Panthers 6, Lightning 2 – Florida Seizes Home-Ice Edge
In a commanding return from injury, Matthew Tkachuk scored twice and added an assist, leading the Florida Panthers to a 6-2 rout of the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 1 of their first-round series.
Tkachuk, who missed the final 25 games of the regular season, helped Florida go a perfect 3-for-3 on the power play. Nate Schmidt also scored twice (including one power-play tally), and Sam Bennett and Sam Reinhart each registered a goal and an assist. Aleksander Barkov had two assists and Sergei Bobrovsky made 20 saves.
Tampa Bay’s Jake Guentzel and Brayden Point tallied, but Andrei Vasilevskiy was pulled after allowing six goals on just 16 shots, as the defending champs swiped home-ice advantage.
Looking for an edge in playoff matchups? Learn more with Betting the NHL Playoffs: Important Tips and Strategies.
Maple Leafs 3, Senators 2 (OT) – Domi’s Winner Pushes Toronto to 2-0 Series Lead
Max Domi scored the game-winner at 3:09 of overtime, giving the Toronto Maple Leafs a dramatic 3-2 win over the Ottawa Senators and a commanding 2-0 series lead.
John Tavares added a goal and an assist, Morgan Rielly also found the back of the net, and Anthony Stolarz made 26 saves for the Leafs.
Ottawa clawed back from a 2-0 deficit behind goals from Brady Tkachuk and Adam Gaudette, but Linus Ullmark (18 saves) couldn’t stop Domi in OT.
Hurricanes 3, Devils 1 – Carolina Clamps Down for 2-0 Lead
Jordan Martinook tallied a goal and an assist, continuing his dominance against the Devils in playoff action, as the Carolina Hurricanes took a 2-0 series lead with a 3-1 win in Raleigh.
Martinook has now recorded 13 points in 7 career playoff games against New Jersey. Shayne Gostisbehere and Seth Jarvis added goals, and Frederik Andersen turned away 25 shots for Carolina.
Jesper Bratt scored the lone goal for the Devils, and Jacob Markstrom stopped 25 shots in a losing effort.
Stay on top of playoff angles and market inefficiencies with NHL Public Betting – How to Correctly Use the Data.
For deeper insights into postseason value betting and series strategy, check out Mastering the Ice: Understanding and Strategizing Puck Line Wagers in Hockey Betting. Stay tuned for more nightly playoff roundups!
