Monday night sees another four-game slate, which also marks the final first round series to get up and running. Below Lucky Block takes a look at April 22nd’s games, offering NHL playoff picks and predictions ahead of the action.
NHL Playoff Picks – April 22
- Toronto Maple Leafs to Win vs Boston Bruins in Game 2 @ +175
- Dallas Stars to Win vs Vegas Golden Knights in Game 1 @ +123
Back both picks as a double on Lucky Block at odds of +515.
NHL Playoff Schedule April 22
| AWAY | HOME | TIME (EST) | VENUE |
Toronto | Boston | 7:00 pm | TD Garden |
N.Y. Islanders | Carolina | 7:30 pm | PNC Arena |
Vegas | Dallas | 9:30 pm | American Airlines Center |
Los Angeles | Edmonton | 10:00 pm | Rogers Place |
NHL Playoff Predictions and Betting Picks – April 22
Toronto Maple Leafs vs Boston Bruins – Game 2
- Pick: Toronto to Win
Granted the Bruins dominated Toronto in Game 1, with a second-third three-goal flurry helping them to a comfortable 5-1 opening win.
The Maple Leafs were without William Nylander however, and the impact of his mystery injury can not be understated. He started all of Toronto’s 82 regular-season games, returning a total of 98 points in the process. It is unclear whether he will return to the fold on Monday, but he was spotted doing one-to-one drills on the ice over the weekend.
Managing to leave Boston with the series firmly poised at 1-1 would shift them momentum firmly back in their favor. Sheldon Keefe will likely be forced to reunite Mitch Marner with Auston Matthews, with the latter’s less-than-favorable postseason record weighing heavy once more.
The Maple Leafs’ No 1 line was mediocre at best, and a far cry from the offensive machine it became late in the season. A change in personnel from Max Domi to Marner should inspire some much-needed calmness with the former struggling to keep his emotions in check in Game 1.
It is too early to say whether the Bruins’ opening win is a sign of things to come, but Toronto are notably underestimated in the market and we are happy to side with the value on the moneyline.
Dallas Stars vs Vegas Golden Knights – Game 1
- Pick: Dallas to Win
The fact that Lucky Block have both of these teams odds-against to win in Game 1 represents an opportunity to find value.
It also means that picking a winner should prove trickier that unusual given the minute gap in quality between Dallas and Vegas, but we are willing to side with the former.
It is interesting to note that although Vegas won all three regular season match-ups, they are still not expected to win according to supercomputer percentages and sportsbooks.
They are fairly evenly matched in terms of offensive stats, but Dallas have a sizeable advantage given their superior defense.
Only the Bruins registered less regular season defeats that the Stars, and Vegas have fallen to each of their last three road opponents.
There is little-to-no-edge when approaching this game, but Dallas appear more equipped to find victory here as they open the series in Texas having won six of their last seven at home.
