Tonight's parlay is Rangers ML vs. Penguins and Panthers -1.5 vs. Capitals. More info below on a chance to win $100 👇

Stanley Cup Playoff Update

The Stanley Cup Playoffs are officially underway, and as is always the case with postseason hockey, the madness has begun. Playoff beards are being grown, haymakers are being thrown, and on the ice we’ve already had some wild action 😅

• All eight first round series kicked off on Monday and Tuesday, and only half of the higher-seeded home teams emerged victorious in their opener

• The St. Louis Blues’ 4-0 Game 1 victory over the favored Minnesota Wild (series now tied 1-1) and the Colorado Avalanche’s 7-goal onslaught (Game 2 tonight) are just some of the major stories from the start of of the first round

• But perhaps the biggest headline? The regular season points leader, the Florida Panthers, dropping their playoff opener to the Washington Capitals (Game 2 tonight)

With the parity in the NHL, it’s not unusual to see the top teams pushed to the brink early on, but the Panthers will have the opportunity to even the series up tonight. Take a look at this evening's slate 👇

• 7PM ET: Penguins @ Rangers (PIT leads 1-0)

• 7:30PM ET: Capitals @ Panthers (WAS leads 1-0)

• 9:30 PM ET: Predators @ Avalanche (COL leads 1-0)

• 10PM ET: Stars @ Flames (CGY leads 1-0)

Penguins vs. Rangers Preview

Despite all the previously mentioned storylines, Game 1 between the Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Rangers may have to take the cake for the craziest action we’ve seen so far. Peep the lines for the encore tonight at Madison Square Garden 👇

Penguins vs. Rangers Betting Odds (subject to change)

• Spread: Rangers -1.5

• Moneyline: Rangers -160 (bet $160, win $100), Penguins +132 (bet $100, win $132)

• O/U: 5.5

Regulation wasn't enough in the opening matchup between these two teams, and it wasn’t until a third-OT that Pittsburgh claimed a gritty road victory 😤

• The Rangers built a 2-0 lead in the first 25 minutes of the game, but the Penguins responded with a 3-goal second period

• Knotted at 3-3 in the third, the Rangers found the back of the net with just minutes to play to take the lead, but the potential game-winner was called off 😰

• Here’s the puck off the stick of Evgeni Mulkin that finally ended the longest hockey game in Garden history

Putting in all that effort in vain has to sting for New York, especially given their dominance in the opening period

• Multiple players, including star defenseman Adam Fox, logged over 40 minutes on the ice on Tuesday. Is fatigue a potential concern ahead of a game that borders on must-win territory?

One silver lining for the Rangers? They still have Igor Shesterkin in net 💪

• The heavy favorite to win the Vezina Trophy, given to the league's best goalie, Shesterkin was incredible in his playoff debut despite the loss. He saved 79 shots, the second-most in NHL playoff history 🤯

Capitals vs. Panthers Preview

Now let’s head on down to the hockey hotbed of Florida, where the NHL’s best team will be looking to bounce back after a slow start to their Stanley Cup run. Vegas is big on the Panther - take a look at the lines ahead of Game 2 👇

Capitals vs. Penguins Betting Odds (subject to change)

• Spread: Panthers -1.5

• Moneyline: Panthers -260, Capitals +210

• Over/Under: 7

As mentioned previously, the road through the playoffs for the NHL’s best regular season team is rarely easy 👇

• In fact, since 1986, winners of the Presidents’ Trophy (given to the team with the best regular season record) have won the Stanley Cup only eight times, with the 2013 Blackhawks being the most recent team to accomplish that feat

The Panthers may have won 58 games this year with a franchise-record 122 points, the seventh-most in NHL history, but in the playoffs none of that matters. Now, all they are is a 0-1 deficit 😬

• Florida led 2-1 heading into the final period on Tuesday night, but it was all Washington from there as they scored three goals in the third

• Teams had previously been 0-39-1 against the Panthers this season when trailing after 40 minutes

The loss was undoubtedly a discouraging one, but I wouldn’t go pressing the panic button just yet, given Florida’s regular season track record and the fact they have Jonathan Huberdeau

• It was an uneventful playoff opener for the dark horse Hart Trophy candidate (+1800), but the star winger finished tied for second in the NHL with 115 points this season 🔥

For My Parlay Gurus

The unpredictability of the Stanley Cup Playoffs is a part of what makes it so exciting, but while we've already been treated to some upsets in these two series, I'm going with both home teams to get back on track today. Check it out 👇

• Rangers ML vs. Penguins: -160

• Panthers -1.5 vs. Capitals: +100

$100 on this bet would win you $225 — if we hit, make sure you email [email protected] for a chance to win up to $100*. Many will enter, only some will win 😉

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