Friday night features four Game 3s for the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Road teams, favorites to win the series when the betting lines opened, could be in for a big night judging by the NHL odds. We break down all four games and give our best NHL playoff picks for May 6, 2022.
We have seen plenty of parity with the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs, a.k.a. the NHL Playoffs so far. Friday night features four matchups that are all tied up at one game apiece. But going by the NHL's best betting sites, there is a good chance that not one, not two, but all four road teams skate away with victories. Let's examine the betting odds for this Friday, May 6th.
NHL 2022 Playoff Picks: Road Teams Could Sweep
When it comes to the NHL's playoffs, home-ice advantage is a wishy-washy thing. We can throw teams' home ice records from the regular season out the window as playoff hockey is something else. With that said, the favorites to win the series are visitors this Friday. It's best to back the better teams regardless of where they play.
| Away Team |  | | Home Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carolina Hurricanes | +110 | -130 | Boston Bruins |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | -105 | -115 | Tampa Bay Lightning |
| Minnesota Wild | -105 | -115 | St. Louis Blues |
| Edmonton Oilers | -145 | +125 | Los Angeles Kings |
Carolina Hurricanes vs. Boston Bruins (Game 3)
"I told you so." The Carolina Hurricanes, despite what the media, analysts, and betting odds indicated, have continued to dominate the Boston Bruins. This is a team that swept Boston (3-0-0) in the regular season to the tune of a 16-1 goal differential. In the last two games, the Hurricanes have outscored Boston 10-3.
Even down to their third-string netminder, the Hurricanes are clearly the better team. Boston has out possessed and outshot the Hurricanes, so a bit of regression is expected here hence the betting odds. But give us the underdog Hurricanes, the better team all-around, as they push the Bruins to the brink of elimination.
Four sad dudes in Bruins sweaters
PNC Arena penalty box or a Dunkin Donuts in Boston tomorrow? pic.twitter.com/YWStrtxltM
— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) May 5, 2022
Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (Game 3)
The Tampa Bay Lightning raised the Toronto Maple Leafs' Game 1 blowout with a Game 2 blowout. Both teams dropped five goals on the other showing just how potent each can be offensively. The X-Factor here will be how well Toronto can kill penalties (PK). They shut out Tampa in Game 1, killing all five of their extra-man advantages. But in Game 2, they let Tampa score on three of their seven chances.
The Leafs had the eighth-best PK in the regular season, so a bounceback could be due here. On their own end, they have the best power-play (PP) unit. They failed to score a PP goal for the first time in four games. Expect Toronto to do better on special teams, which is what gives them the edge for their return to Tampa Bay.
Minnesota Wild vs. St. Louis Blues (Game 3)
Like the Leafs-Lightning series, the Minnesota Wild and St. Louis Blues have exchanged blowouts in their last two games. So which is the real McCoy? We're leaning on the second game as Minnesota has the Kryptonite to expose St. Louis's weakness. Ignore the fact that the Blues have won eight of their last ten games against Minnesota. St. Louis has some wonky 5v5 play, which Minnesota can exploit.
St. Louis's expected goals against is the fourth-highest on 5v5, and they are 23rd in expected goal ratio. Minnesota, on the other hand, is sixth and now have better goaltending with Marc-Andre Fleury. We like the Wild to edge the Blues here. But from a betting standpoint, back the total to go over as it has in eight of their last ten meetings.
Edmonton Oilers vs. Los Angeles Kings (Game 3)
Edmonton Oilers backers got a real scare after the catastrophe that was Game 1. But goaltender Mike Smith bounced back emphatically by shutting out the Los Angeles Kings. Smith had been playing impressively entering the playoffs, winning nine straight starts and only allowing two goals or fewer on seven of these. And even if he was his worst version in Game 1, Edmonton was still this close to winning.
In Game 2, everything went right for the Oilers, who scored at will while Smith was sharp. This series shouldn't be close, given how well Edmonton is playing. Metrics show the Kings as a better 5v5 team, but under Jay Woodcroft, Edmonton has gone 26-9-3 and have outscored opponents 120-84 on 5v5. Edmonton rolls and continues to look like a top-tier team per the Stanley Cup betting odds.
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