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(NHL) Vegas vs. Los Angeles,
Total: 5.00 | -120.00 Under
Result: Loss
Total: 5.00 | -120.00 Under
Result: Loss
The set-up: It's been a record-setting inaugural season for the Vegas Golden Knights and the team is keeping things very interesting in its first-ever Stanley Cup playoff series. Vegas took the first two games of its series with the LA Kings 1-0 and then 2-1 in double-OT. The series shifted to LA on Sunday but once again the Golden Knights prevailed by a single goal, edging the Kings 3-2. The loss was particularly galling for LA, as the Kings allowed three third-period goals to the expansion Golden Knights in Sunday's 3-2 defeat. Only four teams in NHL history have rallied from an 0-3 deficit to win a best-of-seven series and one of them was the Los Angeles Kings, who came back from the dead against San Jose in 2014 en route to winning the Stanley Cup. The Kings find themselves in that situation once again, as they try to stave off elimination against the visiting Vegas Golden Knights tonight.
Vegas: Game 3 was tied at 1-1 late in the third period, when Vegas scored twice in a 21-second span, getting the tie-breaking goal from James Neal and an insurance goal from William Karlsson, who led the team with 43 during the regular season. Neal has reached 20 goals in each of his 11 seasons and is a proven playoff performer with 14 goals in 42 postseason games over the previous three seasons with Nashville. On the defensive end of the ice, the Golden Knights' Marc-Andre Fleury has been brilliant, turning aside 96 of 99 shots in the series (.970 SP) to give him an 0.84 GAA in the team's three wins.
LA Kings: The Kings allowed the fewest goals in the league during the regular season (203) but a lack of offense in the playoffs is proving to be the team's downfall. It's pretty difficult win when a team scores a total of three goals in the first three games of this series. A continuing problem is the Kings at now 1-for-13 in the series with the man advantage, after failing on all five power-play chances in Game 3. Captain Anze Kopitar scored a late goal and set up the opening score in Game 3 but he is the only Los Angeles player with more than one point in the series. Poor Jonathan Quick. In just about any other series the Kings' goalie would be getting praise for his 1.69 goals-against average through three games but not here up against Fleury (see above).
The pick: Only four NHL teams have squandered 3-0 leads in a best-of-seven playoff series and find it hard to believe Vegas will join this group. However, that's not to say winning in four games will come easy for teh Golden Knights. If Los Angeles is to extend the series, it will needscontributions from the team's top players. The Kings have managed three goals in the series, one from center Anze Kopitar (career-high 35 regular-season goals) and none from wingers Dustin Brown (28 goals) and Tyler Toffoli (24). The Kings have won just one of eight playoff games since hoisting the Cup in 2014 and are 1-6 in those decided by one goal. My gut says LA wins here but my bet is a 10* play on the Over.
Vegas: Game 3 was tied at 1-1 late in the third period, when Vegas scored twice in a 21-second span, getting the tie-breaking goal from James Neal and an insurance goal from William Karlsson, who led the team with 43 during the regular season. Neal has reached 20 goals in each of his 11 seasons and is a proven playoff performer with 14 goals in 42 postseason games over the previous three seasons with Nashville. On the defensive end of the ice, the Golden Knights' Marc-Andre Fleury has been brilliant, turning aside 96 of 99 shots in the series (.970 SP) to give him an 0.84 GAA in the team's three wins.
LA Kings: The Kings allowed the fewest goals in the league during the regular season (203) but a lack of offense in the playoffs is proving to be the team's downfall. It's pretty difficult win when a team scores a total of three goals in the first three games of this series. A continuing problem is the Kings at now 1-for-13 in the series with the man advantage, after failing on all five power-play chances in Game 3. Captain Anze Kopitar scored a late goal and set up the opening score in Game 3 but he is the only Los Angeles player with more than one point in the series. Poor Jonathan Quick. In just about any other series the Kings' goalie would be getting praise for his 1.69 goals-against average through three games but not here up against Fleury (see above).
The pick: Only four NHL teams have squandered 3-0 leads in a best-of-seven playoff series and find it hard to believe Vegas will join this group. However, that's not to say winning in four games will come easy for teh Golden Knights. If Los Angeles is to extend the series, it will needscontributions from the team's top players. The Kings have managed three goals in the series, one from center Anze Kopitar (career-high 35 regular-season goals) and none from wingers Dustin Brown (28 goals) and Tyler Toffoli (24). The Kings have won just one of eight playoff games since hoisting the Cup in 2014 and are 1-6 in those decided by one goal. My gut says LA wins here but my bet is a 10* play on the Over.
