Time for Sergei Bobrovsky to pick up the pace for the Panthers...

Josh Morrissey is likely back for Winnipeg tonight. ...

Perhaps an easier explanation for Connor Hellebuyck's playoff form? ...

Is the President's Trophy still a poisoned chalice? ...

The Jets are 34-8-4 at home this season...

The Oilers out-shot Vegas 65-50 in the first two games...

All of a sudden, Edmonton has won five in a row, with Cal Pickard (in the nets for all of those wins) growing in confidence in goal by the game. Much tighter defensive work from the Oilers as the postseason has progressed, and the big guns are starting to show up on offense, with Zach Hyman and Leon Draisaitl scoring on Tuesday as Edmonton roared back from a 2-0 deficit. Meanwhile, the Golden Knights haven't really been clicking offensively these entire playoffs, and cutting it close in almost every game (as in the preceding Minnesota series) is a risky course to take. One goal from Jack Eichel in the last twelve games is another concern for Bruce Cassidy. Play Oilers on the Money Line.

I took a road team on Wednesday I think for the first time this NHL postseason and paid the price on Florida. Went against my gut, which was Leafs +1. Because in playoff games, I usually like that goal in the pocket to know OT won't gut me -- especially on a home team. Ah well. I'm thrilled personally Toronto won. I do believe Carolina is the better team in this series, RS standings regardless. But we are gonna take the East's top team at home getting +1 in the Caps as we did Game 1 (push unless you played regulation, which is smart). Can't go down 2-0 or it's basically over heading to Raleigh.

In Game One, it took the Canes until midway thru the third period before they could forge a breakthrough and finally get on the scoreboard via Logan Stankoven, with Jaccob Slavin then winning the game in overtime. Yet, it was not a precise Carolina attack, mostly spraying pucks toward the Washington net and causing a scramble while hoping for the best. Despite the puck control, it resulted in a lack of quality efforts, and why the Caps hung around into OT. Still, as Freddy Andersen looks sharp enough in the Canes goal and Logan Thompson did all he could for the Caps in Game One, we won't be surprised to see another lower-scoring game tonight in D.C. Play Canes-Caps Under.

The Canes present a hurdle for the Caps as Carolina is adept at funneling shots toward the net and creating chaos in front of the goal. In Game One, the Canes spent much of the night in the O-zone and ended up with a whooping 94-34 edge in all-situations shot attempts. Washington simply isn't going to be able to get away with the same mistakes it made vs. Montreal. Shot quality, however, was lacking from Carolina, spraying the puck toward Logan Thompson and hoping for the best. Spencer Carbery likely has gone back to the drawing board and expect Washington to spend more time on attack, and still the goalie edge for the Caps with Thompson. Play Caps on the Money Line.

Dallas deserves a world of credit; they found a way to gut out a seven game series without two key cogs beating what I would call a better team in the Avalanche. Unfortunately for Dallas all signs point to life continuing without their top dman Miro Heiskanen for Game 1. Injury questions abound both ways: Jason Robertson (Dallas), Mark Scheifele (WPG), and Josh Morrissey (WPG) all remain GTD. Narrative or not I think Connor Hellebuyck found something in Game 7 that carries forward here and if none of the players mentioned above play I make the Jets a more substantial home favorite in Game 1. I'm on the Jets here to continue the incredible run of play this postseason in the Peg.

Connor Hellebuyck's performances in the Jets goal must be divided into home and road, while considering his playoff performance and results this season vs. Dallas. Hellebuyck's Vezina and perhaps Hart Award candidacies largely stay relevant because of his numbers at home, that include a 1.68 GAA at Canada Life Centre. Against Dallas this season, Hellebuyck was also very solid, with a 1.01 GAA in four starts. Though Bucky's playoff shortcomings are well-documented. We almost think Dallas has the edge in goal in this series with Jake Oettinger, though he did lose three of four starts vs. Winnipeg this season. None of the four regular-season meetings cleared five goals, either. Play Stars-Jets Under.

Both of these sides could have used a few more days off after their respective Game 7s. Though the Jets took it to extremes in their Sunday win vs. the Blues, waiting until the last second to level the score then taking nearly 2 OTs to finally succeed thanks to Adam Lowry. Still, Connor Hellebuyck (3.85 GAA, .830 saves) had another shaky opening round in goal, and Dallas might have shown a bit more in its own fightback to take out the favored Avs. It looks now beyond question that Mikko Rantanen has found a home with the Stars as his third-period hat trick in Game 7 confirms, and at this stage we might prefer Jake Oettinger in the nets. Play Stars on Money Line

Toronto won Game 1, but may have lost its top goalie (Anthony Stolarz) to a concussion in the process. The Panthers are the defending Stanley Cup champions, and I expect them to come out firing on Wednesday night. Florida is a fairly big road favorite here, despite Toronto's stellar home record this season. At the end of the day, the Panthers have championship pedigree and I expect them to even this series up on Wednesday.

Leafs No. 1 goalie Anthony Stolarz had to leave Game 1 with a possible concussion, and he apparently will not play tonight as Joseph Woll is in the starter's crease at the morning skate. Woll is not bad, but he's a downgrade from Stolarz -- at least this season. Woll allowed three goals on 20 shots in relief in the opener as Florida nearly staged a big rally. The Panthers were without top blueliner Aaron Ekblad as he was serving the final game of his suspension and thus will be in tonight's lineup.