NHL Playoff Odds Preview: Thursday Games

Staring elimination in the face, the Chicago Blackhawks will try to stay alive in their series with the Nashville Predators in Game 4 on Thursday night.

Nashville took a 3-0 series lead with a 3-2 overtime win in Game 3. Kevin Fiala netted the game-winner, his second of the playoffs. At least Chicago finally got on the board in the series after being shut out in the first two games.

Needing four straight wins to take the series, Chicago isn’t being given much of a chance at the Bovada Sportsbook where they are a +750 series underdog. Nashville also gets to play at home in the potential series clincher where they have won three in a row and four of their last five.

The Pittsburgh Penguins also have the chance to knock out the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday when they clash in Game 5 of their series. Columbus stayed alive with a 5-4 victory in Game 4, cutting Pittsburgh’s series lead to 3-1.

Sitting one win away from advancing to the next round the Penguins are the new favorites on the Stanley Cup odds at the Bovada Sportsbook. The Penguins are a +375 favorite.

With the series returning to Pittsburgh the Penguins could have it in the bag. At home the Penguins have won four straight overall and they’ve won five in a row at home versus Columbus.

Staying in the Eastern Conference the Montreal Canadiens and New York Rangers are all tied at 2-2 as they meet up in Game 5. New York narrowly escaped with a 2-1 victory in Game 4 to tie the series and end Montreal’s short two-game winning streak.

The smart bet for Game 5 may be to take the UNDER. In their last seven games the Rangers have gone UNDER the total six times. Montreal is 7-2 UNDER in their last nine. And in the last six matchups between the Canadiens and Rangers the UNDER is 4-1-1.

Returning to the West, the last game on tap Thursday night is Game 5 between the San Jose Sharks and the Edmonton Oilers. The series is tied 2-2 after the Sharks struck back in Game 4.

After being shut out in back-to-back losses in Games 2 and 3 it looked like the Sharks had lost their bite. It returned in Game 4 as they routed the Oilers 7-0. Brent Burns collected his first playoff points with three assists, while Joe Pavelski also had three points, including two goals.

The series returns to Edmonton where the Oilers are 10-1 in their last 11 games. Of course, that one loss came against San Jose in the series opener.