The Stanley
Cup Finals resume this Monday night when the New Jersey Devils square-off
against the Los Angeles Kings at the Staples Center in Game 3 of this
best-of-seven series with the Kings holding a 2-0 lead.
The game is
set to start at 5 p.m. (PT) and it will be broadcast nationally on NBC. The NHL
odds board currently shows the Kings as -155 favorites with the take back on
the Devils at +145. The total is 4.5.
New Jersey’s lamp lighters go dark
New Jersey
finds itself in a 0-2 hole after coming-up short in back-to-back 2-1 losses in
overtime. It closed as a 101 home underdog in Game 1 and 115 home favorite in
Saturday night’s Game 2 with the total staying UNDER in both contests. The
Devils did a much better job at getting the puck on goal on Saturday after
managing just 17 shots in Game 1, but the results were still the same.
Ryan Carter
was able to tie the game at 1-1 early in the third period, but for the second
game in-a-row, New Jersey was unable to capitalize on the shift in momentum.
The key to Monday night’s game will be the Devils’ ability to generate an early
lead as they have been held scoreless in the first period in the first two
games.
Kings remain perfect on the road
If Los
Angeles goes on to win this year’s Stanley Cup, it will look back on its
amazing run on the road as the primary reason for winning the title. The Kings
are now a perfect 10-0 with four of the wins coming in overtime. They have been
able to carve-out a 2-0 lead in all four playoff series and went on to go
three-up in the first three.
Los Angeles
made it to the finals behind an offensive attack that scored four or more goals in
seven of their first 14 playoff games, but it has been its defensive effort
that has put it in complete control of this series. Much of the credit for Game
2 has to go to goaltender Jonathan Quick, who continues to carry this team with
one spectacular save after another. He stopped 32 of New Jersey’s 33 shots on
Saturday night and has held the Devils top three scorers from the first three
series pointless through the first two games.
Betting Trends
The Devils
are 14-3 in their last 17 games playing on one day’s rest and 4-1 on their last
five games as underdogs on the road. The total has gone 1-5-3 in their last
nine games.
The Kings
are 23-7 in their last 30 games overall and 8-1 in their last nine playoff
games as favorites. The total has stayed UNDER in five of their last six home
games.
New Jersey
is now just 2-5 in the last seven meetings. The underdog is 5-2 in the last seven
games with the total staying UNDER in six of those contests.
Prediction
There is no
real reason to believe that either of these teams is suddenly going to find a
burst of offense, so the UNDER remains the best play to include in your hockey Picks Monday. Monday’s game presents a
golden opportunity to parlay the UNDER with a Kings’ victory as they once again
score just enough to get the win.
Prediction: Los Angeles 2 - New Jersey 1