Four different Game 3’s are on tap Friday night in the NHL. If you need help picking betting winners, then you need to stick with us. In this article, we’re laying out the very best bets of NHL Game 3’s — bets we’re confident can get you to cash out!
Moneyline: Carolina Hurricanes at NY Islanders
It’s do-or-die for the Isles in Game 3. They return to their home ice in a 2-0 series deficit, although there’s hope for optimism. New York lost the first game by one goal and then the second in overtime, so they’ve been competitive throughout. For this reason, the most-used NHL betting sites have the Carolina-New York matchup at pick’em (the only one of Friday night):
Returning to its home arena might just be what the Isles need offensively. That side of the team has been mostly stifled after two games. In Game 1, they mustered only one goal and were scoreless in Game 2 until the second period (they managed a burst of three goals afterward). Regardless, New York hasn’t been able to stay creative offensively for any time in this series.
The question bettors have to ask themselves, though, is the Isles’ offensive woes their own undoing? Or a byproduct of the Cane’s stout defense? We’ll be honest, and our gut says the latter. We mean, Carolina has been suffocating opponents all season long. The team allowed just 2.56 goals per game during the regular season. Not only that but Canes goaltender Antti Raanta has shown out, saving 48 of the 52 shots this series.
We expect another razor-close meeting in Game 3 but with the same result: a Carolina victory. The team’s defensemen are seriously something else — not just for stopping opponents from scoring, but also getting the offense going with passes. Bet the Canes to prevail in this matchup.
Over/Under 6 Goals: Boston Bruins at Florida Panthers
The two previous matchups in Boston couldn’t have been more different. In Game 1, the offense was at a premium, with the Bruins gutting out a 3-1 win. Then in Game 2, it was an offensive explosion as the Panthers tied the series with a 6-3 victory. These results lead us to bet on the Boston-Florida over/under in Game 3. Here are your betting options on that front:
Is it panic time for the Bruins? The team hardly faced any adversity this season after winning an NHL-record 65 games. Going down 2-1 without the benefit of home-ice advantage would certainly be a dose of adversity for Boston, however. But we have a sneaking suspicion the Bruins will answer the challenge. This team lost only eight times on the road, so we’re not concerned about the game being in Florida.
But at the same time, we don’t think the Panthers will roll over, either. They’ve matched up well so far in this series. Even in the Game 1 loss, Boston outshot and outhit its opponents but couldn’t find the net. This leads us to believe. Game 3 will be a back-and-forth affair with a fair amount of goals. This makes the over a good betting play.
Moneyline: Dallas Stars at Minnesota Wild
Here’s another series deadlocked at one game a piece. In Game 1, the lower-seeded Wild pulled off the upset with a 3-2 win. Then the Stars responded with a 7-3 thumping in Game 2. To no one’s surprise, the Game 3 moneyline between Dallas and Minnesota is uber close. Check out the current odds:
What very well might decide this game is penalties. Yes, you can say that about just any NHL playoff matchup, but even more so for ones involving Minnesota. Half of Dallas’ goals this series (5) have come from power plays. A year ago, the Wild was busted up for eight power-play goals in its first-round exit. Minnesota can’t beat themselves if they want to take a 2-1 advantage.
For us, we can’t overlook the superiority of the Stars’ roster — it is deeper and more talented than the Wild’s. Dallas put together a complete game last time out, which shows its capability when they’re in go mode. For this reason, we’re picking the Stars to prevail and re-take home-ice advantage.
How To Bet On 2023 NHL Playoffs?
The NHL playoffs just barely got started a few days ago. Over the following two months, you’ll have an array of NHL betting odds to take advantage of for the postseason. If you need a one-stop shop for NHL playoff betting, then consider one of the sites below. Not only do these bookies offer swaths of odds, but at industry-leading prices too.
All it takes to start betting is two things — create a playing account and use a payment method to fund said account. Each of those literally takes a few clicks. Make sure to get on this right away so you can capitalize on upcoming NHL bets, including the three we covered above.
