Expert NHL Best Bets and Predictions for Saturday, May 18

NHL Best Bets

The games available for NHL best bets continue to dwindle as the conference semifinals wrap up. Last night, two more teams punched their tickets to the conference finals. The Florida Panthers defeated the Boston Bruins on the road in Game Six and will now face the New York Rangers, while the Dallas Stars took the Colorado Avalanche and finished them off in double overtime. They now await the winner of these two teams in the Western Conference Finals. 

Something interesting about the three teams that have advanced thus far is that each of them won their respective divisions in the regular season. The Vancouver Canucks have a chance to make that all four teams who won their division to advance to the conference finals, 

That said, it won’t be easy for the Canucks tonight, Edmonton will be rocking. 

Vancouver at Edmonton (-192, 6)

This is going to be the most difficult game of the year for the Vancouver Canucks. They have a chance to put the Edmonton Oilers away, but it will be in front of the Oilers’ home crowd, who will be rocking but also have some nervous energy in the building. 

These two teams were in a very tight battle in Game Five until JT Miller found a loose puck in front of the net in the dying seconds of the third period to give the Canucks the 3-2 win. 

It’s probably easy to assume this, but Game Six will have to be an all-time performance from Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. Game Five was the first time during the playoffs that the Oilers’ power play was held off the board; they went 0/5 on the man advantage. I don’t think Vancouver can hold them off two games in a row. 

Draisaitl had scored a goal in three straight games before Game 5, but he was unable to put one past Arturs Silovs, and he only had two shots on goal. McDavid was also held to just two shots on goal, and he was left pointless in Game Five. That was just the second game of the playoffs that McDavid didn’t register a point. 

The Edmonton Oilers haven’t confirmed who will be in goal for them tonight. It could be either Calvin Pickard or Stuart Skinner, but either way, I think Edmonton’s offense will take over tonight. 

The second round deserves a Game Seven, and these two teams will deliver it. 

NHL Best Bet(s): Edmonton Oilers to win in regulation -120 (play to -135) | Connor McDavid over 3.5 shots on goal +100 (play to -110) | Leon Draisaitl over 3.5 shots on goal +110 (play to -110) 

May Record: 26-18 (+7.12 units)

2023-24 record: 179–169 (-21.57 units)