The Stanley Cup Finals continue Saturday night in Game 2 between the visiting Los Angeles Kings and the New Jersey Devils. The NHL Playoff odds for the game have the Devils favored at -115 (Risk $115 to win $100). The game is scheduled for a 8:00 pm start time and it will be televised live on NBC. The odds show that bookmakers have a prediction of a close road win for the Devils.
Picks: The Kings opened as a -115 favorite in this game, presumably because they haven't lost yet in the playoffs this season. However, the Devils are essentially in a must-win situation and have played well in the playoffs. New Jersey quickly has become the favorite in this contest as two full days have passed since the teams took to the ice. I think it's more of an advantage for the home team, being in their own beds and being comfortable with their surroundings. Anze Kopitar scored the game-winner for the Kings in overtime of the first game. Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick has been dominant for the eighth seeded club from the West Coast this post season as they've clearly been the hottest team in the league. And here we are, in the second game of the Stanley Cup Finals with Los Angeles having a major chance to put a dent into the Devils' hopes. New Jersey goaltender Martin Brodeur has played well enough to get his team to this point in the season but if the Devils are going to head back to the West Coast with any chance, he'll have to perform at an extremely high level tonight. The odds for this game have the total goals set at just 4.5, so we know it's going to be a low-scoring affair, which is nothing new. Devils captain Zach Parise is still lamenting over the missed goal in the opener of this series but he's also quick to realize the importance of tonight's game. Los Angeles is now 13-2 this post season and 9-0 in the playoffs on the road, both of which are NHL records. They can add to those tonight, but I'm expecting a very good effort from the home squad.
Prediction: I like the Devils to score a couple of regulation goals tonight and to even the series, sort of saving home ice advantage. The Kings have been amazing on the road to this point in the playoffs but who knows if they will continue. Obviously no team has ever won each of their road games in the post season, but then again, nobody expected the Kings to be here, topping the top three seeds in the Western Conference on the way to the Stanley Cup Finals. There's a good chance they'll win the series overall, but I think the Devils get it done tonight. I doubt they want tonight to be the final game at home for this season.
$25 of picks FREE! No Obligation - Becoming a member is Fast and Free!
Betting Strategies: Handicapping NBA Playoffs
Host Marco D'Angelo and Pregame Pro Vegas Runner discuss their strategies about betting the NBA Playoffs and being successful.