Game 2 of Edmonton vs. Colorado Should Bring More Fireworks; How Should You Bet?

Colorado and Edmonton Game 2 From Denver

The Colorado Avalanche and Edmonton Oilers are ready to battle again on Thursday night. The in-game Over of 13.5 hit surprised many pundits.

Colorado and Edmonton have been to this dance a few times before. Ontario sports bettors expect this to be a different series than the East. 

Yes, the two teams do not like each other. However, the speed difference in this Western Conference tilt is something else. 

Goaltending is vital in this series now that Mike Smith was pulled in Game 1, and Darcy Kuemper is battling injury. These are things to keep an eye on. 

While Smith will start in Game 2, Kuemper is questionable. He could be back tonight and could be out a bit. Jared Bednar’s answer was as vague as could be.

On the other side, how does Smith bounce back after allowing six goals in less than half a game on Tuesday? Pavel Francouz played great for Colorado, allowing just three goals in a pond hockey type of game. Smith will have to play as he did against Calgary in Game 2 of that series. The Edmonton goalie bounced back in a big way.

The idea is that Game 2 expects to feature fewer goals but that the Over somehow stayed at 7.0. 

This game figures to feature slightly better defense and goaltending. How much remains a question mark?

Here are some bets to consider and more outside-the-box ones too.

• Edmonton wins in regulation: 3.00 (moneyline is 2.45)
• Evander Kane anytime goal: 2.65
• Cale Makar, Mikko Rantanen, and Nathan MacKinnon over 2.5 shots: 2.75 (Max $100 bet)
• Nathan MacKinnon Over 1.5 points: 2.40
• Connor McDavid Over 1.5 points: 1.77
• Ryan Nugent Hopkins Over 0.5 power-play points: 2.85
• Mike Smith Over shot prop: 1.91
• Devon Toews Over 0.5 assists: 2.10
• Nazem Kadri Over 3.5 shots: 2.10
  Then, there are a few more “boosts.”

The Ones To Stay Away From?

Finally, there are two quick boosts to stay away, maybe. One is an anytime Evander Kane and J.T. Compher goal set at 13.00. The other is the Over 9.5 goals boost that comes in around 4.00. 

The Over is the more likely wager to pay off tonight out of the two. This one will be close according to projections, but the idea is to see what may be other ways to bet instead. 

Back In The New York Groove: Rangers Strike Lightning

So, that was an unexpectedly fun game between the New York Rangers and Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday. 

Tampa Bay was able to keep up with New York for about the first period. Then, New York did what it does best. 

The Rangers play a “rope-a-dope” style, enjoyed a second-period surge, then coasted to an easy 6-2 Game 1 win. 

How chaotic were the Rangers and Lightning? There were eight goals in a game where the Over/Under was 5.5. Should the Over come down to 5.0 goals? Thankfully, the number did not move.

The player props did well for Canadian sports bettors and even included a surprising anytime goal boost by Steven Stamkos and Mika Zibanejad, paying at an outrageous 9.50. 

Suppose our Ontario and Canadian wagerers tailed that one, congratulations. That probably caused a small profit in bankrolls from the prairies to the city. 

It will be something to see what occurs in Game 2. What adjustments will Tampa Bay make on Friday night? 

New York could counter the Lightning attack easily while garnering huge chances and eventually goals. 

That has to change, and Andrei Vasilevskiy has to play on Igor Shesterkin’s level. 

The Tampa Bay goaltender will have better games. He did start this way against Toronto, after all. A series is not won in one game, and Game 2 expects to be different as the lightning hopefully stays on the ice and not off of it.