It's time. The Stanley Cup is being polished, the series are locked in as the NHL playoffs begin.
Just like the players, our team is taking no days off either. Michel Anderson and I will be giving picks for every playoff game this season.
Read all of our picks or jump ahead to the game you're most interested in:
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Rolling Records
Michel: 10-7 (+0.27 Units)
Josie: 8-9 (-0.41 Units)
Game 3: Hurricanes vs Islanders
The Game: Carolina Hurricanes vs NY Islanders, 7:30 PM ET
| Team | Puckline | Total | Moneyline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carolina Hurricanes | -1.5 (+164) | O5.5 (-105) | -162 |
| NY Islanders | +1.5 (-198) | U5.5 (-115) | +136 |
Carolina Hurricanes vs NY Islanders Series Preview
Michel's Take: Ideally I would stay well away from this game. My Islanders got ripped to shreds posting a -82 shot differential. And losing after going up 3-0. The Islanders tried to play offense but couldn't break the puck out of their zone once in the final 35-40 minutes.
So what changes today? Home ice, Ilya Sorokin and Ruslan Iskhakov (maybe). Let's knock those down 1-by-1, shall we?
The Islanders have the worst home-winning percentage of the 16 playoff sides (51%), Ilya Sorokin's rebound control has been off all year which is why backup/35-year-old Semyon Varlamov started in nets, and Ruslan Iskahkov (who you've never heard of) is a rookie set to (maybe) play in his second ever NHL game. The young Russian forward is hyper-talented with the puck and might help the Isles transition game, but I think we can all agree he's not about to shift this series alone.
I don't trust my Islanders. Not one bit.
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Josie's Take: Can the Islanders recover from Monday's third-period disaster? It won't be easy. But, Patrick Roy isn't afraid to make necessary changes. Ilya Sorokin gets the nod for the Islanders tonight as they return to UBS Arena.
On the other end of the ice is Frederik Andersen, who's .913SV% this series will be tough to compete with. But, New York was the better team for over half of the last meeting's minutes. Coughing up that lead will either motivate the Islanders or deflate them entirely.
But, in front of a home crowd and with a new face in between the pipes, this is the last chance for the Islanders to get back in this series.
Michel's Pick: Carolina ML (-162)
Josie's Pick: Islanders ML (+136)
Game 3: Panthers vs tampa bay
The Game: Florida Panthers vs Tampa Bay Lightning, 7 PM ET
| Team | Puckline | Total | Moneyline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida Panthers | +1.5 (-265) | O6 (-112) | -105 |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | -1.5 (+215) | U6 (-108) | -115 |
Florida Panthers vs Tampa Bay Lightning Series Preview
Michel's Take: Twice I've taken the OVER in this series and twice now I've been punched in the face. Surely I won't take it again. You're wrong! I'm doing it a third time!
In both games, the line was 5.5 and in both games, we saw exactly five goals scored. The difference tonight is that Sam Bennett won't be playing. The Panthers center has been excellent against some of Tampa's biggest stars. Point, Kucherov and Hedman have all been held goalless when on the ice against Bennett.
Matchups are massively important in this sport and Bennett's absence has made matchups tougher for Florida. With the game at Amelie Arena, Tampa also gets last change. Yet another advantage for the Bolts. At least in terms of giving their stars the room to work with.
Freeing the shackles around those big stars could easily see the total go OVER.
Josie's Take: I am on sweep alert for this series. Despite the Lightning returning to Amalie Arena, of the last six games the Panthers have won against the Lightning, three of them were clinched while on the road.
Last game proved that Bobrovsky is locked in, making unreal, big saves. Florida has done a tremendous job limiting Tampa Bay's shots, allowing just 42 across the first two meetings. The Panthers offense is all over the place, averaging three goals per game and a whopping 37 shots being sniped in Game 2.
With all the bench showing up to play this series, I'm backing the Panthers.
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Michel's Pick: OVER 6 (-112)
Josie's Pick: Panthers ML (-105)
