Daily NHL Odds and Betting Trends – 08/14/20
by OddsShark (@OddsShark) – Sponsored Post
Here’s a look at the NHL odds and betting trends for the games on today’s schedule.
All NHL betting lines below are as listed at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.
Coyotes vs Avalanche | OddsShark Matchup Report
Opening NHL Odds: Avalanche -204 Favorites
The second-seeded Avalanche continued their near-perfect run in the 2020 NHL playoffs on Wednesday with a 3-0 win over the seventh-seeded Coyotes as -175 favorites in Game 1 of their first-round Western Conference series. Colorado’s only blemish this postseason remains a 4-3 overtime loss to the Vegas Golden Knights last Saturday in round-robin play, which is still the team’s lone OVER in its last six games dating back to the regular season. Arizona had seen the OVER go 4-0-1 in its previous five before getting blanked in the series opener. The Coyotes have now dropped five of the past seven meetings.
Canadiens vs Flyers | OddsShark Matchup Report
Opening NHL Odds: Flyers -164 Favorites
Can the eighth-seeded Canadiens bounce back in Game 2 of their first-round Eastern Conference series against the top-seeded Flyers? Montreal has not lost two games in a row since March 10 and took three of four from the Pittsburgh Penguins in the qualifying round as an underdog each time. Philadelphia may be a better team than Pittsburgh, but Game 1 was probably tougher than the players expected en route to a 2-1 victory as a -155 favorite. The UNDER is on a 7-0 run for the Flyers and 4-1 for the Canadiens, who will be without head coach Claude Julien for the rest of the series after he experienced chest pains following Game 1.
Canucks vs Blues | OddsShark Matchup Report
Opening NHL Odds: Blues -156 Favorites
The defending Stanley Cup champion Blues are still seeking their first win of the playoffs as they meet the Canucks in Game 2 of their first-round Western Conference series. St. Louis ended up with the No. 4 seed in the West after finishing with an 0-2-1 mark in round-robin play, and now No. 5 Vancouver can go up 2-0 with another victory in Game 2. The Canucks routed the Blues 5-2 as +125 underdogs on Wednesday, as the OVER cashed for the third time in their last four games. St. Louis has now also lost five of the past seven meetings in the series.
Islanders vs Capitals | OddsShark Matchup Report
Opening NHL Odds: Capitals -135 Favorites
The sixth-seeded Islanders will try to go up 2-0 on the third-seeded Washington Capitals with another win in Game 2 of their first-round Eastern Conference series. New York upset Washington 4-2 as a +115 underdog in Game 1 on Wednesday, with the OVER moving to 3-0-1 in the team’s last four games. The Capitals had jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second period behind a pair of goals from T.J. Oshie before the Islanders scored four unanswered, with three coming in the third period. New York improved to 4-1 this postseason while Washington fell to 1-2-1.
Stars vs Flames | OddsShark Matchup Report
Opening NHL Odds: Pick’em -111 Odds
Another even matchup at sportsbooks will head to a huge Game 3 on Friday as the Stars face the Flames with this first-round Western Conference series tied at 1-1. Each of the first two games closed around a pick’em, and the third figures to do the same after Dallas picked up a key 5-4 win in Game 2 on Thursday. The Stars got goaltender Ben Bishop back in the lineup, and they are 6-4 in their last 10 when playing the second game of a back-to-back situation. The Flames have been much better under that scenario, winning four straight with no rest, including a 6-2 win as a -155 favorite in Game 3 versus the Winnipeg Jets in the qualifying round on August 4. The OVER is also on a 3-1 run for Calgary in that situation.
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