Hockey Handicapping
Betting the NHL PlayoffsAfter 82 regular-season games and an entire season lost to a labor dispute, the National Hockey League is finally poised to begin its annual post-season tournament known as the Stanley Cup playoffs. And for those who relish the excitement of NHL wagering, there is no better time of year to lay down your hockey bets. Everybody comes to play for every game of the Stanley Cup playoffs; there are no passengers in the post-season. Here is a quick look at each of the first-round matchups, with opening odds for each series included: Eastern ConferenceNo. 1 Ottawa Senators (-425) vs. No. 8 Tampa Bay Lightning (+355)The Senators are the NHL's highest-scoring team, led by 50-goal scorer Dany Heatley and captain Daniel Alfredsson. Dominik Hasek is doubtful for the entire series, which leaves Ottawa's fortunes in the hands of rookie goalie Ray Emery. Luckily for Ottawa, the Lightning has goaltending issues of their own with John Grahame and Sean Burke battling inconsistency and injury respectively all season long. Ottawa swept all four games from the defending Stanley Cup champions this season. No. 2 Carolina Hurricanes (-235) vs. No. 7 Montreal Canadiens (+195)Led by super sophomore Eric Staal, the Canes are now a force to be reckoned with. Wingers Erik Cole (neck) and Ray Whitney (groin, day-to-day) are out with injury but Carolina should still skate past the Canadiens without too much trouble. Montreal will need another legendary post-season goaltending performance, this time from untested Cristobal Huet, after Carolina swept all four games against the Habs this season. No. 3 New Jersey Devils (-230) vs. No. 6 New York Rangers (+190)The Devils sizzled down the stretch to snatch the Atlantic Division crown away from the Rangers and Philadelphia, and now all-star goalie Martin Brodeur gets to backstop his club against offensive wizard Jaromir Jagr and rookie Swedish puckstopper Henrik Lundqvist. Each team won four times against the other this season. No. 4 Buffalo Sabres (-110) vs. No. 5 Philadelphia Flyers (-110)This matchup is a pick'em with good reason. Simply put, the uncertain health of Flyers' forward Peter Forsberg (groin) could wind up making the difference. If Forsberg plays, Philadelphia can beat any team in the East. If he doesn't, the Sabres will likely extend their highly successful season into the second round. Western ConferenceNo. 1 Detroit Red Wings (-460) vs. No. 8 Edmonton Oilers (+380)Detroit enters the post-season as the President's Trophy winners for most points in the regular season. Edmonton barely squeezed into the playoffs. Mismatch, right? Not so fast. The Oilers split the season series with the Red Wings 2-2, and have looked much better with trade deadline acquisition Dwayne Roloson solidifying the goaltending situation. This series will be fast-paced and entertaining, and certainly closer than it appears on paper. No. 2 Dallas Stars (-215) vs. No. 7 Colorado Avalanche (+185)Dallas cruised to a franchise record with 53 wins this season, while Colorado floated just under the radar for much of the year. Jose Theodore gives the Avs a boost in net and a wild-card factor that just might mess up the Stars. However, Marty Turco is now firmly established as one of the league's top-tier goaltenders, and Mike Modano has been rejuvenated by the "new" rules - or the new adherence to calling the "old" rules - and he's been on a mission this season. No. 3 Calgary Flames (-195) vs. No. 6 Anaheim Mighty Ducks (+165)Another intriguing matchup, as the Ducks have been entirely revamped by first-year GM Brian Burke and are already showing signs of long-term competitiveness. Unfortunately for them, the Flames boast perhaps the NHL's deepest corps of hardrock defenders including rookie freight train Dion Phaneuf and the likely Vezina Trophy winner in Mikka Kiprusoff. Expect captain Jarome Iginla to have a monster post-season. No. 4 Nashville Predators (+135) vs. No. 5 San Jose Sharks (-155)The Preds opened the season on a Cinderella run led by free-agent signing Paul Kariya and shifty Steve Sullivan. The Sharks closed the season as one of the hottest teams in the league with the formidable 1-2 punch of points champion Joe Thornton and goal-scoring leader Jonathan Cheechoo. Nashville lost starting goalie Tomas Vokoun late in the season to injury. San Jose had Vesa Toskala play so well down the stretch he relegated starter Evgeny Nabokov to riding the pine. Say goodnight Cinderella.
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