Stanley Cup Odds: Predators Favored Over Sharks In Potential Series-Tying Game 4
The St. Louis Blues are -145 betting favorites at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com for Thursday night as they try to take a commanding lead on the Dallas Stars in their second-round playoff series.
St. Louis leads the series two games to one after a 6-1 blowout victory in Game 3, and it now takes a four-game home winning streak over Dallas into Thursday night’s Stars vs. Blues betting matchup at Scottrade Center.
The Blues’ offense finally broke through in Game 3, outshooting an opponent for the first time in five games and just the third time in 10 postseason contests.
Meanwhile, the Stars are facing serious question marks in goal following their demoralizing loss, as they’ve seen their starter get chased in each of their past two games.
Dallas now has allowed 20 goals over its last five outings, including 10 in two losses to the Blues, and has seen the total play over in five of its last seven games, according to the OddsShark NHL Database.
That marks a stark contrast to the solid goaltending the club received down the stretch, when it posted a 1.90 goals against average over the final 10 games of the regular season.
After opening as a pick’em on the NHL series prices, the Stars have tumbled to +250 underdogs, while the Blues have moved up to +325 on the odds to win the Stanley Cup.
Elsewhere, the Nashville Predators will try to even their series with San Jose at two games apiece when they host the Sharks in Game 4 on Thursday as narrow -115 favorites.
Nashville has won two straight at home this postseason but historically has been less than a solid bet on home ice during the playoffs, going 7-8 in its last 15 at Bridgestone Arena.
A pair of Predators power-play goals contributed to a 4-1 San Jose loss in Game 3, but the Sharks remain strong -350 favorites to advance to the Western Conference finals for the first time since 2011.
The New York Islanders find themselves in a near must-win situation, down 2-1 in their series with the Tampa Bay Lightning ahead of Game 4 on Friday night. Tampa Bay’s overtime victory in Game 3 lifted the Bolts out of the basement on the Stanley Cup odds, from +1200 to +800, while the Islanders have tumbled from +850 to +1600.
And finally, the Pittsburgh Penguins pushed the Washington Capitals to the brink of elimination with a 3-2 overtime victory in Game 4 on Wednesday, a win that will further bolster their +333 Stanley Cup odds. Those two teams meet again Saturday night.
Thumbnail photo via Christopher Hanewinckel/USA TODAY Sports Images
