The New York Islanders can push the Florida Panthers to the brink of elimination on Wednesday night when they take the ice in Game 4 as small -115 betting favorites at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.
New York claimed a 4-3 overtime win in Game 3, and is set as a -190 favorite to win the series ahead of Wednesday’s Panthers vs. Islanders betting matchup at Barclays Center.
The Islanders struggled in the final weeks of the regular season, going 8-10 straight up in their last 18 games, but have come to life against Florida. The Panthers had opened the series as -155 favorites to hand the Islanders their eighth straight opening-round playoff series loss.
But with +165 odds on the current series prices, the Panthers are now underdogs to end their own stretch of playoff futility, which has seen them fail to move past the first round in just three playoff appearances since reaching the Stanley Cup Final back in 1996.
The Dallas Stars were stunned by Minnesota in a 5-3 loss in Game 3 after holding the Wild to just one total goal over the first two games of their series, but remain a strong -400 wager to eventually prevail on the series prices.
The Stars sat as -215 chalk to open the series and dominated in the first two contests, but faced a different Wild squad in Game 3, managing just 17 shots on goal in the loss. Game 3 marked the first time in the series that the total played OVER for bettors; the teams have combined for a recent 4-11-3 run on the OVER/UNDER.
Things are tight on the West Coast, where the San Jose Sharks hold a 2-1 lead in their first-round matchup with the Los Angeles Kings, lifting them to -205 chalk on the series prices.
The Sharks now have emerged victorious in five of eight meetings with Los Angeles this season. They are -120 favorites to win Game 4 on Wednesday and further diminish the Kings’ Stanley Cup odds, which have slipped to 12-1 after opening the playoffs at 7-1.
And finally, the Washington Capitals have allowed more than two goals just once in their past eight playoff contests, and can complete the first series sweep in franchise history on Wednesday when they take on the Philadelphia Flyers as -165 road chalk at the sportsbooks.
Thumbnail photo via Brad Penner/USA TODAY Sports Images
