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Morning Coffee: Rangers a popular pick to win Game 5 at FanDuel
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The Edmonton Oilers are two wins away from clinching a berth in the Stanley Cup Final.
Just when it seemed like they could be in big trouble, Connor McDavid and company responded with their best effort of the postseason in a comeback win over the Dallas Stars to tie the Western Conference Final at 2-2.
Prior to last night’s win, the Oilers had lost eight straight playoff games when they trailed by multiple goals.
That streak included an 0-4 record in this year’s playoffs.
After falling behind 2-0 within the first five minutes and 30 seconds of Game 4, Edmonton could be found as long as +330 to win live at FanDuel.
The Oilers responded with five unanswered goals to tie the NHL record for the largest playoff win in a Stanley Cup Playoff game after trailing by multiple goals.
With the victory, Edmonton’s odds to win the Western Conference Final were cut from +215 to +100 at FanDuel.
Dallas went from -265 to -120 to win the series.
Meanwhile, the Oilers’ odds to win the Stanley Cup dropped from +490 to +290 at FanDuel.
The Stars remain a co-favourite to win it all along with the Florida Panthers at +230.
Dallas is currently -134 to win Game 5 on Friday night.
With both conference finals tied 2-2, the focus now shifts to the East with the Panthers set to visit the New York Rangers in a crucial Game 5 tonight.
Each of the previous three games have gone to overtime.
While the Rangers have home-ice advantage for a series that has been reduced to a best-of-three, it’s Florida that is considered the favourite on the road for Game 5.
Still, New York to win Game 5 outright has been a popular pick at FanDuel.
This is the Morning Coffee for Thursday, May 30th, 2024.
Rangers A Popular Pick To Win Game 5 At FanDuel
The Rangers won the Presidents’ Trophy as the team that finished atop the NHL standings during the regular season with a league-best 114 points.
Despite their regular season success and the fact that they are just two wins away from the Stanley Cup Final, New York remains in the underdog role in the series.
They are also an underdog for Game 5 despite being a popular pick to win tonight.
The Panthers opened -113 to win Game 5 at FanDuel.
Since then, Florida has moved to -125.
The Rangers’ odds to win tonight have flipped from -105 to +105 at FanDuel.
All of that has happened even though 66 per cent of the bets and 70 per cent of the handle is on New York to win Game 5.
Meanwhile, the Rangers also have the longest odds to win the Stanley Cup despite being FanDuel’s biggest liability in that market.
With four teams remaining and both series tied at 2-2, the Panthers and Stars are the co-favourites to win the Stanley Cup at FanDuel at +230.
The Oilers are the third choice at +290 at FanDuel.
New York has the longest odds to win the Cup at +370.
Per the FanDuel traders, 67 per cent of the bets that are still alive in the Stanley Cup futures market are on the Rangers it win it all.
If you’re a regular reader of this column, then you already know that I picked Dallas over Florida as my Stanley Cup prediction before the start of the playoffs.
While I’m sticking with the Stars and Panthers to advance, I’m convinced both conference finals could go either way at this point.
Still, I’m sticking with Florida to come out on top in the East.
The Panthers have outshot, out chanced, and outscored the Rangers in the series, even if the latter has been by the slimmest of margins thanks in large part to the brilliance of New York’s netminder Igor Shesterkin.
Shesterkin is currently the second choice to win the Conn Smythe Trophy at +550 at FanDuel.
Only Dallas netminder Jake Oettinger has shorter odds.
In terms of a FanDuel Best Bet for Game 5, I’m opening things up a bit with a full card for tonight’s game.
Sometimes, the toughest part about giving out one best bet is determining which play to post here.
For tonight, I’m putting all my cards on the table.
I’ll start with the player that I’ve leaned heavily on so far this postseason.
Carter Verhaeghe has registered 11 shots on goal in the past two games.
He trails only Sam Reinhart with 59 shots on goal in 15 games this postseason.
Verhaeghe has also registered at least two shots on goal in every game this postseason.
I’m banking on those trends to continue tonight.
I’ll take Verhaeghe 4+ shots on goal at +120 odds as a FanDuel Best Bet.
I’ll also take Verhaeghe 2+ shots on goal and the alt under 6.5 total goals as a FanDuel Best Bet at -151.
Next up, I’m looking at the line of Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Bennett, and Evan Rodrigues.
This trio held a 21-8 edge on on-ice shot attempts in Florida’s Game 3 win.
I expect them to be busy again tonight in Game 5.
Rodrigues has registered seven shots on goal in his previous two games.
I like Rodrigues 2+ shots on goal at -144 odds.
For the Rangers, Vincent Trocheck has led the way with 41 shots in 14 games this postseason.
Trocheck registered four shots on goal in Game 4 and has recorded at least two shots on goal in 12 of the 14 games.
Meanwhile, Mika Zibanejad is still looking for his first point of the series, but he’s registered at least two shots on goal in each of the first four games, including a game-high six shots on goal in Game 4.
I’ll lock in a Same Game Parlay with Trocheck 2+ shots on goal, Zibanejad 2+ shots on goal and the alt under 7.5 total goals at -110 odds.
To recap, here is my full card for tonight’s Game 5:
Carter Verhaeghe 4+ shots on goal +120
Carter Verhaeghe 3+ shots on goal + alt under 7.5 -139
Evan Rodrigues 2+ shots on goal -144
Vincent Trocheck 2+ shots on goal + Mika Zibanejad 2+ shots on goal + alt under 7.5 -110
Good luck tonight everyone!