Stanley Cup playoffs first round betting nuggets

This week's NHL postseason will begin after a regular season that saw favorites dominate. Road favorites were +46.6 units while favorites were +35.9 units in the regular season. Favorites were +35.9 units.

Underdogs, however, are the ones who yell loudest in postseason. In each of the four previous postseasons, the underdogs were profitable in the postseason. This total includes 49.6 units at the time of this postseason.

Overs cash was at 53.6 per cent during the regular-season. The regular season saw an average of 3.11 goals per game between teams, which is the highest since 1995-96 (3.14). Overs have been successful in the playoffs as well, as overs have cashed at 56.1 per cent in the last four postseasons.

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Washington CapitalsVs Florida Panthers

• This season, the Panthers have +15.8 units. They are second in the NHL after the Rangers. They were +16.8 at home and +18.95 as favorites, which was the highest profit margin of any team over the past four seasons.

• Sergei BobrovskyIn 53 starts, he is +26.8 unit on the season. This makes him the most profitable goalie for a single season in the past five seasons. Other goaltenders have a record of -11 units for the Panthers in 29 starts.

• Since the 1996 Eastern Conference Final, Florida hasn't won a playoff series. The 24-season drought is not only longest in NHL history, but also the longest stretch of seasons without a winning postseason series.

• The Panthers are -350 favorites to win the series, the largest they have ever been favored by to win a playoff series according to SportsOddsHistory.com

• The second round was not reached by any of the six previous Presidents' Trophy winners. The Stanley Cup Final was missed by eight of the previous eight.

• Washington is currently an underdog at +180 in Game 1. The Capitals were last an underdog as large in Game 1.

• The Capitals were league-worst at home at -17.05, which was compared with +9.6 at their home (third best). They are a home favorite at -19.65 units.

• This season, the Panthers' games are 46-30-6 to over. Washington games are 47-31-4.

• All three meetings reached the total for this season, which was six. All three meetings were won by the home team.

Tampa Bay LightningVs Toronto Maple Leafs

• Before closing as +100 underdogs to the Maple Leafs, the Lightning had been favorites in 15 consecutive series. Tampa Bay was the series underdog in 2015's Stanley Cup Final.

• Toronto has lost in round one in five seasons straight, losing as a favorite in each of the last two seasons. Since 2004, the Maple Leafs are without a win in a playoff series. (Florida is the other longest series win drought).

• The Maple Leafs have a home record of +4.05 units this season, including Game 1, as opposed to -9.15 on the road.

• Toronto won 12 of its 13 final home games (+7.5 units), including Game 1.

• Overs are 19-4-2 for Toronto's past 25 road games and 246-2 for its last 32 road matches.

• This season, the Maple Leafs have +10.85 units Jack CampbellStarts, including Game 1 victory (48 begins). They are -14.95 units higher in starts than all other goaltenders (35 matches).

Boston BruinsVs Carolina Hurricanes

• The Hurricanes boast a combined margin (21-2) in four games with the Bruins. Each win was decided by at least three goals, and Game 1 was won 5-1. This was the first playoff meeting in which the margin of victory for regular-season games was at least five goals each.

• Boston has a home playoff record of -9.73 units during 30 games played under Bruce Cassidy (13-17), exempting the 2020 bubble.

• Both 2019 and 2020 were both won by the Hurricanes, who were favorites.

• In Hurricanes games, first-period unders are at 50-32-1 this season, which is the highest mark in the NHL.

Pittsburgh PenguinsVs New York Rangers

• The Rangers' +17.8 unit record was their best season in the NHL. They were the most profitable in the NHL over the past three seasons.

• Rangers was the second most profitable team on the road (+10.25 unit) and fifth at home (+7.05 unit). They were third in the NHL at +12.2 units for a favorite and +3.2 for an underdog.

• Rangers games have seen an under 46-32-4, the highest mark in the NHL.

• Since 2018, the Penguins have been -16.9 units in playoffs, the worst record in the NHL (26 games).

• Rangers games this year have 48-32-2 unders in their first period, which is second in the NHL. In Penguins games, first-period belows are 44-33-2, which is the fourth-best undermark of the NHL.

Nashville PredatorsVs Colorado Avalanche

• The Predators finished this season as the NHL's best underdog, with +6.25 units at home and +6.7 units at home.

• A Nashville (+425) series win would be the biggest series upset in the postseason, since 2003 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (+525) won the championship Detroit Red Wings (-850) according to SportsOddsHistory.com.

• Game 1: The Avalanche is a favorite of -320. This is the fourth-largest line of betting in a playoff match since 2018. In this span, -300 favorite teams are 2-2 in playoffs (-4.4 units). Colorado is currently 2-0 (both last season against the Blues), while all other teams are at 0-2.

St. Louis BluesVs Minnesota Wild

• Since 2005, the Blues are 14-1-2 to the Wild Craig BerubeIn 2018, St. Louis' head coach was taken over, including Game 1 (+12.5 unit).

• Wild games are 47-33-3 in this season.

• Wild games, including Game 1, have a 47-29-7 ratio for first-period wins (+12.6 units).

• The Wild scored +9.2 units during the regular season, the highest score in the Western Conference. They were +11.65 at home.

Dallas StarsVs Calgary Flames

• Dallas is +8.4 with Jake OettingerIn net (46 games), as compared to -9.45 with all other goalies (36)

• The Flames are -350 favorites for the series. This is the biggest Calgary win probability since Round 1 1995 against the Sharks. (Won 4-3 as -450 favourites).

• The Flames had -12.2 units at their home, compared with +7.9 on the road.

Los Angeles KingsVs Edmonton Oilers

• The Kings are +13.05 units when on the road, including Game 1, the NHL's best, while they are -2.4 units home.

• Since 2020, the Oilers have been 1-8 in the playoffs (-10.8 units), and are a favorite.

• This is the second-best NHL home favorite mark.

• In Kings games this season, including Game 1, the first-period unders is 47-35-1

• Since the 1991 Conference Finals against Minnesota North Stars, the Oilers have been the biggest series favorite since (-270, lost 7 games).