There are four pivotal Game 5s on Tuesday night in the NHL, with all of the series currently tied at 2-2. This is set to be a potentially wild and exciting night of NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs hockey.
There are two bets to really watch for in tonight's slate of games, amongst all of this action going on.
Here are tonight's winners.
*Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook
Boston Bruins at Carolina Hurricanes
Projected Goalies:
Bruins: Jeremy Swayman
Hurricanes: Antti Raanta
Pickwatch Experts:
Straight Up: Hurricanes 89%
Puck Line: Bruins 67%
The series is tied at two games a piece and the home team has won the first four games of this series. That trend will continue in Game 5 and the home team has won these games by two or more goals in every game.
Home ice is a treat in this series. Brett Pesce and Jordan Staal scored goals for Carolina in Game 4, but Sebastion Aho needs to step up in Game 5.
Antti Raanta made 23 saves for the Hurricanes in Game 4. They have 112 shots on net in this series, along with a 9.1% power-play percentage and a 77.3% penalty-kill percentage. Their penalty kill was one of the best during the regular season, but it has taken a dive in the first-round of the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Boston's big three of David Pastrnak, Brad Marchand, and Patrice Bergeron all contributed on the score sheet in Game 4. Marchand has been their best player in this series and scored two goals in the last game. They will need to show up in order to steal one on the road.
Jeremy Swayman finished with 24 saves in Game 4 for the Bruins. Swayman is 2-0 this postseason after not playing in Games 1 and 2 for Linus Ullmark.
The Boston Bruins have recorded 130 shots on net in this series so far. They also have a 22.7% power play rate and a 90.9% penalty kill rate.
Special teams will make it or break it in Game 5, and so will another loud home ice advantage.
The pick: Carolina (-1.5)
Tampa Bay Lightning at Toronto Maple Leafs
Projected Goalies:
Lightning: Andrei Vasilevskiy
Maple Leafs: Jack Campbell
Pickwatch Experts:
Straight Up: Leafs 74%
Puck Line: Lightning 77%
With the series tied at two games a piece, every game has been a trade of blowouts in that series. That trend will continue in Game 4. Each team has done a good job of bouncing back after a loss in this series and it will continue in Game 5.
Toronto had a very good third-period against Tampa Bay in Game 4 and that will carry over into Game 5, despite the 7-3 loss on the road. William Nylander scored two goals in the third-period for the Maple Leafs and so did Jake Muzzin (second of the series).
Auston Matthews and Mitchell Marner will show up in Game 5, but John Tavares has been performing a disappearing act in this series. He needs to show up on the score sheet.
Jack Campbell only made 11 saves in Game 4 for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Toronto has a 78.3% penalty kill in this series and a 16.7% power play. They have recorded 127 shots on net in this series.
Tampa Bay had a 5-0 lead in the first two periods of Game 4, but it feels like they will be chasing tonight's game. Steven Stamkos scored his first goal of this series for the Lightning, but he will need to be great on the road to steal Game 5.
Other depth players like Corey Perry and Ross Colton stepped up in Game 4. Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point, and Victor Hedman will need to show their star power in Game 5.
Andrei Vasilevskiy made 22 saves in Game 4 for the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Tampa Bay has recorded 120 shots on net in this series. They also have a 21.7% power play and a 83.3% penalty kill.
Game 5 is going to be really chippy tonight and expect the Toronto Maple Leafs to be off and running early and often against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The pick: Toronto (-1.5)
Other Game Picks:
St. Louis Blues (+1.5) at Minnesota Wild
Pick: St. Louis Blues (+1.5)
Los Angeles Kings at Edmonton Oilers (-1.5)
Pick: Edmonton Oilers (-1.5)
