The 2021 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs are in full swing! With 5 massive games on the agenda today, we have spent the morning researching each fixture in depth to bring you the absolute best predictions. Have a read below for all our NHL picks.
Toronto Maple Leafs @ Montreal Canadiens (Game 3) – 7.00 PM EDT
The Maple Leafs responded to their 2-1 defeat to the Canadiens in a big way in game 2, putting 5 goals past the Montreal side while flipping the script and restricting them to just 1.
The emphatic 5-1 win was well needed for the Maple Leafs, which were without the services of their captain, John Tavares, due to his nasty injury in game 1, yet put on a dominant performance in his absence.
After conceding the opening goal of the game it was all Maple Leafs, scoring the next 5 goals unanswered, with goals scored in each term, and 2 of them coming from power play situations.
The scoreboard was largely unsurprising for the Toronto side, with William Nylander, the only goal scorer of game 1, picking up a goal and an assist on Saturday. Maple Leafs’ leading point scorer Mitch Marner was also amongst it, bagging 2 assists, while the NHL’s leading goal scorer, Auston Matthews, bagged a goal on top of 2 assists for a 3 point haul.
Auston Matthews scored one of five @MapleLeafs goals on Saturday and has 13 in 27 career playoff games for the franchise. #StanleyCup#NHLStats: https://t.co/97S8cQ5oAk pic.twitter.com/b3rApdMpPL
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) May 23, 2021
Statistically, game 2 wasn’t too different from game 1, unfortunately for the Canadiens, Carey Price wasn’t able to replicate his performance in net, allowing 4 goals from 33 attempts, 3 more than he allowed in game 1 from less shots.
It is now the Canadiens turn to host the series, but after a weak showing in game 2, and with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner hitting some form for the Maple Leafs, we are expecting them to struggle today.
NHL Pick – Toronto Maple Leafs (-164)
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New York Islanders @ Pittsburgh Penguins (Game 5) – 7.00 PM EDT
The Islanders and the Penguins head back to Pittsburgh with the series all tied up at 2-2 following the Islanders 4-1 win on Saturday. With the first 3 games of this thrilling series decided by just a goal, Saturday’s game was the first to break the trend, with the Islanders scoring 4 goals unanswered before the Penguins pulled one back.
Josh Bailey bagged his second goal of the playoffs, while both Oliver Wahlstrom and Mathew Barzal recorded their 3rd point of the postseason.
The Islanders nearly doubled the Penguins for faceoffs won, but they were outshot by the Pittsburgh side, fortunately, Semyon Varlamov was up for it in net, allowing just 1 goal from 30 attempts.
Power plays were a big factor in the Islanders’ win, prior to Saturday’s game they had converted just 1 goal with the man advantage, but within a 30 second window they scored twice in the third period.
Tristan Jarry got his fourth straight start in net for the Penguins, and after 2 solid performances to start Jarry has struggled in the most recent games, putting up his worst save percentage yet on Saturday (84.6%).
The Penguins return to the Paints Arena for this one, and despite a lackluster showing in game 4 we still back them in front of the fans today.
NHL Pick – Pittsburgh Penguins (-142)
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Tampa Bay Lightning @ Florida Panthers (Game 5) – 8.00 PM EDT
The Lightning have a chance to put their series to bed following their convincing 6-2 win over the Panthers in game 4, the biggest margin of the series so far.
After their third game overtime defeat to their cross city rivals, the Lightning’s response was a solid one, but taking just 26 shots to the Panthers’ 41, they owe a lot to the stellar performance of Andre Vasilevskiy in net, allowing just 2 goals from 41 attempts.
While Vasilevskiy had them covered at the back, it was mostly a 2 man show going forward, with Nikita Kucherov bagging a goal and 3 assists, while Alex Killorn impressed with his 2 goal, 2 assist performance.
It was the 9th point of Nikita Kucherov’s postseason campaign, who is tied for first in the NHL alongside Nathan MacKinnon, and 2 points above teammates Alex Killorn and Victor Hedman with 7.
Winfographic time!#FLAvsTBL | #GoBolts pic.twitter.com/yo9Tb84Vby
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) May 23, 2021
Both of the Panthers goals came from power plays, with Jonathan Huberdeau and Carter Verhaeghe both converting chances, however, a nightmare performance from Sergei Bobrovsky in net which saw him concede 5 goals from the Lightning’s first 14 attempts before getting dragged meant they were never really in the game.
The Panthers get the home ground advantage in this must win game, but our bet is once again with the Tampa Bay team, which showed the difference that reliable goaltending plays in game 4.
NHL Pick – Tampa Bay Lightning (-116)
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Edmonton Oilers @ Winnipeg Jets (Game 4) – 9.45 PM EDT
The Oilers and the Jets are the first teams to play twice in two days in the postseason, and after a third straight win for the Jets yesterday, the Oilers’ situation is looking dire.
Yesterday’s game was the best the Oilers have looked all series, taking a 2 goal lead 10 minutes into the first term thanks to back to back goals from Leon Draisaitl, and when the Jets pulled one back the Oilers scored 2 more.
With a 4-1 lead midway through the final term, the Edmonton side looked a sure thing to take the game, however, an inspired period from the Jets saw them score 3 goals unanswered within a 3 minute window, sending the match to overtime.
It took nearly 10 minutes of overtime for the Jets to find the decisive goal, with Nikolaj Ehlers burying the match winner to complete the comeback, his second goal of the game.
Having won just 2 of 9 games against the Oilers during the regular season, nobody expected to see the Jets playing for a clean sweep in the playoffs, and given that they have been outshot in each game so far, Connor Hellebuyck is largely to thank for their success.
Hellebuyck has started all 3 games and has so far notched a shutout, conceded just 5 goals from 119 attempts, operating at an average of 1.55 goals per game, and at a save percentage of 95.8%.
NHL Pick – Edmonton Oilers (-112)
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Minnesota Wild @ Vegas Golden Knights (Game 5) – 10.30 PM EDT
Having won their last 3 games straight the Knights have a chance to progress to round 2 of the playoffs today, and they will be doing so back in the comfort of their home arena in Vegas.
Since being kept goalless in game 1, the Knights results have gotten better and better, with their 4-0 win on Saturday marking the biggest victory of the series.
However, unlike game 3, which saw the Wild kept to just 16 shots while the Knights sent 40 their way, it was the Wild that dominated the shooting on Saturday, taking 35 shots compared to a rare 18 shots from the Knights.
“We have to push through… we have to get back to our game.” -Joel Eriksson Ek
📹 Postgame comments from Eriksson Ek, Foligno, Parise and Fiala. pic.twitter.com/7rWHqFqBQZ
— x – Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) May 23, 2021
The lack of attempts didn’t translate to the scoreboard, with Nicholas Roy burying 2 goals, while Mark Stone and Alex Tuch both bagged another, the third goal of both their postseasons.
The goalies of either team had polar opposite nights, while Marc-Andre Fleury stopped all 35 shots that came his way, Cam Talbot had a night to forget at the other end, allowing 3 goals from 17 attempts.
With their performances getting stronger, and with the chance to wrap round 1 up today, we are expecting the playoff experienced Knights to capitalize with another win today.
NHL Pick – Vegas Golden Knights (-184)
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The 2021 NHL is well underway now! If you want to catch up with all the latest information, make sure you visit our NHL hub page.
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*Odds and spreads correct at time of publication, courtesy of FanDuel.
