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Game of the Day: Penguins at Rangers
By Covers.com

Pittsburgh Penguins at New York Rangers (+101, 5)

With questioning his postseason performance becoming a rite of spring in some circles, Marc-Andre Fleury has quelled that talk by posting back-to-back shutouts to help the Pittsburgh Penguins seize a 2-1 advantage in its Eastern Conference series versus the New York Rangers. The Metropolitan Division champions look to push the Rangers to the brink of elimination when they visit Madison Square Garden for Game 4 on Wednesday. After recording 22 saves in a 3-0 triumph in Game 2 on Sunday, Fleury turned aside 35 shots the following day to register his franchise-best eighth career postseason shutout.

"I've won a lot of hockey games with Marc-Andre Fleury in net, during the regular season and when our team won a Stanley Cup in 2009," Penguins coach Dan Bylsma said after his team's 2-0 victory in Game 3. "I don't know who the doubters are and when the questions started about his play ... but I can tell you he wins hockey games for us." Traditionally a punchless power play goes a long way toward losing hockey games as well, with New York failing on all 13 opportunities with the man advantage in the series and 34 straight overall.

LINE HISTORY: Books opened the Rangers anywhere from +101 to -110. The total opened at 5.

INJURY REPORT: Penguins - D Brooks Orpik (Out indefinitely, undisclosed). Rangers - LW Chris Kreider (Out indefinitely, hand).

WHAT BOOKS SAY: "The Pens are coming off back-to-back shutouts and look to go up 3-1 tonight. Sidney Crosby finally snapped his goalless streak in these playoffs which can only mean good things for the Pens. We are seeing good two-way action on this game as our players are not counting out the Rangers just yet." Michael Stewart, CarbonSports.ag.

WHAT SHARPS SAY: "The Penguins have stifled the Rangers over the last two games, outscoring them 5-0 while seizing back control of this series. I'm not about to pronounce them series victors after just three games though. The Rangers were in a miserable 5-in-7 scheduling spot on Monday, but still carried the play for much of the game. I expect them to break through against Marc-Andre Fleury on Wednesday. The Blueshirts have opened as the home underdog in this one, but don't be surprised if roles reverse as puck drop approaches." Covers Expert Sean Murphy.

ABOUT THE PENGUINS: Sidney Crosby tucked the puck past Henrik Lundqvist on Monday, the first time the Pittsburgh captain had done so since helping Canada claim the gold against Sweden at the Sochi Olympics. His country's allegiance notwithstanding, Crosby snapped a 13-game postseason goal-scoring drought and also lightened the load of any undo pressure. "It's nice not having to answer (media questions) about it, to be honest," the Hart Trophy and Ted Lindsay Award finalist said. "It's one game. In the playoffs you have to be able to turn the page quickly. It’s nice to finally score."

ABOUT THE RANGERS: Coach Alain Vigneault took a shot at the league's powers-that-be for putting his club in position to play five games in seven nights, becoming the first team to do so in the postseason since 1989. "We were forced to play a stupid schedule, and I'm real proud of how our guys handled it," Vigneault said. The Rangers could receive a boost from the potential return of Chris Kreider, who has missed the last 19 games following surgery on his left hand. Vigneault said he would talk to the doctors before answering any questions on Kreider's availability.

TRENDS:

* Over is 8-2-1 in the last 11 meetings in New York.
* Penguins are 12-4 in the last 16 meetings.
* Rangers are 11-2 in their last 13 Wednesday games.
* Over is 11-5-1 in Penguins last 17 games playing on 1 days rest.

COVERS CONSENSUS: 54 percent of wagers on Covers Consensus are coming on the Rangers.

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NHL Playoffs

Rangers are playing sixth game in nine nights; they're been shut out in last two games, haven't scored since OT winner in Game - Rangers are 3-4 vs Penguins this year, after Pitt won eight of previous nine games in series. Over is 4-2-1 in series games this season. Penguins won six of last eight visits here. Rangers haven't scored on power play since Game 2 of Philly series, 0 for last 34. Pittsburgh is 29-16 on road this year; three of their last four road games went over the total. Under is 2-0-1 in series games so far.

League-wide, over is 33-15-11 in the playoffs, 4-3-4 in this round.

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Bruins at Canadiens: What Bettors Need to Know
Covers.com

Boston Bruins at Montreal Canadiens (+120, 5)

After squandering a two-goal lead in their prior contest, the Montreal Canadiens didn't let the same advantage slip away in Game 3 as they gained a 2-1 advantage in their Eastern Conference second-round series with the Boston Bruins. The Canadiens look to remain perfect at home in the playoffs and push the Presidents' Trophy winners to the brink of elimination when they host Game 4 on Thursday. Reigning Norris Trophy winner P.K. Subban continued his splendid postseason by collecting a goal and an assist for his third straight multi-point performance and fifth in six contests in Montreal's 4-2 triumph on Tuesday.

Boston has faced two-goal deficits in each of the three contests of the series. To their credit, the Bruins have battled back in each of the games, but coach Claude Julien knows that's a slippery slope to travel. "It's the way our team plays, we play until the end," Julien said. "If we start relying on how we play in the third period, we'll be making a big mistake."

ABOUT THE BRUINS: Jarome Iginla's late goal in Game 3 notwithstanding, Julien has cast a wary eye toward his team's slumping top line. "This is a line that has been hot and cold in the playoffs for us," Julien told the Boston Globe of Iginla, David Krejci and Milan Lucic. "And David, he's shown a little bit of frustration, so he has to battle through that stuff." Collectively, the line has mustered 15 points (seven goals, eight assists) in eight postseason games - but Krejci has failed to tally in the playoffs and been held off the scoresheet in two of the three contests versus the Canadiens.

ABOUT THE CANADIENS: Dale Weise is providing some unexpected scoring punch in the postseason. The fourth-liner recorded his second game-winning goal of the playoffs and has tallied five times in 24 contests since being acquired from Vancouver. Lars Eller matched Weise with a goal and an assist in Game 3 to run his point total to eight in seven playoff games. The production is a welcome surprise for Eller, who finished the season with a disappointing six points in his last 35 contests.

TRENDS:

* Under is 3-1-1 in the last five meetings in Montreal.
* Bruins are 2-8 in the last 10 meetings.
* Canadiens are 4-0 in their last four home games.
* Bruins are 2-6 in their last eight road games.

OVERTIME:

1. Boston C Patrice Bergeron has scored in back-to-back contests and has recorded three goals and six assists during his seven-game point streak.

2. Subban has collected three goals and eight assists during his six-game point streak and leads all NHL defensemen with 11 points in the postseason.

3. The Bruins are 0-for-6 on the power play in the series and haven't scored with the man advantage in their last 35 chances against the Canadiens in the playoffs.

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Boston Bruins at Montreal Canadiens, 7:35 ET
Boston: 17-4 SU revenging a loss where opponent scored 4 or more goals
Montreal: 2-9 SU in home games off an home win scoring 4 or more goals


Anaheim Ducks at Los Angeles Kings , 10:05 ET
Anaheim: 12-8 SU as an underdog
LA Kings: 83-89 SU in home games after a win by 2 goals or more

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NHL Playoffs


Rangers are 0-36 on power play in last nine games, allowed a shorthanded goal Wednesday in Game 4; they've been outscored 9-2 in last three games, mustered only 15 shots in last game, losing 31 of 49 faceoffs. Rangers are 3-5 vs Penguins this year, 4-13 in last 17 meetings, 2-6 in last eight visits here. Over is 5-2-1 in series games this season. Pittsburgh is 31-13 at home, 1 of 11 on power play in series. Rangers are 28-18 on road, 2-3 in playoffs- they need win to stay alive here. Penguins get lot of rest if they win this game.


Minnesota was down 2-0 in last round, rallied to upset Colorado; they broke scoreless tie in third period of last game to win 4-0, but they haven't scored yet in periods 1-2 in this series- they've got total of 37 shots in last two games. Wild is 6-3 in last nine series games here, but Chicago won six of last seven games overall, allowing total of 13 goals; they're 2-7 on power play in series. Over is 5-2-2 in last nine series games. Blackhawks are 25-20 on the road this season; in last ten games, over is 6-2-2. Minnesota is 1-8 on power play in series.


League-wide, over is 34-16-12 in the playoffs, 5-4-5 in this round.

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7:00 PM
MONTREAL vs. BOSTON
Montreal is 8-3 SU in its last 11 games when playing Boston
Montreal is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games
Boston is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Montreal
Boston is 3-8 SU in its last 11 games when playing Montreal

9:30 PM
ANAHEIM vs. LOS ANGELES
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Anaheim's last 13 games when playing on the road against Los Angeles
Anaheim is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Los Angeles
Los Angeles is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Los Angeles's last 13 games when playing at home against Anaheim

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Game of the Day: Ducks at Kings
By Covers.com

Anaheim Ducks at Los Angeles Kings (N/A)

Los Angeles leads series 2-1.

After sidestepping an 0-3 hole, the Anaheim Ducks attempt to even their Western Conference second-round series when they visit the Los Angeles Kings for Game 4 on Saturday. Anaheim dropped the first two games of the matchup at home, scoring a total of three goals in the process, before taking advantage of its power-play chances en route to a 3-2 triumph in Game 3 on Thursday. Corey Perry and Teemu Selanne each tallied with the man advantage and defenseman Ben Lovejoy added a much-needed goal late in the third period as the Pacific Division-champion Ducks continued the trend of road victories in the series.

Coach Bruce Boudreau switched from Jonas Hiller to Frederik Andersen in goal, citing the former's 0-5-2 career record at Staples Center as the reason. The move worked as the Danish rookie - who was 2-0-0 at Los Angeles during the regular season - limited the Kings to one goal on 23 shots. The 24-year-old Andersen suffered an apparent right leg injury midway through the third period, but Hiller came on and turned aside seven of the eight shots he faced - allowing only Mike Richards' first tally of the postseason with 31 seconds remaining.

LINE HISTORY: The Kings opened as -150 home faves with a total of 5.

INJURY REPORT: Ducks: G F. Andersen (Ques. Lower body), LW M. Beleskey (Ques. Undisclosed). Kings: D W. Mitchell (Ques. Lower body), D R. Regehr (Ques. Undisclosed).

WHAT BOOKS SAY: "I anticipate making L.A. a smaller favorite in Game 4 than we did the previous game, where they were a -150 fave. Reason being, is that road teams have now won six straight games in this series, dating back to January." - Mike Perry, Sportsbook.ag.

WHAT SHARPS SAY: "So far I'm 3-0 in this series. I took the Kings in Games 1 and 2 and then jumped on the Ducks in Game 3. The line in Game 4 should once again be in the pick 'em range (-125 to -130) for Los Angeles. The Kings' offense finally came back down to earth after its six-game win streak ended. Anaheim made some changes leading up to Game 3, recalling Sami Vatanen from the minors and including Kyle Palmieri in the lineup after he was a healthy scratch previous and the moves seemed to work. I'd say to keep your eyes open for more lineup changes from each team before making a decision." - Covers Expert Art Aronson.

ABOUT THE DUCKS: With Andersen's status in question, Anaheim recalled John Gibson from Norfolk of the American Hockey League on Friday. The 20-year-old native of Pittsburgh was superb during his brief stint during the regular season, going 3-0-0 with a shutout while allowing only four goals on 87 shots. Defenseman Sami Vatanen made his NHL playoff debut in Game 3 and drew rave reviews from Boudreau. "I thought he was the best player on the ice for both teams," the coach said.

ABOUT THE KINGS: While Anaheim went 2-for-2 on the power play Thursday, Los Angeles converted its only opportunity as Jeff Carter cashed in for his third goal of the postseason. The Kings are 8-for-28 with the man advantage over their last eight games after going 0-for-4 in their first two contests. Anze Kopitar extended his point streak to 10 games with his league-leading 11th assist, which also raised his postseason-best point total to 15.

TRENDS:

* Under is 5-1-3 in the last nine meetings.
* Under is 9-3-1 in the last 13 meetings in Los Angeles.
* Ducks are 5-2 in the last seven meetings and 4-0 in the last four in L.A.
* Road team is 6-0 in the last six meetings.

COVERS CONSENSUS: 61 percent of bettors are backing the L.A. Kings

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NHL Playoffs

Boston got OT goal from rookie AHL callup to even series; team that scored first won all four games. Montreal won eight of last eleven games with Boston, taking won six of the last eight games played here. There were only five power plays in last two games. Montreal is 6-2 in playoffs this spring, 2-2 on road. Boston is 34-12 at home this season; they're 0-8 on power play in series. Over is 5-1-2 in Montreal's playoff games. Nine of eleven Boston goals in this series have come in third period or OT.

Los Angeles won six of its last seven games since being down 3-0 in San Jose series; visitor won all three series games, and last six games overall in this rivalry. Anaheim is 4-0 in Staples building this year, after losing previous five visits here. Ducks were 2-2 on power play in Game 3, after being 1-8 first two games. Over is 5-2-3 in their last ten games, under is 5-1-3 in last nine series games, but 1-3-2 in Ducks' last six games overall. League-wide, totals find the over to be 36-16-12 in the playoffs, 7-4-5 in this round.

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7:00 PM
PITTSBURGH vs. NY RANGERS
Pittsburgh is 7-2 SU in their last 9 games when playing on the road against NY Rangers
Pittsburgh is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 6 of the NY Rangers last 9 games when playing Pittsburgh
The total has gone OVER in 4 of the NY Rangers last 5 games when playing at home against Pittsburgh


9:00 PM
MINNESOTA vs. CHICAGO
Minnesota is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Chicago
Minnesota is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Chicago's last 10 games when playing at home against Minnesota
Chicago is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing at home against Minnesota

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Wild at Blackhawks: What Bettors Need to Know
Covers.com

Minnesota Wild at Chicago Blackhawks (-199, 5)

The Minnesota Wild attempt to buck the trend in their Western Conference second-round series when they visit the Chicago Blackhawks for Game 5 on Sunday. The home team has won each of the first four games in the matchup, with Chicago capturing the first two by a combined margin of six goals and Minnesota taking the next two by the same differential. The pattern was similar in the first round for the Wild, as the home club claimed each of the first six contests before Minnesota posted an overtime victory in Game 7 over the Avalanche in Colorado.

The reigning Stanley Cup-champion Blackhawks struggled at Xcel Energy Center, scoring a total of two goals in the two defeats. Chicago has lost two in a row for the second time this postseason, which it opened with a pair of overtime losses in St. Louis before reeling off six consecutive victories. Defenseman Jared Spurgeon helped the Wild even the series on Friday, registering a power-play goal and an assist as Minnesota improved to 5-0 at home in the playoffs while Chicago dropped to 1-4 on the road.

ABOUT THE WILD: Left wing Matt Moulson will miss his second straight game and defenseman Keith Ballard also will be sidelined as neither made the trip to the Windy City due to undisclosed injuries. Nate Prosser likely will replace Ballard, as he appeared in Minnesota's first nine games this postseason before being a healthy scratch for the last two. Matt Cooke made an impact in his return from a seven-game suspension on Friday, registering an assist as well as a game-high five hits.

ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS: Chicago will be without center Andrew Shaw for the fourth consecutive contest due to a lower-body injury, which he suffered in the series opener. Left wing Brandon Bollig also is unavailable as he received a two-game suspension for boarding Ballard late in the second period of Game 4. Marian Hossa hopes to continue his torrid pace in the series as he has collected a goal and seven assists over the first four contests.

TRENDS:

* Wild are 1-7 in the last eight meetings in Chicago.
* Home team is 7-0 in the last seven meetings.
* Over is 15-6-5 in Wild last 26 overall.
* Blackhawks are 6-2 in their last eight vs. Central.

OVERTIME:

1. Chicago is a perfect 5-0 at home this postseason, while Minnesota is 1-5 on the road.

2. Three of the nine players with more than one game-winning goal in the playoffs are participating in this series. Chicago captain Jonathan Toews shared the league lead with three, while teammate Patrick Kane and Wild RW Nino Niederreiter have two apiece.

3. The Blackhawks have been held to fewer than 23 shots in each game of the series.

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Rangers at Penguins: What Bettors Need to Know
By Covers.com

New York Rangers at Pittsburgh Penguins (-154, 5)

The New York Rangers look to complete the franchise's first successful rally from a 3-1 series deficit when they visit the Pittsburgh Penguins for a decisive Game 7 in their Eastern Conference second-round matchup on Tuesday. New York, which is 0-16 when trailing by a 3-1 margin in a series, staved off elimination for the second straight contest as Martin St. Louis and Carl Hagelin scored early in the first period to lead their team to a 3-1 victory in Game 6 on Sunday. "We knew if we played our best game, if we play the way we normally play, we're going to have a chance to come back and win the series," Rangers defenseman Marc Staal said. "We started that in Game 5, then in Game 6, and now we're in Game 7."

While Pittsburgh won the Metropolitan Division to earn home-ice advantage in this series, it is just 2-6 all-time in Game 7s in front of its fans. "All Game 7s are big, but we can't change what's gotten us to this point," captain Sidney Crosby said. "All we can do is make sure we show up (on Tuesday)." The Hart Trophy finalist, who has scored just one goal this postseason, showed his frustration by jabbing his stick below the belt of New York's Dominic Moore late in the second period on Sunday.

ABOUT THE RANGERS: Henrik Lundqvist has taken aim at the Penguins, and not just with his water bottle. The Swedish Olympian, who was fined $5,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct for spraying Crosby, stopped 67-of-69 shots over the last two contests to set up the pivotal Game 7 showdown. Lundqvist, who owns a 4-1 career mark in Game 7s while yielding just five goals, made 26 saves in New York's 2-1 triumph over Philadelphia the final contest of the first-round series on April 30.

ABOUT THE PENGUINS: A punchless power play continues to plague Pittsburgh, which failed on its last 12 opportunities and fell to 1-for-19 in the series. Coach Dan Bylsma has taken to putting four forwards on the ice when his team enjoys the man advantage - with Matt Niskanen serving as the lone defenseman. "We didn't enter the zone quite as clean (and) they started pressuring a little bit more." Niskanen said of the team's last three power-play chances in Game 6. "The bottom line is, it comes down to results."

TRENDS:

* Over is 3-1-1 in the last five meetings in Pittsburgh.
* Rangers are 2-5 in their last seven games following a win.
* Under is 9-2-1 in Rangers last 12 vs. a team with a winning record.
* Road team is 5-2 in the last seven meetings.

OVERTIME:

1. New York won a franchise-best 25 contests on the road in the regular season and captured two of three in Pittsburgh during this series.

2. The Penguins are 1-7 on home ice with an opportunity to finish a series since Bylsma became the team's coach in February 2009.

3. The team that has scored first has won every game in the series.

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7:00 PM
NY RANGERS vs. PITTSBURGH
NY Rangers are 3-6 SU in their last 9 games when playing on the road against Pittsburgh
NY Rangers are 6-13 SU in their last 19 games when playing Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh is 13-6 SU in their last 19 games when playing NY Rangers
Pittsburgh is 6-3 SU in their last 9 games when playing at home against NY Rangers

9:00 PM
CHICAGO vs. MINNESOTA
Chicago is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Chicago's last 6 games on the road
Minnesota is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Chicago
Minnesota is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing Chicago

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Canadiens vs. Rangers
VegasInsider.com

Montreal vs. N.Y. Rangers

Series Price: Canadiens -120 Rangers +100
Game 1 Odds: Canadiens -125 Rangers +105
Game 1 Total: 5 (Over -120)

Exact Series Props:

4 Games Canadiens Win 10/1
4 Games Rangers Win 12/1
5 Games Canadiens Win 4/1
5 Games Rangers Win 6/1
6 Games Canadiens Win 5/1
6 Games Rangers Win 4/1
7 Games Canadiens Win 3/1
7 Games Rangers Win 9/2

How they got here:

The Canadiens swept the Lightning in the opening round, while needing seven games to knock out the top-seeded Bruins in the conference semifinals. The Habs racked up a 4-2 record on the road (all as an underdog), while posting a strong 4-1 mark at the Bell Center.

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The Rangers went the distance twice to knock out a pair of Pennsylvania squads, beating the Flyers in seven games in the first round, followed by a 4-3 series triumph over the Penguins in the semifinals. New York and Philadelphia alternated wins and losses in the first round with the Rangers winning Game 7 at home, while rallying from a 3-1 series deficit to steal the final three games against the Metropolitan Division champion Penguins.

Season series review:

Goals were at a premium in three regular season matchups, as the two teams combined to score just four goals with all three games finishing with the losing team getting shut out. The Canadiens won two of three meetings, as Montreal captured a 2-0 victory at Madison Square Garden back in late October as a short underdog.

In the next two matchups at the Bell Center, the two teams split those contests with the Rangers picking up a 1-0 victory as a +120 underdog on November 16. Montreal outlasted New York in the final matchup in overtime, 1-0 last month as a -140 favorite. In both games in Montreal, the Rangers outshot the Canadiens by double-digits, while all three matchups finished well ‘under’ the total.

Playoff history:

This is the seventh time these Original Six teams are meeting in the postseason since expansion in 1967. The Canadiens finished off a fourth straight Stanley Cup title in the late 1970’s by beating the Rangers in five games. The last time these teams hooked up in the playoffs came back in 1996 when the Rangers eliminated the Habs in the conference quarterfinals in six games.

Montreal is in the conference finals for the first time since falling to the Flyers in five games, but the Habs made it that far as an eighth seed in the Eastern Conference. The Rangers qualified for the Eastern Conference Finals for the second time in three season, as New York lost to New Jersey in six games back in 2012.

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NY RANGERS vs. MONTREAL
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of the NY Rangers last 6 games
NY Rangers are 1-9 SU in their last 10 games when playing on the road against Montreal
Montreal is 9-3 SU in its last 12 games
Montreal is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home

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NHL Playoffs

Rangers' win in Game 1 was most decisive win by road team in playoffs since 1950; game was 4-1 when Montreal goalie Price was hurt- check status here. Canadiens won seven of last ten series games, with losing side scoring zero or one goal in nine of ten games. Habs are 2-2 vs the Rangers this season- they shut New York out in four of last six meetings overall. Montreal is 8-4 in playoffs, winning four of six at home. Rangers had three power play goals in Game 1, are 5-3 on road playoffs; under is 5-3-1 in their last nine games.