After finishing just one point back of the first place New York Rangers in the Eastern conference during the regular season without captain Sidney Crosby in their lineup, the Pittsburgh Penguins were an easy choice as the sports betting favorites to win the Stanley Cup. Fast-forward less than a week later, and in a shocking twist the Penguins are suddenly facing a three-games-to-none deficit in their opening round best-of-seven playoff series against the division rival Philadelphia Flyers, and facing an elimination games this Wednesday in the hostile confines of the Wells Fargo Center. Pittsburgh certainly wasn’t shown any brotherly love in their first road game of the series, and now with two days off between games three and four, will need to come out with their best effort of the season just to keep their slim hopes alive.

There has been no shortage of things that have gone wrong for the Betonline favorites in this series, with problems on all three levels of their team. NHL scoring leader Evgeni Malkin managed his first two assists of the series in Sunday’s 8-4 loss, but that was a mere side note to what went down in the actual contest. With a total of 159 combined penalty minutes and 12 goals, there was no shortage of reasons for fans to be on their feet in Philadelphia. Penguins’ netminder Marc-Andre Fleury continued to struggle with six goals allowed through two periods including a couple of absolutely awful markers, and the team was without top defenseman Kris Letang for most of the game after he was ejected following a first-period fight. Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby did the best he could to provide his team with a spark, even throwing down the gloves with Flyers’ forward Claude Giroux, but in the end it was the Penguins’ frustrations that got the best of them.

Pittsburgh now has two days off to rest before facing a pay head elimination game on Wednesday in Philadelphia, and even more pressing than the deficit that they face in the series is the obstacles they will face in getting that first win. Fleury is likely to be back in goal despite his absolutely awful play through three games, and if he isn’t much better than the Penguins’ won’t stand a chance. Crosby and Malkin will have to remain composed and keep on their game, as without those two putting up points, Pittsburgh is going to have a ton of problems scoring goals as well. The defense hasn’t been without blame either for the Penguins so far with a ton of odd-man rushes given up, and they will have to be much better in front of Fleury to help him out.

There is no shortage of storylines heading in to game four of this series with Philadelphia up three-games-to-none, and all of the pressure now on Pittsburgh to respond. The Penguins after being outscored 20-12 through the first three losses, and now risk going from betting champions to being swept in one full week of NHL playoff action.

The sports betting experts are watching the NHL quarterfinals very closely to see if we may have any underdogs that will come out of the playoffs and move on to the next round. Already we are seeing trends that may indicate that the betting sites are going to have to change their perceptions of what may happen when some of these series are over.

Los Angeles Kings Vs Vancouver Canucks
To many of the price per head sports experts, game one of the series between the Kings and the Canucks was a surprise. But when it was announced that Jeff Carter would be able to play in this series, many people could see an upset coming. The Kings are comparable to the Canucks in goal and on defense. Some would say that the Kings are superior to the Canucks in goal and on defense. But it is on offense that the Kings have a problem matching up with the Canucks. The way that the Kings play defense is helping to counteract the Canucks’ high-powered offense. This could be an interesting series and if the Kings keep crashing the net and getting into Vancouver goalie Roberto Luongo’s head, then we could see an upset.

Philadelphia Flyers Vs Pittsburgh Penguins
The entire playoffs for the Philadelphia Flyers revolves around their eccentric goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov. In game one of this series, Bryzgalov was brilliant after a shaky start. Sportsbook reviews of Bryzgalov’s behavior since he joined the Flyers shows a goalie that has probably cost his coach at least one sleepless night. But when Bryzgalov is on, he is one of the best in the league. The Flyers can stay physical with the Penguins, but Philadelphia will not be able to skate with the Penguins for the entire series. If Bryzgalov can keep Philly in this series, then this could be the upset of the playoffs.

Nashville Predators Vs Detroit Red Wings
This is the playoff series where the Predators earn the respect it deserves. Everyone seems to forget that the Predators are the number four seed in this series and the Red Wings are the number five seed. People do not mind throwing out the NHL standings when it comes to the Red Wings, but the Predators are not impressed with Detroit. The Red Wings are still recovering from injuries and the Preds have the best goaltender in the playoffs. This is a very strong Nashville team that should be a strong favorite to win the Cup.

Phoenix Coyotes Vs Chicago Blackhawks
The knock against the Chicago Blackhawks is that it cannot play defense. After allowing 34 shots on goal in game one, the Blackhawks did nothing to dispel that notion. Phoenix goaltender Mike Smith was said to be a key element in the Coyotes’ chances of winning this series. After making 43 saves on 45 shots in game one, Smith proved that he can put the team on his back and win this series. But the Coyotes will not win this series if it keeps allowing a high scoring team like the Blackhawks to get 45 shots on goal a night. At some point, Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane will figure Mike Smith out and then that will be problems for Phoenix. Of all of the potential upsets in the quarterfinal round of the NHL playoffs, this one seems the least likely. Look for the Blackhawks to bounce back.

Most online betting players never expected either Ottawa or the New York Rangers to end up where they did, but the Senators made the playoffs in what was supposed to be a rebuilding year and the Rangers rolled to the top of the Eastern Conference. Who will move on to the next round of the NHL Playoffs?

The Senators lost their last three games of the regular season to fall to eighth place, and they have largely been a streaky team all season, but they have talent all over the ice. Jason Spezza had a fantastic season up front, while Erik Karlsson emerged as arguably the best offensive defenseman in the game (and he even improved in his own end). The key has been in goal, where the Senators have gotten decent work out of Craig Anderson and company, and he looks to be recovered after suffering a cut on his hand in the second half of the season. Overall, it has been a brilliant first season behind the bench for Paul MacLean, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he was in the NHL betting running for the Jack Adams Trophy, which is given to the coach of the year.

Of course, John Tortarella could earn some consideration as well as no one expected the Rangers to win the Eastern Conference and not only that, they seemed to get stronger as the season wore on. Henrik Lundqvist is the favorite to win the Vezina, but the goalie has gotten some help in the form of scoring as the Rangers were 11th in goals scored during the regular season. The Rangers can also play however you want to play; you want to open it up and fly around the ice? New York can hang with you. You want to bang and play a gritty and physical style of hockey? The Rangers won’t back down. This is a team built to play a versatile game, but you may have to worry about experience as New York is the fourth-youngest team in the NHL.

The Rangers are -225 NHL betting favorites to get to the next round, but the Senators had the upper hand in the regular season with three wins in their four meetings with New York, and they won both of their road games against the Rangers. The Senators may just be a bad matchup for the Rangers and MacLean is an excellent coach at matching lines and players on the ice. But the Rangers didn’t win the East for no reason and over a seven-game series, their dominance should prevail for one major reason; they have “King Henrik” in goal and you have to trust him over Anderson. Even though it has been a great season for the Senators, it stops here, and the Rangers should be your sports betting pick.

Tonight is the first night of the Bodog NHL playoffs, as 16 teams remain for a shot at Lord Stanley’s mug. Comparable to the NCAA March Madness tournament, the NHL playoffs are the time of year, when players who you wouldn’t normally think of, step up to contribute to their team’s success. Some of the most important players to fall into this category are goalies. Known as the last line of defense, having a good goalie increases your odds for an extended playoff run. You can score as many goals as you want, but if your goalie isn’t up to par, you can kiss the Championship good bye. Here is a look at a couple goalies that need to carry their teams.

Henrik Lundqvist New York Rangers – The New York Rangers were able to put it all together this season, as they owned the best record in the Eastern Conference. New York was a complete package, they could score, play defense and fight and still remained the best team in the NHL. One of the main reasons for the Rangers success, was the fact they didn’t have to rely on star goalie Henrik Lundqvist as much this season, as in years past. However, if the Rangers want to win a Stanley Cup for the first time in almost 18 years, Lundqvist will have to carry his team, as in years past.

Mike Smith Phoenix Coyotes – Over the past two months, the Phoenix Coyotes have surged up the Western Conference standings, and into the third seed. The main reason this has happened, is because of the emergence of Mike Smith. Long considered a bust as a top goalie, Smith received a second chance this year, when he signed on to replace Ilya Bryzgalov as the Coyotes goalie. With a chip on his shoulder, any success the Coyotes have this playoff, will be contingent on Smith carrying his regular season success into the playoffs. If Smith reverts back to the Tampa Bay Smith who could barely keep the puck out of the net, then the Coyotes may have to search for another goalie next season.

Your hockey blog should be revving up and get ready for the postseason, which kicks off on Wednesday and the NHL’s points leaders will be in action then as Vancouver welcomes Los Angeles to town. The Canucks will be reminded of last year’s Stanley Cup loss to Boston in the final, but they should be equipped for another lengthy run through the playoffs. However, they’ll have to get past a tricky Kings squad.

Kings Canucks Odds – Wednesday, 10:30 PM ET

The Kings wouldn’t be in the position they’re in now if not for some stellar goaltending by Jonathan Quick, and a BetOnline.com review may suggest that he should win the Vezina, which wouldn’t be a stretch as he put up phenomenal numbers while the team struggled to score. Simon Gagne has been out since December due to a concussion, while the Kings went out and picked up Jeff Carter at the trade deadline, but he has been out with an injured ankle. Many players that use price per head sports software had the Kings as a dangerous darkhorse in the Western Conference, but they can’t leave it all on Quick and they’ll have to find some goals in the postseason.

The Canucks won the Presidents’ Trophy as the league’s leading point-getters for the second season in a row, and they finished the season strong, although there are still a few questions surrounding the team. Daniel Sedin is on track to return to the squad after missing the last couple weeks with a concussion, but that has to concern Vancouver fans and as always, there are always questions about goaltending Robert Luongo, who has been known to fade in more than a few big games. The Canucks’ online sportsbook odds depends heavily on his ability to be sharp between the sticks, and you usually know early what kind of night Luongo is going to have,

Vancouver is the NHL betting favorite to open up the series with a win at -161, while the Kings come in at +146 and they gave the Canucks trouble during the regular season, winning two of their five meetings and three of the five were decided by a goal, including one overtime game. Quick can steal a game or two for the Kings, but they have to find a way to generate goals, or least shots on goal, on Luongo because the past shows that you can get to him. However, in Vancouver, the Canucks are excellent as their 27 home wins ties the New York Rangers for the best mark in the league, and they’ll flex their muscles at Rogers Arena. Lay a sports bet (which you can bet here) on Vancouver on Wednesday.

The online betting websites are ready to take your NHL playoff picks, and this year looks to be an interesting playoff race in the Western Conference. There are some new players in the mix and some old standards as well. Each team is coming in to the playoffs with something different to offer. Before the betting begins, let’s look at the teams that you should be paying close attention to from the Western Conference.

St. Louis Blues
The price per head bookie experts are curious to see how the St. Louis team does in this playoff tournament because the only thing that really changed in the off-season was new head coach Ken Hitchcock. The Blues are limping in to the playoffs with a 3-3-4 record in its last 10 games. The biggest weakness the Blues have is its 18-16-6 road record, but even that is not something that would stop the Blues from making it to the Western Conference finals.

Vancouver Canucks
The Canucks have followed the same formula for the past few years. The team plays well in the regular season and then goaltender Roberto Luongo causes a sideshow-like distraction in the playoffs and the team bows out. Last season, the Canucks got all the way to the Stanley Cup finals before losing to the Boston Bruins. This season, the Canucks may make it to the conference final but no further.

Detroit Red Wings
There is no more confusing team in the Western Conference playoffs this year than the Detroit Red Wings. The Red Wings have proven that it is very sensitive to injuries and that it can win at home. But a bodog review of the Red Wings’ season shows that the team cannot win convincingly on the road. With a 17-21-3 road record, Detroit looks to be an early exit from the playoffs. More than likely, the Red Wings will face the Nashville Predators in the first round, and that is probably where the Red Wings’ playoff train will stop.

Los Angeles Kings
Everyone stopped talking about the Kings a month or so ago when Los Angeles dropped almost completely out of the Western Conference playoff race. The Kings enter the last weekend of the season barely in first place in the Pacific Division, but the fact that Los Angeles posted a 6-2-2 record in its previous 10 games to climb up the NHL standings is impressive. Taking momentum into the playoffs is always a good thing, and the Kings are taking a significant amount of momentum into this post-season.

Nashville Predators
The NHL fan base in Nashville is growing rapidly and for good reason. The Predators won its first playoff series last year and look even better this year. The tide is changing in the Western Conference and the Predators are part of that change. This is a strong team with great goaltending, a fast defense and aggressive forwards. The Predators lost a lot of players to free agency in the offseason, but it also brought in key parts to its playoff run. This team is ready to take command of the Western Conference.

Western Conference Final Prediction: St. Louis Blues vs. Nashville Predators
Western Conference Champion Prediction: Nashville Predators

With the NHL playoffs right around the corner, sports betting fans got a preview of what they can expect to see on the ice in the month of April with a couple of regular season games on Sunday that will help set the tone for the postseason. The Philadelphia Flyers scored four third-period goals to pull ahead of the Pittsburgh Penguins in a 6-4 road win in a potential first round preview, before the Boston Bruins exorcised some demons with a 3-2 win over a New York Rangers’ team that had won all three previous meetings against them this season. With just one week left in the regular season it was important for all four teams to raise the level of intensity as they continue to get ready to take their shot at a Stanley Cup run, and the two games served as an exciting preview of what is to come.

For most of the 5Dimes afternoon, the Flyers and Penguins played between the rules with both teams very much aware of how important the two points up for grabs were, with Pittsburgh leading Philadelphia by three points for the fourth playoff spot in the Eastern conference at puck drop, the seed that will get home-ice advantage for the opening round matchup. Tied at two heading to the third, the Flyers broke things wide open with three goals in the first 14 minutes, and after Jakub Voracek made it a 6-3 game with just over a minute to play, the rules went out the window and it became about hurting the opponent. Brayden Schenn had already sparked the building tensions with a cross-check on Penguins’ captain Sidney Crosby before Voracek’s seconds goal of the night, and following that goal that put the game out of reach, Pittsburgh head coach Dan Bylsma put his fourth line on the ice to take care of business. Joe Vitale landed a huge hit on Daniel Briere, and that sparked a line brawl that led to Philadelphia head coach Peter Laviolette almost climbing across to the Penguins’ bench looking for a fight. In the end, 62 total penalty minutes were handed out, but the most important part is that both teams didn’t back down physically, setting the stage for a big NHL regular season finale next Saturday.

While the Rangers and Bruins managed only combined penalty minutes, the 2-1 win was big for a Boston team that had struggled against first-place New York all season. Tim Thomas made 33 saves, and goals from Dennis Seidenberg and Patrice Bergeron in the second were enough to make the difference in the pay head contest. Considering the way that they have played all season, the Rangers could be the team with the best chance of taking out the defending Stanley Cup champions in the playoffs, which is another reason why the Bruins’ win was so important. Both regular season games had playoff atmospheres to them, and provided an exciting preview of what is to come this postseason.

Sports Betting Overview
The Detroit Red Wings have suddenly lost that magic that helped it to set a new record for most consecutive home wins earlier in the season. As the college basketball betting starts to wind down, so is the Red Wings. It all started about a month ago when the Red Wings hit some serious injury problems. It was soon after the injuries started that goalie Jimmy Howard started to struggle and the team just followed Howard down the rabbit’s hole. The Wings have not been able to get back up ever since. Detroit used to be able to keep pace with St. Louis in the Central Division standings. But St. Louis is starting to pull away and leaving the Red Wings way behind.

It is unclear if the St. Louis Blues actually care about winning the President’s Trophy or not. The Blues definitely want home ice advantage throughout the Western Conference playoffs and it needs to stay ahead of the Vancouver Canucks in the standings do to so. The Blues also want to make sure that it enters the playoffs on a winning note and not in the midst of a losing streak. But the pay per head bookie experts are not putting a lot of stock in St. Louis’ desire to stay ahead of the New York Rangers for the overall lead in the league standings. Besides, St. Louis has plenty to play for in this game without the President’s Trophy getting involved.

Detroit Red Wings
The Red Wings is 3-5-2 in the last 10 games and have completely fallen out of the race for the top spot in the Central Division. That means that the best the Red Wings can do is fourth in the Western Conference. But sportsbook reviews of the Nashville Predators and Chicago Blackhawks will show that the Red Wings are holding on to fourth place by a thread. Considering the horrible luck the Red Wings are having, and the rapid decline of Jimmy Howard, it can be expected that the Wings will be battling to stay in the top six in the Western Conference right down to the very end.

St. Louis Blues
Every NHL fan knows that the President’s Trophy has been the playoff kiss of death for the past few years. It is starting to become clear that being the best team in the regular season is not going to win much in the playoffs. But the St. Louis Blues are on a roll and they need to keep winning as the post-season arrives. The good thing is that head coach Ken Hitchcock does not have to decide who will start in goal for the playoffs. He can just keep cycling his goaltenders in and out and keep on winning. St. Louis is going to be a very dangerous team in the playoffs.

The Bottom Line
A month ago, this could have been the best regular season game of the year. But with the collapse of the Red Wings, it is looking like this could be a one-sided affair. The Red Wings need to start getting back to their good habits if they want to win in the playoffs, but this may be a difficult game to do that in.

Pick: St. Louis Blues

The NHL power rankings are an excellent resource for handicappers having a difficult time determining, which teams odds they should choose. In many cases, the power rankings take into account the strength of a team, as well as the strength of their schedule. For instance, with several teams being eliminated last night, March Madness betting enthusiasts now have a better idea of who to back and who to fade as we round out the season. Today we will look at a few teams that impacted the NHL power rankings last night.

You can make an argument in the Eastern Conference, that last night’s game featuring the Buffalo Sabres and Washington Capitals, then tied for the eighth and final playoff spot, was the biggest of the season. It’s been well documented how much the Sabres and Capitals struggled during the first half of the season. However, with each team hitting their stride this late in the season, all could be redeemed with a long playoff run. That is why, when the Sabres destroyed the Capitals five to one to pull ahead in the battle for eighth, plenty of teams were shocked. Currently ranked in 11th in the NHL power rankings, the Sabres have caught fire since the end of January, going 19 – 5- 5 in their last 29 games. If the Sabres get into the playoffs, expect a tough battle for whomever they face.

Another team that has made a huge impact on the NHL power rankings is the St. Louis Blues. Ever since the Blues made a coaching change in late November, the team has experienced a meteoric climb, and now sits second in the power rankings, but first in the overall standings. Last night, they defeated long time foe the Nashville Predators, to tie an NHL best, 15th shutout. As the Blues continue to perfect their systems, they should be a scary team to face in the playoffs.

It’s almost time for the NHL playoffs to begin, and Chicago and New Jersey are trying to hang on to their spots in the Western and Eastern Conferences, respectively. The two will square off on Tuesday at Prudential Center.

Blackhawks Devils Odds – Tuesday, 7:00 PM ET

The Blackhawks were routed 6-1 at home by Nashville on Sunday, and a lot of BetOnline players that follow Chicago can’t put their finger on the ‘Hawks this season. Viktor Stalberg scored Chicago’s lone goal, while Corey Crawford allowed four goals on 15 shots before getting the hook for the Blackhawks, who had won five in a row prior to running into the Predators. Even baseball betting players know how much injuries can affect a team and the Blackhawks have missed captain Jonathan Toews for 16 games now because of a concussion, but they still have enough leadership and talent to make some noise in the postseason. Chicago were also missing Duncan Keith, who was suspended because of an elbow to the head of Vancouver’s Daniel Sedin. But on any given night, the Blackhawks can look like world-beaters or a team that has no business being in the playoffs.

The Devils were thumped 5-2 in Pittsburgh on Sunday as Zach Parise and Ilya Kovalchuk got on the scoresheet, while Martin Brodeur stopped 23 shots for New Jersey, a team that many sharps who use price per head services think are a solid darkhorse to win the Stanley Cup, but they didn’t look like it on Sunday. If the Devils are going to progress in the East, they have to beat teams like Pittsburgh, who is playing the best hockey in the NHL right now and as always, their defense has to carry the team, although New Jersey have been scoring more goals this season.

New Jersey should be the home favorites in this NHL betting contest, but the Blackhawks have won three of the last five meetings between the two, who haven’t met since a 5-3 win for the Devils in Chicago in November 2010. The Blackhawks will want to come out with a strong effort after they were embarrassed at home by a team they could face in the playoffs, while the Devils don’t have the same pressure as they lost to a team many feel are the Stanley Cup favorites, and it was on the road. This game could come down to goaltending and Brodeur wasn’t sharp in his last game; look for the veteran to come up big on Tuesday night. The Blackhawks are too inconsistent to lay a wager on, so lean towards the New Jersey Devils at home at your favorite sports betting sites (which you can visit here).