NHL Playoffs picks, odds: Rangers look to sweep Capitals, Jets-Avs and every other game (2024)

Goaltending is one of those love-hate things that defines each team during the Stanley Cup Playoffs. A slow start — like the one Colorado Avalanche goalie Alexandar Georgiev had in the first game of the playoffs, allowing seven goals — can create anxiety and doubt throughout a team and fanbase.

The Avalanche faced a 2-1 point deficit heading into Friday’s third period of Game 3 after Georgiev allowed another soft goal in the second period. They were staring down a similar 2-1 deficit in their best-of-seven series with the Winnipeg Jets. Colorado went on to score five goals in the third period to run away with a 6-2 win. But there still has to be concern about the goalie situation heading into Sunday’s Game 4.

Something that will help the Avalanche? Their offense has scored an average of five goals per game this series against Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck — who is expected to be a Vezina Trophy finalist this season for the NHL’s best goalie.

In Nashville, the Canucks are without starting goalie Thatcher Demko, but they stole Game 3 on Friday night thanks to Casey DeSmith’s 29-save performance. The Canucks managed only 12 shots on net, but it didn’t matter as the Canucks built a two-goal lead, didn’t give up their first goal until less than four minutes remaining and then held on at the end. A win on Sunday gives the Canucks a 3-1 series lead and would put them on the brink of winning their first playoff series since 2020.

Now it’s the Nashville Predators who will be worrying about their goalie after he let up two goals on 12 shots on Friday night, while the Canucks hope their backup-turned-starting goalie can help propel them to a series win.

Talk about the day-to-day roller coaster of goaltending in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

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Winnipeg Jets at Colorado Avalanche — Game 4

How to watch: 2:30 p.m. ET on TNT, SN

Avalanche lead series 2-1

Series odds:Avalanche -350, Jets +280

• Defenseman Cale Makar leads the Avalanche with six points in the playoffs (1 goal, 5 assists). Artturi Lehkonen, Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen each have five points.
• Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck has given up 15 goals on 116 shots in the first three games of this series. While the Avalanche have goaltending problems of their own, the Jets need the former Vezina Trophy winner to make some more key saves to give Winnipeg a chance to climb back into this series.
• The betting over is 6-1-3 in the last 10 games between the Jets and Avalanche, dating back to the beginning of the last regular season.
• Jets defenseman Brenden Dillon is day-to-day after what Jets coach Rick Bowness described as a “scary, scary situation” when Dillon ended up skating to the locker room with his arm bleeding profusely.

Vancouver Canucks at Nashville Predators — Game 4

How to watch: 5 p.m. ET on TBS, SN

Canucks lead series 2-1

Series odds:Canucks -250, Predators +200

• The Canucks didn’t get a shot on goal until 13 minutes into Friday’s Game 3 but managed to score two goals on 12 shots, and Casey DeSmith stopped 30 of 31 Nashville shots to steal Game 3.
• Thatcher Demko is considered week-to-week, so it’s up to DeSmith to keep the Canucks in this series. He did his part on Friday night and will look to continue that start in Game 4. DeSmith will start only his fourth Stanley Cup Playoff game after he played in only one playoff game before being forced into this series.
• Jason Zucker and Filip Forsberg are tied for the team lead with three points each for Nashville in the first three games. It’s not surprising to see Forsberg at the top as he led the team with 94 points in the regular season, but Zucker only had 32 points in the regular season.
• The Predators have a goaltending watch of their own. It wasn’t a great performance from Juuse Saros in Game 3, as he allowed two goals on 12 Canucks shots; he also allowed a soft goal in the Canucks’ Game 1 victory.

New York Rangers at Washington Capitals — Game 4

How to watch: 8p.m. ET on TNT, SN360

Rangers lead series 3-0

Series odds:Rangers -10000, Capitals +1600

• After the Capitals’ miraculous stretch run to make the playoffs, the Rangers have outscored Washington 11-5 in the first three games of the series. Washington has scored first in two of the three games but has led for less than five minutes combined in the series.
• Vincent Trocheck (2 goals, 3 assists) and Mika Zibanejad (1 goal, 4 assists) lead the Rangers in scoring so far in the Stanley Cup Playoffs after Artemi Panarin (120 points) led the Blue Shirts in the regular season.
• Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin continues to shine in the playoffs with a 1.67 GAA and .933 save percentage in the first three games.
• Capitals captain and great Alex Ovechkin continues to struggle in the playoffs. He’s only managed five shots and is -2.
• The Capitals haven’t advanced past the first round of the playoffs since winning the Stanley Cup in 2018.

Edmonton Oilers at Los Angeles Kings — Game 4

How to watch: 10:30 p.m. ET on TBS, SN

Oilers lead series 2-1

Series odds: Oilers -500, Kings +375

• Edmonton dominated in Game 3, a 6-1 win that was never close. Leon Draisaitl scored two goals and added an assist, while Connor McDavid also scored a goal and added two assists. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins added three assists.
• The Oilers and Kings have been tied at two games in each of their first-round series the last two years. The Oilers are a decent-sized favorite on the road on Sunday night as they look to take a 3-1 lead back to Edmonton.
• If you’re looking for a high-scoring series, this might be the one to follow. The two teams have combined to score 27 goals in three games so far.
• The Athletic’s Eric Stephens highlighted the growing gap between the Oilers and Kings. Stephens says the Kings’ superstars need to step up if they want to keep up with the Oilers’ high-flying offensive talent in this series.

(Photo of Alexander Georgiev: Matthew Stockman / Getty Images)