Betting the Second Games of the Round 2 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs

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The first night of the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs got underway last night, and the road underdog won both games.

In the Eastern Conference, the Florida Panthers continued to roll, defeating the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2. In the Western Conference, the Dallas Stars scored twice in the third period to force overtime, but the Seattle Kraken won game one, 5-4.

After the Panthers and Kraken jumped out to 1-0 series leads last night, our focus shifts to the other two series, which start tonight.

Let’s preview the following games and make picks for these NHL Playoff betting matchups.

New Jersey Devils vs Carolina Hurricanes

NHL Odds: Devils +1.5 -265, Hurricanes -1.5 +208 / Devils -102, Hurricanes -119 / O/U 5.5
East 2nd Round – Game 1
When: Wednesday, May 3, 2023 at 7:00 pm ET
Where: PNC Arena, Raleigh, North Carolina
TV / Streaming: ESPN

The New Jersey Devils erased a 2-0 series lead, coming from behind and eliminating the New York Rangers in game seven on May 1st. After jumping out to a 2-0 series lead, the Carolina Hurricanes alternated wins with the New York Islanders, winning the series 4-2, but haven’t played a game since April 28th.

New Jersey holds the head-to-head season series advantage 3-1, with Carolina’s only win coming in a shootout. The Devils and Canes have combined for a 2-2 over/under record, while each team had a 1-1 home record.

New Jersey averaged 2.43 goals for and against in their seven-game series with the Rangers, while the powerplay converted at 16.7%. Carolina averaged 2.67 goals per game, while the powerplay converted at 20.0% in the first round. Defensively, the Hurricanes averaged 2.5 goals-against per game, while the penalty kill operated at 94.4%.

The Devils are 1-4 in the previous five matchups in Carolina. The home team is 12-4 in the last 16 matchups, while the favorite has gone 6-1 in the last seven games.

We’re taking the New Jersey Devils to be the third road team to win game one, despite what the head-to-head trends against the Hurricanes suggest.

NHL Playoffs Round 2 East Pick: Oilers | Bet Devils vs Hurricanes Today
MyBookie Betting Lines for the Game

Edmonton Oilers vs Vegas Golden Knights

NHL Odds: Oilers +1.5 +195, Golden Knights -1.5 -245 / Oilers -116, Golden Knights -106 / O/U 6.5
West 2nd Round – Game 1
When: Wednesday, May 3, 2023 at 9:30 pm ET
Where: T-Mobile Arena, Paradise, Nevada
TV / Streaming: ESPN

The Edmonton Oilers started the first round down 2-1 in the series but won the next three games to eliminate the Los Angeles Kings in six games, with three games ending in overtime. After dropping game one to the Winnipeg Jets, the Vegas Golden Knights convincingly won the next four games to eliminate the Jets in five games.

Edmonton’s offense remains the best in the NHL, averaging 4.17 goals per game in the first round, with the Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl-driven powerplay converting at 56.2%.

The defensive side of hockey has always been Edmonton’s weakness, with the Oilers giving up 3.33 per game and their penalty kill operating at 66.7%.

The Oilers hold the head-to-head series 3-1, with two games ending in overtime. The road team was 3-1 this season, while Edmonton and Vegas combined for a 3-0-1 over/under record.

The Vegas Golden Knights averaged 3.80 goals per game against the Jets, while the powerplay operated at 58.3%. Defensively, the VGK gave up 2.8 goals per game, while the penalty kill operated at 18.8%.

The Oilers are 18-3 in their last 21 games. The Golden Knights are 7-3 in the last ten games. The road team is 7-2 in the previous nine meetings, while the Oilers are 4-1 in the last five games.

We’re taking the favored Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers to win game one and complete the clean sweep of road teams winning game one.

NHL Playoffs Round 2 West Pick: Oilers | Bet Oilers vs Golden Knights Today
MyBookie Betting Lines for the Game

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