Maple Leafs fan could have expected - "expectation" being the operative word. As much as the 5-0 win felt like a party, on the relatively few occasions when the game was played at even strength (the fewest five-on-five time of Monday's four games), it was played evenly from an even-strength expected goal share standpoint.Already on record as being on Toronto to win a long series, I won't get overexcited about the scoreboard after one game. A -220 price tag on the Leafs is an overreaction to them holding serve once at home, so it's Lightning or nothing here. With a good position on the Leafs and a win already in pocket, I'll opt for the latter.Pick: PassGame 1: Blues 4, Wild 0TEAMXGF 5-ON-5HDCHDGBlues1.0141Wild1.64120If you picture your favorite type of high-danger scoring chance - maybe a breakaway, a one-timer in the slot, a goal-mouth rebound - it's hard to believe that the Wild went 0-for-12 in those situations, while the Blues converted one of their four.David Perron's hat trick came from two power-plays and a power play that expired two seconds earlier. Meanwhile, the Wild were 0-for-6 on the man advantage at home. While the Blues had the more efficient power play in the regular season, going 2-for-6 (almost 3-for-6) is certainly an outlier.Priced at +155 but having lost home-ice advantage already, the Wild aren't worth an in-series play. A moneyline bet on Minnesota (-120) in Game 2 is a better use of our capital.Pick: PassGame 1: Kings 4, Oilers 3TEAMXGF 5-ON-5HDCHDGKings2.45111Oilers1.8660The Kings got the best of the Oilers at even strength, but this is less about expecting that to continue and more about believing the Oilers will improve in Game 2. Oddsmakers have priced their moneyline (-195) identically to where it was Monday, so the belief in the market is for a better game from Edmonton.It's easy to blame Smith for his foolish breakout pass, but the reality is that the Oilers need to play better in front of him if they want to win this series.But if the Oilers are who we think they are, the pick'em series price will be a bargain by the time all is said and done.Pick: Oilers to win series (-115)Matt Russell is a betting writer for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Spurgeon avoids suspension for cross-checking Buchnevich's ankle
Minnesota Wild defenseman Jared Spurgeon won't miss any games for cross-checking St. Louis Blues forward Pavel Buchnevich in the ankle on Monday night.Spurgeon was fined $5,000 for the incident, which took place late in the Blues' 4-0 victory in Game 1.
NHL Tuesday player props: 3 forwards to target at home
We enjoyed a very successful regular season with shot totals, and that continued on the first night of the playoffs. We won two of three, with the lone loser (Anze Kopitar) falling one puck shy.Let's dig into three of my favorite targets for night Night 2.Jonathan Huberdeau over 2.5 shots (-104)Huberdeau just put together one of the best prop seasons I have ever seen. After a slow start, he responded by registering at least three shots in 29 of his final 34 home games. That's an 85% hit rate. Yes, 85%.Despite consistently going over the number at home regardless of the opponent and hitting in all three games against the Capitals, Huberdeau continues to be priced at a coin flip.What's even more encouraging is that Huberdeau's attempt volume increased quite a bit down the stretch. The Panthers star averaged 6.1 attempts over his last 10 home dates, which is well above the 4.8 he averaged for the season (while consistently hitting, anyway). Ride the hot hand.Sam Bennett over 2.5 shots (-130)Bennett quietly had a very similar season to Huberdeau; the difference is his shot totals usually came in at 3.5. Like Huberdeau, he is in play each and every night when the total is 2.5. Bennett registered at least three shots in 29 of his 36 games in Florida, which is an 81% hit rate - not quite at Huberdeau's level but very close.The Capitals are a solid defensive team but don't have the horses to match the Panthers' never-ending supply of gifted offensive players, and they won't be able to get the matchups they want in Florida. The Huberdeau-Bennett line generally gets plenty of offensive-zone starts against weaker competition when playing in Florida, and I expect no different to start this series.Elias Lindholm over 2.5 shots (-125)The Stars struggled to defend against centers down the stretch. Only the Coyotes conceded more total shots to the position over the last month of the season, and Dallas didn't grade out much better on a per-game basis.That makes this an enticing matchup for Lindholm, who registered 14 shots over three regular-season matchups while hitting his shot total (2.5) each time.Lindholm also stands to benefit from the Flames having the last change. Darryl Sutter will have a much easier time getting his top line away from Dallas' best defensive players, which will only help the cause.Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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.Capitals (+180) @ Panthers (-220)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)Penguins (+110) @ Rangers (-130)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)Predators (+265) @ Avalanche (-330)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.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Yeo won't return as Flyers' head coach
Philadelphia Flyers interim head coach Mike Yeo won't return to the position next season, general manager Chuck Fletcher announced Tuesday, according to NHL.com's Adam Kimelman.Yeo entered the season as one of Philadelphia's assistant coaches but was temporarily promoted in December after Alain Vigneault was fired. Yeo was unable to get the Flyers on track, posting a 17-36-7 record after taking over behind the bench.The 48-year-old previously held head coaching positions with the Minnesota Wild and St. Louis Blues.The Flyers' next head coach will be their seventh since 2010.The Detroit Red Wings and Winnipeg Jets are also in search of a new bench boss this offseason after missing the playoffs.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Predators' Saros out first 2 games of series vs. Avalanche
The Nashville Predators will be without star netminder Juuse Saros for the first two games of their Round 1 series against the Colorado Avalanche, head coach John Hynes said Monday, per The Athletic's Adam Vingan.Saros suffered a lower-body injury April 26 against the Calgary Flames and missed the final two contests of the regular season.He went 38-25-3, recording a .918 save percentage and 2.64 goals-against average while leading all NHL goalies with 67 games played.Hynes said the team is still deciding who'll start Game 1 on Tuesday, according to Brooks Bratten of NHL.com. Veteran David Rittich and rookie Connor Ingram are the two other goalies on Nashville's roster.Rittich posted an .886 save percentage in 17 games this season, while Ingram registered an .879 save percentage in three appearances - the only three starts of the 25-year-old's NHL career.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Hurricanes tab Raanta for his 1st-ever playoff start
Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Antti Raanta is making the first postseason start of his nine-year career Monday in Game 1 against the Boston Bruins.Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind'Amour confirmed his decision after the morning skate, according to team reporter Walt Ruff.Carolina's No. 1 netminder, Frederik Andersen, was already ruled out for the matchup due to an undisclosed injury. Raanta has been Andersen's backup for most of this season, but 22-year-old Pyotr Kochetkov made a few appearances in goal for the Hurricanes toward the end of the campaign.Raanta, who'll turn 33 on May 12, has played five postseason games. He took the loss in his playoff debut with the New York Rangers in 2016, then came on in relief during four other defeats - two more with the Blueshirts that year and two with the Arizona Coyotes in 2020. He has an .846 save percentage in the postseason.The Finnish netminder began his career with the Chicago Blackhawks but joined the club after the first two of their three most recent championships. He didn't play in the postseason when they won the Stanley Cup in 2015.Raanta went 15-5-4 with a .912 save percentage over 28 games during the 2021-22 regular season.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Conn Smythe Trophy betting: Balancing championship probability
It all looks so tantalizing when you pull up the odds on who will win the Conn Smythe Trophy.Conn Smythe Trophy OddsPLAYERSODDSNathan MacKinnon+1200Jonathan Huberdeau+1500Aleksander Barkov+1500Mikko Rantanen+1500Auston Matthews+1700Johnny Gaudreau+2000Cale Makar+2000Andrei Vasilevskiy+2000Jacob Markstrom+2000Sergei Bobrovsky+2500Aaron Ekblad+2500Darcy Kuemper+2500Nikita Kucherov+2500Sebastian Aho+2500Frederik Andersen+3000Leon Draisaitl+3000Kirill Kaprizov+3000Connor McDavid+3000Mitch Marner+3000Steven Stamkos+3000Igor Shesterkin+3000Matthew Tkachuk+3000Gabriel Landeskog+3500Marc-Andre Fleury+4000Elias Lindholm+4000Victor Hedman+4000Jack Campbell+4000Brayden Point+4000Andrei Svechnikov+4000Brad Marchand+5000David Pastrnak+5000Artemi Panarin+5000Sidney Crosby+5000Adam Fox+6000Patrice Bergeron+6000Chris Kreider+6000Jake Guentzel+6000Alex Ovechkin+6000Mika Zibanejad+6000Evgeni Malkin+6500Vladimir Tarasenko+7500Ville Husso+7500John Tavares+7500Sam Reinhart+7500Claude Giroux+7500*all others not listed are 75-1 or higherWhat other futures market has the favorite listed at 12-1?!How to find value You need to start with the champion and work backward. This isn't an era where Ron Hextall or Jean-Sebastien Giguere can win from the losing side.Let's look at the Toronto Maple Leafs as an example. They're 10-1 to win the Stanley Cup, implying they'll snap their epic drought 9% of the time this postseason plays out. Of that 9%, you then have to assign a value to each possible team MVP. Here's how that might look:PLAYERPROBABILITYSHARE OF 9%FAIR ODDSAuston Matthews66%6%15-1Mitch Marner11%1%99-1John Tavares11%1%99-1Jack Campbell5%0.5%198-1Morgan Rielly5%0.5%198-1Other2%0.2%500-1Matthews at 15-1 is the closest we'll get to fair value, but that's after making him 66% likely to be the Leafs' most valuable player. He was that this season, but Toronto would need an outlier performance from someone else if it wants to win the Stanley Cup. Maybe that's clutch scoring from Marner or Tavares, but it could also be a surprise string of hot goaltending performances.More importantly, if you're looking to talk yourself into someone other than Matthews, where does that win probability come from? Marner, for example, would need to be 33% likely to be the Leafs' MVP to be worth betting at his offered price. Are you taking some off Matthews' slice of the pie? Or are you eliminating everyone not named Matthews and Marner?What about the Cup favorite Colorado Avalanche? Oddsmakers expect them to win the Cup 22% of the time. Here's how the Avalanches' top candidates are priced and the implied probability of each hoisting the Conn Smythe.PLAYERODDSIMPLIED PROB.Nathan MacKinnon+14006.7%Mikko Rantanen+16005.9%Cale Makar+18005.3%Darcy Kuemper+25003.8%Gabriel Landeskog+33002.9%Those five players add up to 24.6%, which is more than 22%. Maybe you believe that one of the above should have a larger piece of the pie, but it's unlikely you're getting a good bet versus just taking Colorado outright. The same issue exists for other top contenders with depth like the Panthers, Lightning, and Bruins.Best betsConnor McDavid (+3000)This is a decent bet if you believe McDavid will win a Stanley Cup at some point in his career. You might be willing to bet this every season for the next 20 years, knowing that it'll be profitable when he does it. As long as McDavid's odds (30-1) at winning the Conn Smythe are even the slightest percentage longer than the Edmonton Oilers' odds of winning the Cup (18-1), he's a good value.Sidney Crosby won the Conn Smythe in 2017 when he scored just eight goals, and he didn't lead the Pittsburgh Penguins in points that postseason. There's a zero percent chance that voters will look elsewhere if the Oilers win the Cup and McDavid posts even modest stats. Of course, if Edmonton wins it all, it'll be because he was outstanding.Matthew Tkachuk (+3000)Flash goes a long way with voters in other sports, especially in the small sample sizes of the NBA Finals and Super Bowl. In the NHL, grit is a hit over the long grind of the playoffs.Markstrom and Gaudreau have shorter odds, as a goaltender and leading scorer often do on a contender. The Calgary Flames' best chance to win the whole thing comes from Tkachuk being a force up front. Players combining size and skill get a lot of attention from the media as a difference-maker in the playoffs. At 30-1, Tkachuk might get more of the probability pie than he's allotted in this market.Kirill Kaprizov (+3300)Sometimes betting and odds valuation comes down to name recognition. With 47 goals and 108 points, Kirill Kaprizov isn't a household name in even some of the most die-hard hockey families. However, that means his Conn Smythe price might be depressed for that exact reason.The Minnesota Wild doesn't have a clear-cut star defenseman or a goaltender who will get a ton of voting attention should the team make a run to the Stanley Cup. Unlike past years, they're a club that prides itself on its scoring. If the Wild lift the Cup, it'll be because they outscored their opponents on the way, getting Kaprizov all the attention.Matt Russell is a betting writer for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Jets, Cheveldayoff agree to 3-year extension
The Winnipeg Jets handed general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff a three-year extension, he confirmed Monday, to begin what's expected to be a busy offseason.The deal keeps the 52-year-old in Winnipeg through the 2025 season.Cheveldayoff took over the front office in the summer of 2011 when the team relocated from Atlanta.The Jets have had a degree of success under him, reaching the playoffs in four straight seasons before falling short this year. They advanced to the Western Conference Final in 2018, losing to the Vegas Golden Knights in five games. Cheveldayoff was a finalist for the General Manager of the Year Award that season.Winnipeg enters an offseason of transition. In addition to Pierre-Luc Dubois becoming a restricted free agent and Paul Stastny becoming an unrestricted free agent, star forward Mark Scheifele said Sunday that he'll need to meet with the front office to decide if he sees his future with the organization.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
NHL Monday best bets: Bruins to survive storm in Carolina
We had a strong finish to the regular season, stringing together three consecutive 2-1 nights with our best bets to close the year out.We'll look to keep the ball rolling as we begin the marathon that is the Stanley Cup playoffs.Bruins (-105) @ Hurricanes (-115)This is going to be a heavily contested back-and-forth series. I like the Boston Bruins to prevail when it's all said and done, and I think they start this game off on the right foot.There are a couple big factors at play here. First and foremost: Frederik Andersen's absence. The netminder will at least miss the start of this series, and that is very impactful for the Carolina Hurricanes.Antti Raanta held down the fort pretty well this season, but his numbers don't hold a candle to Andersen's. The latter finished with a slightly higher save percentage and stopped more than a half a goal above expectation per start. By comparison, Raanta saved 0.14 GSAE per start. Not even close.The Bruins are not a dynamic offensive team, per se, but their top six is miserable to deal with when healthy - and they're healthy.I also love the form the Bruins are in. Boston won 17 of its final 25 games - only three sides won more - and controlled a league-leading 60.5% of the expected goals at five-on-five.The Bruins absolutely suffocated opposing offenses in that time, allowing only 1.95 expected goals per 60 and just 8.74 high-danger chances. Both totals ranked them first in the East and second in the NHL.I think the Bruins can slow Carolina's offense and keep a lot of the shots to the outside, and Andersen's absence should help give Boston more opportunities at the other end.It feels like the wrong team is favored here.Bet: Bruins (-105)Blues (+120) @ Wild (-145)I think the St. Louis Blues are in for a bit of a wake-up call. As good as they have been, especially offensively, the Minnesota Wild appear to be a different animal.The Wild finished the campaign in arguably the NHL's best form, posting a 19-3-3 record over the last 25 games while ranking fifth in expected goal share and first in actual goal share.With Kirill Kaprizov, Kevin Fiala, and Joel Eriksson Ek all headlining their own lines, Minnesota has three units with very dangerous scoring threats, giving teams a lot of trouble in the defensive zone.Minnesota could also make a case for being the NHL's best defensive side. Remember when I mentioned the Bruins were second in several key metrics down the stretch? Well, the Wild were holding down the top spot, giving opponents next to nothing at five-on-five.It's definitely worth debating whether Cam Talbot should get the nod over Marc-Andre Fleury, but Talbot's play over the last month or two was drastically better than what we saw all season.With the way the Wild have been limiting chances, Talbot should be able to give the team what it needs to claim a victory on home soil.Bet: Wild (-145)Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Leafs get Kase back for Game 1 after 20-game absence due to concussion
Toronto Maple Leafs forward Ondrej Kase is in the lineup for Game 1 of their first-round playoff series against the Tampa Bay Lightning, head coach Sheldon Keefe said Monday, according to TSN's Mark Masters.Kase hasn't played since March 19 due to a concussion. He missed the club's final 20 games of the regular season.The 26-year-old forward didn't practice during Monday's optional skate. The Leafs initially considered Kase a game-time decision before Keefe confirmed the change. Kase took the ice in a regular sweater Sunday for the first time since the injury."He was going to get in sometime … may as well start now," Keefe said Monday, according to the Toronto Sun's Lance Hornby. "He's a difference-maker for our team."Keefe explained that the club took a cautious approach with Kase down the stretch."I would have loved if things lined up that he could have played last week … He just wasn't comfortable at that point," the bench boss said, according to The Athletic's Jonas Siegel. "He's at the point now where he feels good."Kase produced 14 goals and 13 assists while averaging just under 14 minutes of ice time over 50 contests in 2021-22. He's in his first season with the Maple Leafs, who signed him as a free agent in July.Keefe also noted that Leafs winger Michael Bunting won't play in Game 1 after being deemed doubtful to suit up.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
NHL Monday player props: 3 forwards worth backing
The playoffs are finally here. We have four juicy matchups to get us started Monday night, and there's plenty of value on the board. Let's dive in.Patrice Bergeron over 3.5 shots (+100)Patrice Bergeron was a consistent shot generator for much of the season. He cooled off a little bit down the stretch, but that had more to do with usage than anything else.The Boston Bruins clearly took it easy on their star center to keep him fresh for the playoffs. He played more than 17 minutes just once over the last six games and fell short of 16 minutes in four of those contests. Now that results matter again, Bergeron's usage will undoubtedly go up. Look no further than last year's series against the New York Islanders. Bergeron's lowest ice time came in at 17:55, with the two-way star logging at least 19 minutes in four of six games.He should see that kind of ice time against the Carolina Hurricanes, making him a very attractive target. The Hurricanes are a strong shot suppression team, but that didn't stop Bergeron from generating eight shots and 13 attempts over two regular-season meetings against them. He's a very efficient shooter at five-on-five, and Carolina takes plenty of penalties. That should help him get there.Anze Kopitar over 2.5 shots (-114)The Edmonton Oilers gave up a ton of shots to centers down the stretch. In fact, no team conceded more per game over the last month of the season. It didn't necessarily translate to production, but volume is volume, and that's what we're chasing here.Anze Kopitar enjoyed success against the Oilers this campaign. He registered at least three shots in three of the four meetings, including both contests played in Edmonton.The power-play matchup is what makes Kopitar even more enticing. Edmonton spent more time shorthanded than all but two teams over the regular season's final 20 games. The Nashville Predators were the lone side to concede more shots while down a man.It just so happens that Kopitar led the Los Angeles Kings in power-play scoring chances over the previous 20 contests. He was also one back of the team lead in shots on the man advantage over the same period. Kopitar should be the prime beneficiary in this matchup.Kirill Kaprizov over 3.5 shots (-112)Death, taxes, and backing Kirill Kaprizov on home soil. The Minnesota Wild superstar generated at least four shots in 22 of his last 30 home games, good for a 73% success rate.The St. Louis Blues are a solid team, but they're not one we have to avoid. They ranked 27th in shot attempts against per 60 minutes at five-on-five over the last 10 contests. The Blues give up volume and can be exploited, which Kaprizov showed during the season series.He hit the over in two of three appearances against St. Louis, falling just one short - while attempting nine shots - in the lone exception.I see plenty of value at this price.Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
NHL Power Rankings: The final 16
This is the 15th edition of theScore's NHL Power Rankings for the 2021-22 campaign and the first for the playoffs. Check back after Round 1 for updated rankings. In this edition, we rank the 16 teams that advanced to the postseason.1. Florida PanthersPrevious rank: 1The Panthers were unstoppable offensively all season and locked up their first Presidents' Trophy in franchise history. They've never been more primed for a deep run but remain without a series win since 1996. After a stress-free regular season, Florida has a lot to prove.2. Colorado AvalanchePrevious rank: 2Despite being ranked second, the Avalanche are surely the favorites to win the Cup this year due to their easier path to the finals. Colorado has been rolling all season long despite constantly dealing with injuries throughout the lineup. The Avalanche have one of the best goalies in the league, a star-studded group of forwards, and an absolutely stacked blue line. This might finally be their year.3. Carolina Hurricanes Gregg Forwerck / National Hockey League / GettyPrevious rank: 4The Hurricanes are one of the best five-on-five teams in the league, but they enter the playoffs without Frederik Andersen in goal and face a difficult first-round opponent in the Bruins. The timing of Carolina's adversity is unfortunate, but Rod Brind'Amour's club appears stingy enough to overcome anything thrown its way.4. Toronto Maple LeafsPrevious rank: 3Can the Maple Leafs conquer their playoff demons and win a series for the first time since 2004? It won't be easy against the two-time defending champs, but this version of the Leafs is better defensively, deeper up front, and elite on special teams. If they lose, they'll be one-and-done for the sixth straight year in the Auston Matthews era. However, if Toronto slays the beast, the group's sky-high confidence could lead to a deep run. No pressure.5. Tampa Bay LightningPrevious rank: 9The Lightning are looking to become the first team since the Islanders dynasty of the '80s to win three straight Stanley Cups. Tampa had to rebuild its third line from the last two Cup runs, but the firepower up front, the massive D-core, and Andrei Vasilevskiy all remain intact. Fatigue may eventually become an issue, but it shouldn't be a major factor in Round 1, despite playing a hungry and desperate Leafs squad.6. Calgary Flames Gerry Thomas / National Hockey League / GettyPrevious rank: 6Are the Flames Canada's best chance at winning the Stanley Cup for the first time since 1993? Yes, we have Toronto ranked higher, but Calgary's road to the Cup is much easier through the Pacific Division. Darryl Sutter's club is as well-rounded as any in the league and built for the postseason grind.7. New York RangersPrevious rank: 5The Rangers are quietly one of the most dangerous teams in the playoffs, but everything will hinge on Igor Shesterkin's play. With zero playoff experience, there's no guarantee that the likely Vezina Trophy winner will stay red hot. If he does, the Rangers will be as tough an out as any team thanks to their loaded group on offense. But if Shesterkin's off his game, New York will be lucky to advance past the first round.8. Minnesota WildPrevious rank: 8The Wild were buried behind some Eastern Conference juggernauts in our rankings, but make no mistake, Minnesota is for real. Dean Evason's group is coming off its best regular season in franchise history and is deep at every position. That said, they face a stingy Blues team in Round 1. This series is a coin flip.9. St. Louis Blues Scott Rovak / National Hockey League / GettyPrevious rank: 11Again, this series is a coin flip. The Blues are a different team than the one that went all the way in 2019, boasting a deep attack and a new starting goalie. Their battle with the Wild is poised to be one of the most entertaining series of the opening round.10. Boston BruinsPrevious rank: 7A 107-point wild-card team? That's not normal. The Bruins got buried in the Eastern Conference standings but have a deep core of forwards, a reinforced blue line, and two capable goaltenders. Seventh seed be damned, Boston is a tough draw.11. Edmonton OilersPrevious rank: 10The Oilers are cruising into the playoffs as one of the league's hottest teams. Since March 1, Mike Smith ranks second in the NHL with 14.65 goals saved above average and first with a .936 save percentage. The Oilers are third in the league with a .695 point percentage since Feb. 1. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are game-changers, and Edmonton could easily be penciled in as a dark horse - as long as everything stays clicking.12. Pittsburgh Penguins Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyPrevious rank: 14Could this be the Penguins' last dance? Sidney Crosby (34), Evgeni Malkin (35), and Kris Letang (35) are all getting up there in age, and the latter two are pending unrestricted free agents. If this group hopes to make one last run, they'll have to figure out how to solve Shesterkin, who owned them during the regular season with a .960 save percentage in four games.13. Los Angeles KingsPrevious rank: 16It's understandable why many are sleeping on the Kings against the red-hot Oilers. But if there's a reason for optimism, it's that we saw how Phillip Danault shut down Matthews in Round 1 last year, and Anze Kopitar has two Selke Trophies to his name. Few teams have a pair of defensively sound centers that can match up against McDavid and Draisaitl.14. Washington CapitalsPrevious rank: 12The Capitals finished with 100 points on the year despite battling a ton of injuries to key players all season long. Their goaltending is suspect, their depth isn't great, and they'll have to take down the juggernaut Panthers in Round 1, but it's tough to completely count out the Alex Ovechkin-led team. Plenty of the players that won the Cup in 2018 are still around, so perhaps their experience helps propel them toward a big upset.15. Dallas StarsPrevious rank: 15Dallas fought until the bitter end of the regular season to qualify for the dance, and as they say, anything can happen once you get in. However, the Stars have the worst goal differential (minus-8) of any Western Conference playoff team and are significant underdogs against Calgary. But anything can happen this time of year, we suppose.16. Nashville PredatorsPrevious rank: 13Even with a healthy Juuse Saros in net, the odds would be stacked against the Predators versus the Avs. If Saros can't go or plays hurt, Smashville isn't going to be the one doing the smashing in this series.(Analytics sources: Evolving-Hockey, Natural Stat Trick)Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Scheifele: 'I just have to know where' Jets are going entering offseason
Winnipeg Jets star Mark Scheifele indicated he'll be having serious conversations about his future with the franchise after ending the regular season outside the playoffs Sunday."I just have to know where this team is going and what the direction is and what the changes are going to be, if any," Scheifele said after the Jets' comeback win over the Seattle Kraken, according to Sportsnet's Ken Wiebe."I'm in the prime of my career. I still have so much to improve on, too, and I like where my game is at. I like the physical nature that my body is at. I'm only improving, I'm only getting better, and I'm only going to be a better player next year than I was this year. … I have to think about my career and what's going to be best for me. Those are going to be … talks with my agents and everyone in my family (to) figure out what I really want. So, it will be a tough talk tomorrow," he added.The Jets are holding exit meetings Monday after missing the playoffs by eight points. It's the first time since 2016-17 that the club failed to qualify for the postseason.Scheifele is under contract for two more seasons with a cap hit of just under $6.13 million. He ranked second on the Jets in scoring in 2021-22 with 70 points in 67 games and has 577 points in 642 contests with the franchise since being drafted seventh overall in 2011.Pierre-Luc Dubois, a pending restricted free agent, is the Jets' best player in need of a new contract this summer. Winnipeg has over $16 million in cap space to accommodate a new deal, according to Cap Friendly.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Panthers-Capitals series preview: Betting by the numbers
Every hockey fan knows any NHL team can win on any given night. The league's parity is part of the draw, especially come playoff time. So, it's hard to wrap your head around the idea of a team being 90% likely to win a postseason series.History is littered with big first-round upsets and even more near-misses. In 2018, the Capitals lost the first two games at home and found themselves in overtime in Game 3 against Sergei Bobrovsky and the Columbus Blue Jackets. They survived OT, won the next three games, and went on to win their first Stanley Cup after being inches away from doom.If the Caps had lost that first series, their playoff ineptitude of the last three seasons would be viewed as part of a decade of postseason failure.By virtually all metrics, the Panthers were the NHL's best team this season, which might've been more predictable if it weren't for their first-round series loss a year ago. Florida faced its in-state rival and outplayed the eventual Stanley Cup champions at even strength throughout the six-game matchup. However, the Lightning's power play, and the struggles of Panthers goaltender Bobrovsky, proved too much to overcome.With the starting job in question this season, Bobrovsky showed up ready to compete. Of all the playoff goaltenders, the Panthers' big investment in the summer of 2019 has the seventh-best goals saved above expectation (GSAx) at even strength.Series OddsTEAMGAME 1SERIESSERIES HANDICAPPanthers-225-340FLA -1.5 (-150)Capitals+180+260WSH +1.5 (+130)Projected pricesHopefully, you used our NHL betting guide to evaluate your bets during the regular season and what value truly means in hockey. For the playoffs, we're using even-strength-centric metrics like expected goals and high-danger chance rates, as well as high-danger conversion rates - both for and against - to try to predict who'll play better in the postseason.Due to the special circumstances of the season, which includes some tainted results from before the All-Star break when COVID-19 ravaged lineups, we're weighing the second half more than we normally would. Lastly, we'll make use of a formula to factor in home ice that includes each team's moneyline win percentage with the league average win probability differential.True moneylinesThe true moneyline takes the implied win probability for each team and converts it to an inverted price for each side before the sportsbook takes its vig on a bet.The following is the expected price for each side when the games are played in Florida (Games 1, 2, 5, and 7), and Washington (Games 3, 4, and 6).PANTHERSCAPITALSTrue ML in Florida-326+326True ML in Washington-240+240Series Price-1151+1151Price to betIn the regular season, we needed at least a 4% edge on an underdog and a 1% edge for the favorite. Using that same threshold, here are the prices to bet for each scenario:GAME 1/2/5/7GAME 3/4/6SERIESPanthers-308-229-1012Capitals+413+294+2406If nothing else, these numbers should provide a warning against betting on the Capitals in any way, shape, or form. Whether you want to lay a big price on backing the Panthers is up to you, but value exists whether there's a plus or minus sign in the odds.Derivative marketSeries resultProbability / Converted OddsPanthers 4-029.2% / +243Panthers 4-132.3% / +210Panthers 4-219.3% / +419Panthers 4-311.3% / +788Capitals 4-00.5% / +20849Capitals 4-11.3% / +7780Capitals 4-22.8% / +3490Capitals 4-33.5% / +2791There's value in this matchup in an "earlier the better" strategy. A Panthers sweep is available at +500, and a 4-1 finish is +290. After that, it becomes -EV to bet on the series. You can capture both by backing Florida on the series spread of -2.5 at +150.Best betThe series price for the Panthers opened at -280, but the market agreed with me that it was too short. Now up to -320, and having been as high as -390, the edge is still in the double digits. It's just a matter of whether you're willing to risk the big price in a league with a long history of big surprises.The Capitals have no real home-ice advantage and a pedestrian power play despite the presence of Alex Ovechkin. Their even-strength metrics are subpar, even considering a better-than-average high-danger chance conversion rate (17.9%) post-All-Star break.Washington is the only team in the playoffs that I've rated below average after weighting for play after the break. Florida has just enough experience and a clean bill of health, so there's no reason why the Panthers won't make quick work of the Capitals in Round 1.Pick: Panthers series -1.5 (-150)Panthers series -2.5 (+150)Matt Russell is a betting writer for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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