3 for 3: Three Canadian Teams to Host Three Game 7s This Weekend!
This Saturday and Sunday is going to be an NHL Canadian Trifecta!
Just wow!
That's all we can say.
For the first time ever, NHL fans in Canada will be treated to three home playoff Game 7s. And there will be five Game 7s overall!
Like I said, just wow!
GAME 1:
Playoff Showdown Saturday Night in Toronto: Lightning Face Maple Leafs in Game 7
Well, it all comes down to one game.
Deadlocked at 3 games apiece in their best-of-seven Round One playoff series, one of two things will happen:
(1) Either the Tampa Bay Lightning will win their tenth straight playoff series and be very much alive in their quest to contend for what could be a trifecta of Stanley Cups (2000, 2001, and now possibly 2022).
Or,
(2) The Toronto Maple Leafs will finally exorcise the demons of postseasons past and break their playoff drought that's teetering on 18 seasons, and counting.
Something had to give.
The puck drops at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto on Saturday night at 7:00 pm EST / 4:00 pm PST.
Spreads.ca offers the hometown Leafs at 1.79, which comes back at 2.05 on the Lightning. The game total is 6.5 goals.
We can't wait!
Prediction (powered by Pointspreads.ca):
It's really tough, if not impossible, to pick a side given how unpredictable this series has played out, thus far.
One thing's for sure: Both teams should bring their best games to the series finale.
Where we do see a possible edge is in betting the winner of the First Period. This is a prop at Spreads.ca.
The Lighting has led at the end of the opening frame in 4 of 6 playoff games, including each of the last three contests. More precisely, Tampa Bay has been ahead 3-0, 2-0, and 1-0 in each of the last three opening puck drops. So, they have outscored the Leafs 6-0 in the first in the combined three-game stretch.
Yet, the Lightning are small dogs to win the 1st (1.95, if ties push) and 2.90 to win outright (ties lose).
The Stanley Cup champs have come onto the ice fast in all of their last three games, so we'll look for the same result here and take them to be ahead in the First Period.
Note that Tampa Bay has led in three straight games at the end of First Period and outscored the Leafs a combined 6-0. Yet, they are dogs (plus money).
GAME 2:
Oilers Return Home as Big Favourites for Game 7 Versus Kings
Few were expecting the low-seeded Los Angeles Kings to give the mighty Edmonton Oilers this much trouble in their first-round playoff series. But that's precisely what's happened as the underdog Kings fly into Alberta deadlocked at 3-3 against the heavily favoured Oilers for what should be an exciting Game 7.
The puck drops at Rogers Place on Saturday night at 8:00 pm MST / 10:00 pm EST.
The Kings had an opportunity to knock off the Oilers Thursday night in Los Angeles. They were tied 2-2 and it appeared the Kings might pull off the upset with three straight wins in the topsy-turvy series.
However, Edmonton showed their explosiveness, scoring two goals late, and ended up skating away with a 4-2 victory.
Now, it's back to Canada for the final showdown, which is one of multiple thrilling NHL playoff matchups this weekend.
Prediction (powered by Pointspreads.ca):
We think the Kings had their best shot to shock all the hockey experts and pull off the big upset on their home ice. When that failed to happen, it became foreseeable that Los Angeles doesn't quite have the talent that's lined up across the other line.
Edmonton got their scare and woke up in the previous game, jumping out to an early 2-0 lead. We expect that sense of urgency to carry over here at home in front of the faithful fans.
It's a heavy price to lay at 1.47 on Edmonton, which returns 2.65 on the dogs, according to Spreads.ca. Nonetheless, the premium crude of the Oilers should finally rise to the top after the Kings played one heck of a solid series.
Kudos to the Kings on a strong fight and decent season, but Edmonton wins this one and moves on to Round Two.
Edmonton lays a price, but the Oilers are probably the right side. The Kings had their best shot to pull off the series upset in Los Angeles (Game 6), but missed.
GAME 3: PENDING DALLAS AT CALGARY (SUNDAY)
