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NHL Free Pick: Ducks vs. Blackhawks Betting Lines & Preview

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Weekly NHL Betting action sees the Anaheim Ducks taking on the Chicago Blackhawks May 21 at United Center. Cappers Picks provides free NHL handicapping tips all season long.

The Heavyweight showdown that is the NHL Western Conference Final continues Thursday night in the Windy City when the Chicago Blackhawks try to carry momentum from a thrilling triple Overtime Game 2 win against Anaheim.

Daily NHL Hockey Odds

Series tied 1-1
Anaheim (60-24-4-5) at Chicago (57-31-3-3)
When: 8:00 PM ET, Thursday, May 21, 2015
Where: United Center, Chicago, Illinois
Broadcast: CBC, TVA, NBCSN
Ducks NHL Betting Odds: +1½ -255 +118
Blackhawks NHL Betting Odds: -1½ +215 -130
NHL Over Under Betting Odds: Over 5 -135, Under 5 +123
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This series boasts a ton of offensive talent for sure but it has been the goaltenders that have stolen the show. Will the Hawks hold serve in Game 3 or will the Ducks be able to take back home ice advantage with a win Thursday night?

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For the second game in a row, the Anaheim Ducks started slowly but unlike Game 1 it cost them in Game 2. Trailing 2-0 early because of penalties Anaheim clawed back and carried play at times throughout the rest of the game.

The Ducks went 0-for-5 on the power play, the penalty killing surrendered two goals on five chances and the big guns didn’t bring their best again in Game 2.

That’s the bad news. Now for the good! There is a ton of room for improvement for the Ducks. Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf haven’t been monsters on the score sheet but they have been dangerous every shift. The Anaheim perceived lack of depth doesn’t seem to be an issue and goaltender Frederik Andersen has been absolutely remarkable so far in the playoffs.

The Ducks offense has done some good things – six different players have scored Anaheim’s six goals in the series – Perry netted his first of the series on Tuesday night.

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Perry has thrived on the road so far this postseason – he has two goals and two assists in four road games in the playoffs and certainly looks like a threat to have a breakout game soon. The Ducks are still the highest scoring team in the playoffs – they are dangerous for sure.

Frederik Andersen made 53 saves on Tuesday night – another terrific night for a goaltender that is quickly making a name for himself. After Tuesday’s loss he is 9-2 in the playoffs and has surrendered 2.00 goals per game – incredible.

Anaheim knows they can take some chances and that their keeper will be there to bail them out more times than not.

The Chicago Blackhawks’ Corey Crawford outdueled Andersen in Game 2 – he made 60 saves to steal the game – many of which were of the highlight variety.

Crawford has all-but erased his slow start to the postseason and is beginning to resemble the keeper that led the Hawks to the Cup a couple of years ago – he is 4-1-0 with a 1.52 GAA and .952 save percentage in his last five starts overall.

At home Crawford has been extra special so far in the playoffs – he is 3-0 with a 1.42 GAA and .948 save percentage.

Crawford will likely have to be the best player on the ice once again Thursday – Chicago’s top 4 defensemen logged a ton of ice time in Game 2 and will be tasked with absorbing a lot of minutes again in Game 3 – less than 48 hours after the triple overtime marathon of Tuesday night.

Duncan Keith logged just under 50 minutes of ice time in Game 2, Niklas Hjalmarsson and Brent Seabrook played for over 47 minutes and Johnny Oduya logged about 46 minutes – yikes! Exhaustion could creep in for sure – nobody would blame the Chicago D-Men.

The Blackhawks offense will have to step up in order to help out their D-Men as well. Patrick Kane has yet to score in the series but has four goals and two assists in five games at home in the playoffs. Kane will absolutely have to get going in order for Chicago to have a chance.

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Patrick Sharp is pointless in his last three games and Brandon Saad hasn’t hit the score sheet in five games as well.

Unfortunately for Chicago the depth battle is going to the Ducks so far – something that is going to have to change in the series.

NHL Gambling Trends

• ANA are 7-1 in their last 8 road games.
• ANA are 38-15 in their last 53 vs. Central.
• Over is 5-2-2 in ANA last 9 overall.
• Over is 4-1-3 in CHI last 8 overall.
• Over is 4-1-3 in CHI last 8 vs. Western Conference.
• CHI are 8-3 in their last 11 Thu. games.
• Under is 9-1 in the last 10 meetings in Chicago.
• Under is 20-6-2 in the last 28 meetings.

The Chicago Blackhawks are 5-0 in the playoffs so far. The Ducks have won three of their four road games in the playoffs so far and they have won four of the last five meetings in Chicago. Expect the Ducks to get back to the furious fore-check game and to wear down the worn out Chicago defense.

NHL Betting 4* Free Play

The Ducks hit three goal posts in Overtime of Game 2 – karma has to pay them back.

Anaheim Ducks +118

Anaheim takes Game 3 and puts the pressure back on Chicago.

CappersPicks.com NHL Betting and gambling site provides the BEST Online hockey predictions for you to bet on for the NHL hockey season! Stick with us all season long!

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NHL Free Pick: Rangers vs. Lightning Betting Lines & Preview

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Weekly NHL Betting action sees the New York Rangers taking on the Tampa Bay Lightning May 20 at Amalie Arena. Cappers Picks provides free NHL handicapping tips all season long.

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NHL Free Pick: Blackhawks vs. Ducks Betting Lines & Preview

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Weekly NHL Betting action sees the Chicago Blackhawks taking on the Anaheim Ducks May 19 at Honda Center. Cappers Picks provides free NHL handicapping tips all season long.

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NHL Free Pick: Lightning vs. Rangers Betting Lines & Preview

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Weekly NHL Betting action sees the Tampa Bay Lightning taking on the New York Rangers May 18 at Madison Square Garden. Cappers Picks provides free NHL handicapping tips all season long.

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NHL Free Pick: Blackhawks vs. Ducks Betting Lines & Preview

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Weekly NHL Betting action sees the Chicago Blackhawks taking on the Anaheim Ducks May 17 at Honda Center. Cappers Picks provides free NHL handicapping tips all season long.

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NHL Free Pick: Lightning vs. Rangers Betting Lines & Preview

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Weekend NHL Betting action sees the Tampa Bay Lightning taking on the New York Rangers May 16 at Madison Square Garden. Cappers Picks provides free NHL handicapping tips all season long.

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NHL Free Pick: Flames vs. Ducks Betting Lines & Preview

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Weekly NHL Betting action sees the Calgary Flames taking on the Anaheim Ducks May 10 at Honda Center. Cappers Picks provides free NHL handicapping tips all season long.

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NHL Free Pick: Ducks vs. Flames Betting Lines & Preview

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Weekly NHL Betting action sees the Anaheim Ducks taking on the Calgary Flames May 8 at Scotiabank Saddledome. Cappers Picks provides free NHL handicapping tips all season long.

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Free NHL Pick: Canadiens vs. Lightning Betting Lines & Preview

Canadiens vs Lightning Pick

The Montreal Canadiens are clawing for their playoff lives Thursday night, on the second leg of back-to-back games in Florida vs. the Tampa Bay Lightning. Cappers Picks provides free NHL handicapping tips all season long.

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NHL Free Pick: Blackhawks vs. Wild Betting Lines & Preview

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Weekly NHL Betting action sees the Chicago Blackhawks taking on the Minnesota Wild May 7 at Xcel Energy Center. Cappers Picks provides free NHL handicapping tips all season long.

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NHL Free Pick: Wild vs. Blackhawks Betting Lines & Preview

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Weekly NHL Betting action sees the Minnesota Wild taking on the Chicago Blackhawks May 1 at United Centre. Cappers Picks provides free NHL handicapping tips all season long.

The Minnesota Wild and Chicago Blackhawks get back on the ice Friday night in Game 1 of their second round Western Conference series.

Daily NHL Hockey Odds

Minnesota (50-30-5-3) at Chicago (52-30-3-3)
When: 9:30 PM ET, Friday, May 1, 2015
Where: United Center, Chicago, Illinois
Broadcast: NBCSN, SN, TVA2
Wild NHL Betting Odds: +1½ -255 +124
Blackhawks NHL Betting Odds: -1½ +215 -137
NHL over under Betting Odds: Under 5 -114
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The teams have a deep recent playoff history – the Hawks have knocked the Wild out of the playoff two straight years.

The Blackhawks beat the Predators in six games while Minnesota upset second-seeded St. Louis in six games – both teams have had some time to heel up and both should be ready for Game 1.

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The Minnesota Wild were impressive in their dispatching of the St. Louis Blues in Round 1 and they bring an element of revenge, momentum and perhaps the biggest difference maker Devan Dubnyk into Game 1 Friday night. The Wild aren’t to be taken lightly especially with Dubnyk in the crease. He is the difference maker that the Wild lacked in playoffs past.

Dubnyk was 27-9-2 with a 1.78 goals-against average and .936 save percentage for the Wild in the regular season and posted a 2.32 GAA and a .913 save percentage in Round 1 against a pretty potent St. Louis attack.

The Wild head into Game 1 playing very well offensively as well. The top line of Parise, Granlund, and Pominville combined for 17 points against St. Louis. The problem is that the secondary scoring was underwhelming – Nino Niederreiter was the only other Wild player with more than three points.

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Thomas Vanek was virtually invisible – he had two assists against St. Louis – they will definitely need more from him in Game 1. Minnesota scored on four of 12 power play chances against St. Louis – impressive

Minnesota’s defense was good against St. Louis but they will have a different type of challenge in Chicago. The Wild will have to contend with three quality scoring lines – the tone will be set Friday night.

The good news for the Chicago Blackhawks heading into Game 1 is that their best position players did their jobs in Round 1. The bad news is that goaltender Corey Crawford, who guided them to the 2013 Cup wasn’t great and was even benched for three games against the Predators. That said, this is the Chicago Blackhawks we are talking about – they have immense playoff experience, they are dangerous up and down the lineup and they have had Minnesota’s number in the playoffs.

Against Nashville the Hawks looked every bit the talented offensive juggernaut that they should have been all season long. They welcomed Patrick Kane back to the lineup after a broken arm – he had seven points in the six games against Nashville, Jonathan Toews leads all players with eight postseason points, Brad Richards had five points and Marian Hossa, Patrick Sharp, explosive Brandon Saad, Brian Bickell, Andrew Shaw, Antoine Vermette—and late season pickup Andrew Desjardins proved superior depth. Chicago should be able to score goals – the only thing standing in their way is Mr. Dubnyk.

The Hawks defense should be able to slow the Wild offense in Game 1 – Brent Seabrook, Duncan Keith, Michal Rozsival, Kimmo Timonen, Nik Hjalmarsson and Johnny Oduya are a terrific corp. – the huge question is whether or not Corey Crawford does his part. The penalty kill was an issue as well – they surrendered six power play goals. Against the best statistical power play from Round 1, this could be an issue in Game 1.

Speaking of Crawford – he has been named starter for Game 1. He had a 4.19 GAA and .850 save percentage in the first round against a Nashville team that was hardly a potent offensive squad.

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Crawford did play well against Minnesota this season however – he posted a .948 save percentage during the regular season.

NHL Gambling Trends

• Over is 4-0-4 in MIN last 8 games following a win.
• MIN are 17-4 in their last 21 road games.
• Over is 4-1-3 in MIN last 8 overall.
• Under is 7-3-1 in CHI last 11 home games.
• CHI are 89-40 in their last 129 home games.
• Home team is 11-3 in the last 14 meetings.

The Blackhawks are 22-4 in their last 26 home playoff games, outscoring their opponents 88-54 in that stretch. The Wild are winless in six postseason games at Chicago, managing just eight goals in those losses.

Game 1s are often difficult to handicap – emotions are a funny thing. But off layoffs and with both offenses entering with a ton of confidence my play here is the Over – 5 goals.

NHL Betting 4* Free Play

Chicago will be out to make a statement against Mr. Dubnyk and Corey Crawford has been very generous so far in the playoffs. I expect a 4-2 game.

The Over – 5 goals

CappersPicks.com NHL Betting and gambling site provides the BEST Online hockey predictions for you to bet on for the NHL hockey season! Stick with us all season long!

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NHL Free Pick: Flames vs. Ducks Betting Lines & Preview

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Weekly NHL Betting action sees the Calgary Flames taking on the Anaheim Ducks April 30 at Honda Center. Cappers Picks provides free NHL handicapping tips all season long.

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Free Picks: New York vs. Washington Gambling Lines & NHL Preview

NHL Predictions: Islanders vs Capitals

Game seven of the Eastern Conference first round playoffs see the New York Islanders taking on the Washington Capitals at the Verizon Center in Washington, District of Columbia. Cappers Picks provides free NHL handicapping tips all season long.

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NHL Free Pick: Blackhawks vs. Predators Betting Lines & Preview

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Weekly NHL Betting action sees the Chicago Blackhawks taking on the Nashville Predators April 23 at Bridgestone Arena. Cappers Picks provides free NHL handicapping tips all season long.

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NHL Free Pick: Ducks vs. Jets Betting Lines & Preview

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Weekly NHL Betting action sees the Anaheim Ducks taking on the Winnipeg Jets April 22 at MTS Center. Cappers Picks provides free NHL handicapping tips all season long.

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NHL Free Pick: Canucks vs. Flames Betting Lines & Preview

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Weekly NHL Betting action sees the Vancouver Canucks taking on the Calgary Flames April 21 at Scotiabank Saddledome. Cappers Picks provides free NHL handicapping tips all season long.