Stanley Cup Playoffs · Round 1 · Wednesday April 22, 2026 · Odds via Covers.com
Flyers lead 2-0 and are straight-up suffocating the Penguins — Philly hasn’t allowed a goal in 120 minutes, Vladar is playing out of his mind with a .954 SV% in the series, and Pittsburgh’s offense looks completely lost. Crosby is scoreless, the power play is 0-for-7, and now the series shifts to a Philly crowd that’s been waiting years for a playoff moment like this. Pittsburgh needs a miracle just to stay alive.
- Vladar .954 SV% in series, shutout Game 2 with 27 saves — elite form
- PIT power play 0-for-7 in series, Crosby scoreless through 120 playoff minutes
- PHI 2.38 GAA post-Olympic break, 3rd-best NHL — shutdown system firing
| Pick | Reasoning | Conf. |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia Flyers -120 | Vladar is locked in, PHI’s defensive structure is suffocating Pittsburgh’s offense, and a home crowd should energize a Flyers team that’s firmly in control of this series. | ★★☆ |
| Under 5.5 | Pittsburgh has been blanked for two straight games, PHI allows under 2.5 at one of the best rates in the league post-Olympic break, and Jarry hasn’t looked sharp enough to blow this open. | ★★☆ |
| Porter Martone anytime goal scorer (+205) | The 19-year-old has scored in back-to-back games and is clearly comfortable on the playoff stage — at plus money in a game his team is heavily favored to win, this is strong value. | ★★☆ |
Series tied 1-1 after a wild swing — MIN demolished DAL 6-1 in Game 1 then the Stars punched back with a clean 4-2 win in Game 2. Oettinger has been the steadier goalie while Wallstedt got torched despite his team winning the shot quality battle, which is a weird vibe heading into a home must-steady game for the Wild. Dallas is the better team on paper and the sharp money is quietly sliding their way.
- Sharp line movement DAL +104 to +110 signals professional money backing the Stars
- Wallstedt posted -0.47 GSAA in Game 2 despite MIN winning xG 3.29-3.09 — not sustainable
- DAL 50-20-12 led the Central; Wyatt Johnston scored twice in Game 2 momentum swing
| Pick | Reasoning | Conf. |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas Stars +110 | Best regular-season team in the Central with a goalie playing better, line movement favoring them, and Johnston heating up — take the plus money. | ★★☆ |
| Under 5.5 | Wild are 19-20-2 on home O/U and both teams tightened up defensively in Game 2 after the Game 1 shootout — playoff hockey tends to contract fast. | ★★☆ |
| Kirill Kaprizov anytime goal scorer | Kaprizov has 2G 1A in the series and is the engine of this Minnesota offense at home where the crowd lifts his game — he finds a way. | ★★☆ |
Oilers up 1-0 after that wild Game 1 comeback — down 3-2 late, Kapanen goes off for a hat trick, Draisaitl is back healthy, and now Rogers Place is absolutely buzzing for Game 2. Gibson vs Skinner in net, and while the Ducks are scrappy and Carlsson had 10 shots on goal, the talent gap between these rosters is very real. Edmonton smells blood early and the crowd is going to be a factor all night.
- Draisaitl’s return gives EDM a second elite center that ANA simply cannot match
- Rogers Place home record 22-14-5 — Oilers a fortress when crowd is locked in
- ANA’s O/U record 24-15-3 over on the season; both teams showed firepower in Game 1
| Pick | Reasoning | Conf. |
|---|---|---|
| Edmonton Oilers -188 | Healthy top line, home crowd momentum, and a Ducks squad that just got walk-off’d — Oilers close this one cleaner. | ★★☆ |
| Over 6.5 -144 | Game 1 was a 7-goal thriller and both offenses showed up big — expect more of the same in a must-respond spot for Anaheim. | ★★☆ |
| Connor McDavid anytime goal scorer | McDavid on a healthy two-way line at home against a young Ducks defense is a nightmare matchup — he’s going to be unleashed. | ★★☆ |
