This article is part of our NHL Picks series.
The National Hockey League has two more playoff games on tap for Wednesday evening. The Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs square off in Game 5 of their best-of-seven Eastern Conference series at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, ON, with the series tied at two games apiece. Puck drop is set for 7 p,m. ET on TNT/truTV/Max. At 9:30 p.m. ET, in the second end of the doubleheader, the Vegas Golden Knights and Edmonton Oilers square off. The Oilers lead that series 2-1. We'll put together some parlay possibilities to try and build some bankroll for the rest of the playoffs. Let's get started.
Top off your bankroll thanks to sportsbook promos like this BetMGM bonus code offering $1,500 in bonus bets.
NHL Playoff Doubleheader: Panthers vs. Maple Leafs & Oilers vs. Knights Preview
For the latest NHL Odds, including NHL Futures and NHL player props, visit RotoWire's NHL Betting page. For up-to-date NHL player news and NHL Injury Report info, head to RotoWire's NHL Lineups page. You can find more picks at Bookies.com/picks. Here are our NHL Best Bets today, featuring expert NHL picks for an action-packed slate of games.
Florida Panthers vs. Toronto Maple Leafs Game 5 Predictions and Analysis
The old saying is that a series doesn't even begin until the home team has lost. So far in this series, the home team has held serve in each of the first four installments.
Toronto won 5-4 in Game 1 while withstanding the loss of starting goaltender Anthony Stolarz due to illness and/or an upper-body injury, which had him briefly hospitalized. That's when Sam Bennett became Public Enemy No. 1 in The 6ix. In Game 2, Joseph Woll got the starting nod, and he helped the Leafs hold on in a 4-3 victory.
As the series shifted to South Florida, the Leafs' offense stayed hot. They fired out to a big lead, but the Panthers showed their championship mettle, forcing overtime, before outlasting Toronto 5-4. The champs were on the ropes, but they took Toronto's best punch and showed tremendous resolve.
In Game 4, Sergei Bobrovsky had what was easily his best game of the series, as he kicked aside all 23 shots he faced. On the flip side, Woll was one of the only Leafs to show up, stopping 35 of 37 shots. Only a Carter Verhaeghe power-play goal and a Bennett even-strength goal were able to get past Woll.
So, we get a pivotal Game 5. There are a lot of storylines here, too. Stolarz returned to practice Tuesday, but coach Craig Berube has basically ruled Stolarz out for Game 5, and he didn't sound tremendously positive that the goaltender would return to the crease in the remainder of the series. Bob is coming back from his best game of the series, and the intensity is pumping up in this series. Toronto has not won more than six playoff games in a season since 2002, and that's where it is stuck right now. Can the Leafs finally get over the hump? Or, will the champs get it done again?
Based upon recent history, as well as general hockey history since 1967, the arrow points to the Panthers as the play. The road team has yet to break through in this series, but after getting shut out last time, and the pressure on the Leafs to finally break through, take Florida, who should be more free and easy. Let's go low on the total, too.
- Maple Leafs (-135 at DraftKings Sportsbook)
- Under 6 Goals (-120 at Caesars Sportsbook)
Don't make any bets on your favorite sports betting apps without first consulting the latest NHL odds.
Vegas Golden Knights vs. Edmonton Oilers Game 4 Playoff Insights
Unlike the series above, Vegas and Edmonton haven't seen a home team win until Game 4. That's when the Oilers broke through for a 3-0 victory, as Stuart Skinner returned to form at just the right time.
Skinner lost his starting job in Game 3 of the first round against the Los Angeles Kings due to ineffectiveness. Calvin Pickard carried the team to six straight wins, but he suffered an injury in Game 2. For Game 3, it was back to Skinner, and he allowed a goal to Rielly Smith with 0.3 seconds left, as the Oilers' playoff win streak was over. However, Edmonton bounced back in a big way.
How many people had Adam Henrique scoring two goals in Game 4, leading the Oilers to a win? The betting odds on that were exponential. Evander Kane added an insurance goal in the third period, and the Oilers were able to push the Golden Knights to the brink.
It was domination for Edmonton. It outshot Vegas 32-to-23, while the Oilers had a slight 33-to-32 advantage on hits. VGK was 0-for-3 on the power play, and Edmonton was 0-for-2. The Oilers had seven takeaways, while the Golden Knights managed just one.
However, this series shifts back to The Fortress. While Vegas lost the first two games on home ice, this team seems to play at its best when it has its back against the wall. Let's back the Golden Knights to get the job done, forcing the series back to Alberta. We'll lean low on the total, too, as pressure in this series will be at an all-time high.
- Golden Knights ML (-125 at BetMGM)
- Under 6.5 Goals (+100 at BetMGM)
Expert NHL Playoff Betting Strategies and Best Bets
4-Leg NHL Super Parlay (+991 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
- Panthers ML (-142) vs. Maple Leafs
- Under 5.5 (-102) - Panthers vs. Maple Leafs
- Under 6.5 (+104) - Golden Knights vs, Oilers
- Golden Knights ML (-130) - Knights vs, Oilers
2-Leg NHL Sides Parlay (+201 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
- Panthers ML (-142) vs. Maple Leafs
- Golden Knights ML (-130) - Knights vs, Oilers
2-Leg NHL Totals Parlay (+304 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
- Under 5.5 (-102) - Panthers vs. Maple Leafs
- Under 6.5 (+104) - Golden Knights vs, Oilers
*Never risk so much on a singular bet, only as part of a Same-Game (SGP) or multi-leg parlay, especially with promos or boosts.
