We just missed a three-leg NHL playoff parlay on Tuesday, but we are going to run it back with nearly the same picks on Thursday with NHL odds from BetOnline, one of BMR’s top-rated sportsbooks.
Washington Capitals vs. Florida Panthers
Thursday, May 05, 2022 – 07:30 PM EDT at FLA Live Arena
I’m not sure I even knew that TBS had NHL coverage, but that network has Game 2 of this Eastern Conference first-round matchup. I am still furious and bewildered about what happened in Game 1. Entering that game, the Panthers had lost just seven times at home all season and goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky had three home losses in 29 starts.
With Florida beating Washington 2-1 about midway through the third period Tuesday, I was already cashing my bet. After all, during the regular season Florida had been an astonishing 39-0-1 in games leading after two periods and 22-0-0 at home.
Join Now: $1,000 BMR 12-Week All Sports Challenge
Naturally, the Panthers blew that lead Tuesday and lost 4-2. Evgeny Kuznetsov tied it at 8:14 of the third and T.J. Oshie scored the winner at 10:37 for Washington. The Caps added an empty-net goal.
“We let one slip away," said Florida defenseman Aaron Ekblad, who returned after missing the final quarter of the regular season with a knee injury. “I'd like to think we're going to learn a valuable lesson from this."
What Is It with Game 1 for the Panthers?
They haven’t won the opening game in a playoff series since 1997. While Florida appeared to have gotten out of the opener without injury, the same can’t be said for the Caps.
Winger Tom Wilson scored the team’s first goal but left with a lower-body injury and will be a game-time call for Thursday. That would be a big loss as Wilson had 24 goals and 28 assists during the season. This price is high at the NHL odds board, but I simply can’t fathom the Panthers losing again at home. Washington had lost its past four at Florida.
NHL Pick: Panthers ML (-240) with BetOnline
Nashville Predators vs. Colorado Avalanche
Thursday, May 05, 2022 – 09:30 PM EDT at Ball Arena
TNT has the telecast of Game 2, and Nashville is in major trouble already. The Predators probably weren’t winning this series without injured No. 1 goaltender Juuse Saros, but they definitely aren’t without him and may well get swept.
Game 1 was over in about the first three minutes as Colorado jumped out to a 2-0 lead on goals from Nathan MacKinnon at 2:20 of the first and then Devon Toews scored 22 seconds later on the way to a 7-2 blowout. They were the fastest two goals at the start of a playoff game in Avalanche/Nordiques franchise history.
Colorado scored five in the first period, tying the franchise playoff record for most goals in any period. MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, and stellar young defenseman Cale Makar each finished with three points. MacKinnon now has 72 career postseason points, the fifth player in franchise history to hit the mark.
BMR Community: NHL Hockey Betting Forum
Because Saros is out, and he is again in Game 2, the Preds had to give David Rittich his first-ever playoff start, and he was pulled after allowing five goals on 13 shots. Connor Ingram, who was in the AHL for a while this year and has three career NHL starts, allowed two goals on 32 in relief.
It honestly doesn’t matter who starts in net Thursday as this is a mismatch in Denver. I can’t recommend Avalanche at -1.5 on the puckline at a better price because too many playoff games end in one-goal margins.
NHL Pick: Avalanche ML (-375) with BetOnline
Dallas Stars vs. Calgary Flames
Thursday, May 05, 2022 – 10:00 PM EDT at Scotiabank Saddledome
TBS has this telecast. We took the Flames at around -225 on Tuesday and they won 1-0, which has to feel like a bit of a win for the visiting Stars in holding high-powered Calgary to one goal – and in the first period at that. Dallas netminder Jake Oettinger played great with 25 saves.
On the other side, Jacob Markstrom had to stop just 16 shots and became the second goaltender in franchise history to post a shutout in a playoff opener, joining Mike Smith in Game 1 of the 2019 first round. Markstrom led the NHL with nine shutouts in the regular season.
Prop Bets: Check Out Our Player Props By BMR's Expert Handicappers
The Stars had just those 16 shots despite having 10 minutes of power-play time. In the third period, Dallas had only three shots on goal and nine that missed the net, and that was the focus of head coach Rick Bowness' postgame and in practice Wednesday. You can’t score if you don’t put the puck on the net. Calgary’s lone goal came on the power play.
Things might have changed for the Stars if their best offensive defenseman, John Klingberg, hadn’t received a game misconduct for fighting Calgary’s Rasmus Anderson in the first period.
It was misconduct because it was a secondary fight after another already had started. Klingberg had 47 points in 74 regular-season games for Dallas and averaged the third-most minutes on the team at 22:13 per game. He played 7:23 on Tuesday.
We’ll take the puckline on this one to increase our parlay value instead of a big Calgary moneyline.
NHL Pick: Stars +1.5 (-130) with BetOnline
Stanley Cup Playoff Parlay Picks
- Florida Panthers ML (-240)
- Colorado Avalanche ML (-375)
- Dallas Stars +1 (-130)
NHL Pick: Three-Legged Parlay (+217) with BetOnline (visit our BetOnline Review)
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.
