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NHL Western Conference Round 2 series prices and previews
St. Louis Blues (2) vs Los Angeles Kings (8)
Series price: Blues (-165), Kings (+145)
Season series: St. Louis (1-2-1), Los Angeles (3-1)
If you are a fan of goal scoring you won’t be overly entertained by the Blues and Kings. Two of the four regular-season meetings between the two clubs ended in 1-0 shutouts.
The Blues will be without starting netminder Jaroslav Halak for at least the first two games of the series. Brian Elliott did a great job filling in against the Sharks picking up three wins while posting a goals against of 1.37 and a save percentage of 0.949.
Jonathan Quick watched the team in front him play some of their best hockey of the season against Vancouver and when his mates did struggle he was there to pick them up by holding the Sedins and Co. to just eight goals in five games.
While much of this series will focus on goaltending and team defense there is one forward who could end up being a difference maker. Andy MacDonald missed the majority of the regular season due to injury but the pint-sized winger picked up eight points in five games in the first round of the playoffs.
Blues head coach Ken Hitchcock, knowing that his team is the favorite, attempted to put the pressure on the Kings.
"When you beat the President's Trophy winner, you become the No. 1 seed, and I think everybody knows that," Hitchcock said. "We've just got to be on top of our game. If we're on top of our game it's going to be a great series."
Regardless of who wins, this series is an under bettors dream.
Series Prediction: Blues in 7.
Phoenix Coyotes (3) vs Nashville Predators (4)
Series price: Coyotes (+145), Predators (-165)
Season series: Phoenix (2-1-1), Nashville (2-2)
Another goalie duel here with a couple of heavyweights between the pipes. In one corner you’ve got 6-5 Pekka Rinne with a first round save percentage of .944 and a goals-against average of 1.81 against the Detroit Red Wings. In the other corner you have 6-4 Mike Smith fresh off of stealing a series from the Chicago Blackhawks and thought by many to be the MVP of the first round of the post-season.
The two clubs split their four regular season meetings. Surprisingly Coyotes back up Jason Labarbera started three of those four games and the one that Smith started proved to be an uncharacteristic 5-4 shootout between the two clubs.
Because of the quality in net, this series could come down to special teams. The Predators had the best power-play in the league during the regular season but struggled in the first round capitalizing on a playoff-worst 9.1 percent of their chances against the Red Wings. The Coyotes are the proud owners of the playoffs best penalty kill at 94.7 percent.
The one area where the Predators do have a significant advantage is on the blue line with Shea Weber and Ryan Suter being the best 1-2 punch in the league. The Coyotes caught a few lucky breaks against Corey Crawford and the Hawks; they may not get those same opportunities against Weber, Suter and Rinne.
Series Prediction: Predators in 6.
St. Louis Blues (2) vs Los Angeles Kings (8)
Series price: Blues (-165), Kings (+145)
Season series: St. Louis (1-2-1), Los Angeles (3-1)
If you are a fan of goal scoring you won’t be overly entertained by the Blues and Kings. Two of the four regular-season meetings between the two clubs ended in 1-0 shutouts.
The Blues will be without starting netminder Jaroslav Halak for at least the first two games of the series. Brian Elliott did a great job filling in against the Sharks picking up three wins while posting a goals against of 1.37 and a save percentage of 0.949.
Jonathan Quick watched the team in front him play some of their best hockey of the season against Vancouver and when his mates did struggle he was there to pick them up by holding the Sedins and Co. to just eight goals in five games.
While much of this series will focus on goaltending and team defense there is one forward who could end up being a difference maker. Andy MacDonald missed the majority of the regular season due to injury but the pint-sized winger picked up eight points in five games in the first round of the playoffs.
Blues head coach Ken Hitchcock, knowing that his team is the favorite, attempted to put the pressure on the Kings.
"When you beat the President's Trophy winner, you become the No. 1 seed, and I think everybody knows that," Hitchcock said. "We've just got to be on top of our game. If we're on top of our game it's going to be a great series."
Regardless of who wins, this series is an under bettors dream.
Series Prediction: Blues in 7.
Phoenix Coyotes (3) vs Nashville Predators (4)
Series price: Coyotes (+145), Predators (-165)
Season series: Phoenix (2-1-1), Nashville (2-2)
Another goalie duel here with a couple of heavyweights between the pipes. In one corner you’ve got 6-5 Pekka Rinne with a first round save percentage of .944 and a goals-against average of 1.81 against the Detroit Red Wings. In the other corner you have 6-4 Mike Smith fresh off of stealing a series from the Chicago Blackhawks and thought by many to be the MVP of the first round of the post-season.
The two clubs split their four regular season meetings. Surprisingly Coyotes back up Jason Labarbera started three of those four games and the one that Smith started proved to be an uncharacteristic 5-4 shootout between the two clubs.
Because of the quality in net, this series could come down to special teams. The Predators had the best power-play in the league during the regular season but struggled in the first round capitalizing on a playoff-worst 9.1 percent of their chances against the Red Wings. The Coyotes are the proud owners of the playoffs best penalty kill at 94.7 percent.
The one area where the Predators do have a significant advantage is on the blue line with Shea Weber and Ryan Suter being the best 1-2 punch in the league. The Coyotes caught a few lucky breaks against Corey Crawford and the Hawks; they may not get those same opportunities against Weber, Suter and Rinne.
Series Prediction: Predators in 6.
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