We’ve got a second straight four-game slate on our hands in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and plenty of NHL picks to dig through.
I’ll be looking for the Winnipeg Jets, Carolina Hurricanes, and Washington Capitals to extend their series leads as I touch on all four contests in a pair of parlays for Sunday, April 27.
Today's best NHL Playoffs parlay: April 27
Parlay No. 1
Jets moneyline
Hurricanes moneyline
Capitals moneyline
Pick #1: Jets moneyline
The St. Louis Blues got on the board in Game 3 with their first win of the series in a dominant 7-2 drubbing of the Winnipeg Jets.
The Blues and their fans will be confident following the win but I think it was more of a blip on the radar than anything meaningful.
Connor Hellebuyck, the goaltender likely to claim this season’s Vezina Trophy, allowed six goals on just 25 shots in Game 3 for a brutal .760 SV%.
The Jets netminder posted a .925 SV% during the regular season and if he’s even anywhere close to that, Winnipeg will be just fine.
Pick #2: Hurricanes moneyline
It’s a similar story for the Carolina Hurricanes, who had their potential sweep wiped out by the New Jersey Devils in Game 3, as the underdogs scraped out a 3-2 overtime win.
Carolina has controlled the series at 5-on-5, outshooting New Jersey by an average of 33-29. It has also outscored the Devils 9-5 overall and 3-0 on the power play.
The Hurricanes have built a 2-1 series lead without any of their top players breaking out, as Sebastian Aho and Jordan Martinook share the team lead with three points apiece.
If someone like Aho or Seth Jarvis steps up with a big performance in Game 4, the Hurricanes will take this one comfortably.
Pick #3: Capitals moneyline
I’m also looking for the Washington Capitals to get back in the win column and take a 3-1 lead over the Montreal Canadiens.
Montreal took Game 3 by a score of 6-3, but it was much closer than that, as the Habs netted two goals in the final seven minutes after Caps goaltender Logan Thompson left with an injury after being run over by his own teammate.
The one question mark for the Capitals moving forward is Thompson's health, but the netminder was on the ice for the morning skate ahead of Game 4, which looks like good news for Washington.
They’re also expecting to get Aliaksei Protas back into the lineup. The 6-foot-6 center has yet to skate in the playoffs after scoring 30 goals — including 27 even-strength markers — in the regular season. His addition will be a huge boost for the Capitals and could get them over the edge tonight.
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Parlay No. 2
Kings-Oilers Over 5.5
Oilers moneyline
Hurricanes -1.5
Pick #1: Kings-Oilers Over 5.5
The Los Angeles Kings-Edmonton Oilers series has probably been the most exciting first-round matchup, and I expect these teams to deliver another high-scoring contest.
The teams have combined for at least eight goals in each of their first three meetings, including 11 goals in both Games 1 and 3.
Goaltending has been completely optional for both sides, with Kings starter Darcy Kuemper holding an .859 SV% this postseason, and both Stuart Skinner (.810 SV%) and Calvin Pickard (.839 V%) looking even worse for the Oilers.
The Over is 8-4 in the last 12 meetings between these clubs so I’m expecting more of that tonight.
Pick #2: Oilers moneyline
I might be in the minority here but I believe the Oilers still have a pretty good chance of winning this series, and that starts with a victory in Game 4.
The Oilers’ edge is obviously their star power — Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl have combined for 12 points through three contests, including five in Game 3.
If the goaltenders continue to struggle, that should play into Edmonton’s favor, as they’ve got more talent up front to convert their chances.
The Oilers have also been dominant at home against the Kings historically, winning eight of their last 10 meetings at Rogers Place.
Pick #3: If there’s an easy puck line pick for Sunday, it’s the Hurricanes.
Carolina is simply the superior team against an injury-riddled Devils, who remain without Jack Hughes, Luke Hughes, and Brendon Dillon, while Jonathan Kovacevic is now questionable for Game 4. That could leave New Jersey without three of its top six defensemen.
The Hurricanes were the NHL’s best team in terms of controlling shot attempts at 5-on-5 in the regular season at just under 60%, but they haven’t been nearly as dominant in the first round, hovering around 54%.
The Canes won both Games 1 and 2 by at least two tallies and should take Game 4 comfortably if they can control the flow of play.
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