NHL Tuesday best bets: Hughes, Devils to start hot
The next wave of series begins tonight with four more matchups. Let's dive into the best ways to attack what should be another exciting slate.
Rangers (+110) @ Devils (-130)
The Rangers are a pretty popular pick to do damage in the playoffs. They have a lot of experience, one of the league's best goaltenders in Igor Shesterkin, and a couple of flashy offensive wingers - Patrick Kane and Vladimir Tarasenko - they acquired to add more secondary scoring in advance of the deadline.
Despite all of that, I don't see the them getting by the Devils in the opening round, and I think New Jersey makes its first statement in this game.
New Jersey was clearly the better side during the regular season. The Devils' overall numbers were far superior and they posted a 3-0-1 record in head-to-head matchups between these teams. That was no coincidence, as New Jersey won the Grade A chance battle 54-28 at five-on-five.
Jack Hughes drove the bus against the Rangers, piling up six points and 27 scoring chances in just four games.
The Rangers' defense tends to have issues against elite speed, making them susceptible to being exploited off the rush. Hughes is one of the best rush players in the league - and the Devils play as fast as anybody - so I think this is a tough stylistic matchup for New York.
The Tomas Tatar-Nico Hischier-Dawson Mercer line is fantastic at hemming teams in their own zone and creating off the cycle, as is Timo Meier, who will skate on a powerful third line. The Devils aren't just a rush team either; they can create against structured defenses in the half court.
While it's always possible that Shesterkin stands on his head and masks a lot of Rangers mistakes, I expect the Devils to be on the front foot so much at five-on-five that it won't necessarily matter.
Bet: Devils (-130)
Jack Hughes over 3.5 shots (-132)
Hughes was one of the more consistent shooters in the league this season, especially when playing on home ice. He registered four shots or more in 27 of 40 home dates, good for a healthy 68% success rate.
Perhaps more importantly, Hughes teed off against the Rangers throughout the year. He put up 28 shots on goal over just four games, which is an average of seven per game. Outrageous production.
He should get more ice on a per-game basis than he did in the regular season and, at home, Lindy Ruff will be able to get him out there in more advantageous matchups.
Expect him to capitalize.
Nathan MacKinnon over 4.5 shots (-115)
The Kraken are a very slow-paced and stingy defensive team. They don't give up many shots and they don't play in many high-event games. In those respects, they are not an ideal matchup for Nathan MacKinnon or any volume shooter.
I'm not sure it matters. MacKinnon is an extremely efficient shot generator who will create against anybody if he gets enough ice time.
In what should be a competitive playoff game, it stands to reason that MacKinnon's usage will increase and he'll play 20-plus minutes. He did so 11 times at home during the Avalanche's run to the Stanley Cup last year. In that span, he registered five shots or more eight times - a 73% clip.
Getting No. 29 the puck will be priority No. 1 for the Avs and, barring a blowout, he should see a healthy dose of ice. Look for him to make the most of it.
Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.