After another good run of pronostics yesterday, Livetipsportal continues to feed you with NHL playoffs tips. Four new games tonight, including Red Wings@Blue Jackets, Flyers@Penguins, Sharks@Ducks, and Hurricanes@Devils.
Columbus Blue Jackets – Detroit Red Wings
Series: Red Wings lead 3-0
For the first ever playoffs appearance in team's history, the Blue Jackets are playing quite well. But the powerfull Red Wings are simply better, outscoring them 12-2 over the first three games, and benefiting from a spectacular Chris Osgood in net, who stopped 76 of the 78 shots he faced (97.4 SV%). Detroit is looking to sweep the series and advance to round 2, while Columbus is still looking for its first ever playoff win.
Choice: Detroit Red Wings, with an odd of 1.77 at Expekt
Pittsburgh Penguins – Philadelphia Flyers
Series: Penguins lead 3-1
Pittsburgh can clinch the series if they win at home tonight. Exactly what they did last year in the Eastern Conference Finals, against those very same Philadelphia Flyers. Last year, the Flyers started slowly and raised their level of play game after game, to end up trailing 3-1 in the series. This year, they started slowly and raised their play game after game, and are trailing 3-1 in the series. Last year, they couldn't handle Crosby and Malkin, and couldn't solve Marc-Andre Fleury. So far, they couldn't handle Crosby and Malkin, and struggle to solve Marc-Andre Fleury, who made 45 saves in game 4 to lead his team to a 3-1 win. They also have a 0-5 road record and a 2-7 overall record against the Penguins in the playoffs since last year. Last year, the Flyers ended up on the loosing side of an embarassing 6-0 in game 5. Not sure they're going to be demolished the same way tonight, but i really don't see them winning this game.
Choice: Pittsburgh Penguins, with an odd of 1.85 at Expekt
Anaheim Ducks – San Jose Sharks
Series: Ducks lead 2-1
We're still waiting for a team to win a home game in this series. Ducks won two straight in San Jose, and the Sharks responded with a 4-3 win in Anaheim on tuesday. Both teams clearly activate their defensemen when it comes to offense, as five of the seven goals in game 3 have been scored by defensemen. It's really a tight series, between two great teams having a lot of talent everywhere. Very tight game in perspective. I'd go for the Ducks. They are slightly better since the beginning of the series, and benefit from home ice. It would be highly surprising (although not impossible) to see a fourth consecutive game with the home team loosing. Small bet though. Ducks' odd is high, and both teams have a real shot at the win.
Choice: Anaheim Ducks, with an odd of 2.75 at Bwin
New Jersey Devils – Carolina Hurricanes
Series: tied at 2-2
That's another dramatic series. Which get even more dramatic by the way game 4 ended, with Jussi Jokinen scoring the winning goal of a 4-3 Carolina victory with just 2 tenth of a second remaining on the clock! Devils' goaltender Martin Brodeur then surprised the whole hockey family by slamming his stick on the boards violently. The first time ever that the 36 years old goalie looses his nerves publicly. Although it's a non-incident by itself, it should have an impact on the way game 5 is played by New Jersey. The surprising reaction of Brodeur, who's the face of this franchise since nearly two decades, will probably make all his teammates react strongly, after they seriously let him down tuesday. They played very poor hockey during the first two periods, and ended up trailing 3-0 as a result. A great effort allowed them to bounce back and tie the game at 3-3, but then they stopped the effort, instead of finishing the work, and lost. They won't be so passive tonight, in a game that is generally considered to be the key one in a best-of-seven series when things are tied at 2-2 like it is. Expect the Devils to be extremly hungry tonight, and expect Brodeur to be extremly focused. And the Devils will play home... Not sure Carolina can match all of this at once, although they'll be dangerous again.
Choice: New Jersey Devils, with an odd of 2.10 at Expekt
