It’s been an exciting Eastern Conference Finals thus far when it comes to NHL betting as the Rangers lead the Lightning 2-1 in the best-of-seven series.
Game 4 will be Tuesday night and instead of looking at only NHL betting lines, don’t forget about prop bets.
Here are two game-related props to consider.
Will Both Teams Score 1 or More Goals in the First Period: Yes (+210)
Game 3 has been the only contest in this series where both teams failed to find the back of the net in the first period. The Lightning have scored 12 first-period goals through 18 playoff games and the Rangers have scored 17 in 20 games. The opening frame is not the highest-scoring period for either team, but they have consistently scored early throughout the playoffs.
Game 1 saw Chris Kreider open the scoring for New York and Steven Stamkos draw even for Tampa Bay. Meanwhile, Game 2 had Nikita Kucherov score a powerplay marker for the Bolts, while K’Andre Miller and Kaapo Kakko both found the back of the net for the Blueshirts.
Tampa Bay failed to score in the opening frame twice against the Toronto Maple Leafs and twice against the Florida Panthers. In contrast, New York didn’t score in the first period twice against the Pittsburgh Penguins, but only once against the Carolina Hurricanes.
The Lightning are still trailing by a game in the series, so expect another quick start. The Rangers will not want to fall behind in a pivotal game, so they should also come out aggressive. At +210, there is value on both teams getting on the scoresheet early.
Time of First Goal: 00:01 – 08:59 (-110)
Keeping with the theme of the scoring starting early, expect a goal in the first half of the first period. The first goals in Game 1 and Game 2 came within the first three minutes of the opening face-off.
Kreider‘s Game 1 goal happened at 1:11 of the first period, while Kucherov’s Game 2 goal was only 2:41 into the contest.
Neither team can afford to fall and stay behind in this game, so expect fireworks early. Both squads will have to contend with a solid goaltender at the other end but could catch them off-guard early in the game.
NHL Parlay Picks at BetMGM
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