NHL Stanley Cup Odds: Betting Power Rankings

3 NHL Betting Tips for the Week

Be Wary Of The Marchand Factor

Last year, he was licking opponents’ faces in the playoffs (yuck) and getting warned by the league not to do it anymore. This year, Brad Marchand has brought more attention to himself by doing things like sucker-punching guys in the head after play has stopped, or giving one-word answers to reporters on national television.

It seems like No. 63 of the Boston Bruins just can’t help himself, when the cameras come around more in the playoffs, and not in a good way. The Bruins have to be tired of some of his antics, and there is a worry going into the Eastern finals of “What will this guy do next?”

The Bruins want him to just score goals, but it seems like Marchand isn’t satisfied with just that. Be careful in betting on the Bruins for the Stanley Cup when one of their top forwards is such a carnival act.

Pavelski Return Looms Large

Joe Pavelski’s return to the San Jose Sharks lineup for Game 7 in the second round against Colorado was a Willis Reed-esque story, but it will continue on in the Western finals. Pavelski scored a goal in the first period, after missing six games with that ugly head injury in Game 7 of the first round against Vegas.

His presence gives the Sharks not only a strong offensive weapon against St. Louis in the Western finals, but a rallying force as the captain who wouldn’t be sidelined for long.

Carolina Underdog Mentality

The one team nobody before the season would have predicted would make it this far is the Carolina Hurricanes. But they’ve already knocked off the defending Cup champion Washington Capitals, then swept the New York Islanders.

The Hurricanes are again the underdog in the Eastern finals, against Boston, at 5/4 (2.25) at 888Sport. Take this team lightly at your peril. They are fast and forecheck very hard, and Boston could easily find itself back in raucous Raleigh in the middle part of this series having to win games just to stay ahead or even. Translation: Carolina is a very strong dark-horse pick.

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NHL Teams Against the Spread 2018-19