NHL ROUND 2 PREVIEWS, PREDICTIONS & BETTING ODDS
- Eastern Conference by Brandon Wamsley
- Western Conference by Brock Hartley
Sports
It’s that time of the year again! One of the most exciting postseasons in all of sports is about to begin. With a lot of states legalizing sports wagering just recently there are surely a lot of folks out there who may want to get in on the action but are also new arrivals to the NHL landscape. Don’t worry, the Rahl Bets team has you covered! Down below you will see Brandon & I breakdown and predict every series in Round 1. For your convenience, we have also included which Sportsbook offers the best price for each particular team. After you check out the series summaries, keep scrolling and you will find our full playoff predictions, as well as those from Tanner & Shane. Enjoy!
- Eastern Conference previews by Brandon Wamsley
- Western Conference previews by Brock Hartley
EASTERN CONFERENCE R1 PLAYOFF MATCHUPS
M2 – NEW YORK RANGERS (52-24-6) -110 BETMGM
M3 – PITTSBURGH PENGUINS (46-25-11) -105 DRAFTKINGS
This matchup is unique because each team took a turn at the trade deadline, in two very different directions. The Penguins came into mid-March playing much better than anyone expected before the season began. Tristan Jarry was playing levels above what anyone thought he could after last year, Crosby was still Crosby, and even Evgeni Malkin came off an extended injury lay-off and was on fire right out of the gate. Everything was looking great in Pittsburgh and fans were filled with hope (even if it was naive) that a couple moves at the deadline could have them right back in cup contention. Meanwhile, things in New York weren’t so bright.
Rahl Bets | NHL POWER RANKINGS (April 8, 2022)
- Eastern Conference by Brandon Wamsley
- Western Conference by Brock Hartley
1. Colorado Avalanche (50-14-6)
Not only are they the top dogs in the West, but the gap is widening after a week of poor performances by Calgary. I suspect this team wants to clinch home ice ASAP so they can take their foot off the pedal a little bit. Injuries and suspensions have posed problems for the Avs in recent postseasons, so with team captain Gabriel Landeskog already missing time from an injury and with another injury scare from Mackinnon this week, it would make sense to just take care of business and start shaving minutes from the top 6.2. Florida Panthers (49-15-6)
The Panthers had the title “comeback cats” trending when they overcame a 4-goal deficit in the third period to beat New Jersey in the first game Florida played in April. They then earned and cemented that title for themselves the rest of the season by astoundingly coming back from another 4-goal deficit just 3 days later and this time they did it against the Toronto Maple Leafs, much stiffer competition to say the least. The comeback cats remain just behind Colorado in our rankings, but they will head into the playoffs believing they can overcome any obstacle. Florida has shown they always believe they can win in any situation, a trait that will surely be utilized in the postseason.
Atlantic
The FLORIDA PANTHERS still sit comfortably at the top of the Atlantic Division. Florida added some depth before the deadline in Claude Giroux and Ben Chariot, but the injury to Aaron Ekblad could pose a serious threat to the Panthers' long term run. He should be back before the playoffs and hopefully not repeat on missing out like last season. Lightning, Bruins, and the Maple Leafs all hang around a point differential and sitting a couple wins away from touching Florida.
Top 5 MLB Season Win Totals
OH YES, IT’S TIME FOR BASEBALL!!! I’m sorry, it’s just hard for me to contain my excitement. After a strenuous offseason filled with questions and grey could, we have baseball in 2022. What a season we have ahead of us, too! There looks to be a clear-cut favorite this year in the Dodgers. They now have the best player from each of the four previous MLB Champions thanks to the signing of Freddie Freeman in March, a couple weeks before Opening Day. Yet, some don’t think its as easy as seeing a strike on a 3-0 pitch.
Rahl Bets | NHL POWER RANKINGS (MARCH 28, 2022)
With the NHL playoffs nearing, we at Rahl Reviews have decided to help you get prepared by summarizing what has been going on around the league. We will be updating our rankings every 7-10 days, so be sure to check back!- Eastern Conference by Brandon Wamsley
- Western Conference by Brock Hartley
1. Colorado Avalanche (46-14-6)
This is the team to beat in a Western Conference that is weaker than most anticipated. Anything less than a WCF appearance should be viewed as a disaster. Even a WCF loss would be a disappointment for this juggernaut.2. Florida Panthers (44-15-6)
The Florida Panthers come in at #2 in our post-deadline edition of the NHL Power Rankings. We really put a lot of thought into putting the Panthers in the 1 spot but had to give the nod to Colorado. With that being said, the Panthers are a clear number 2 and the favorites to come out of the East. The additions of Claude Giroux and Ben Chiarot at the deadline made the best team in the East even better, and the Panthers are poised to make a very real cup run with a ton of skill and plenty of depth throughout the roster. The only worry to be found in Florida is the injury to Aaron Ekblad, who is a key piece in living up to their Cup expectations. The 26-year-old Defenseman had already posted 15G and 42A on the season and was a Norris contender before getting injured. Ekblad is expected to return for the first playoff series though, and if healthy, the Panthers are as real a Cup contender as anyone. They will need to be more careful with the puck come playoff time, and dispose of some sloppy, turnover prone tendencies, but we have no reason to believe they won’t do just that and tighten things up when the postseason begins.
For as much as I love football, this is my favorite time of year for betting purposes. Year in and year out we see mid major programs go into the tournament as these nobody’s and not only do they cover a giant spread, but they beat your favorite teams across the power five conferences. Yet, when people are building their bracket, no one knows anything about the Catamounts of Vermont or the Bryant Bulldogs. Most of the teams who win their conference tournament do so for a reason. They are a great team, well coached, and have the hunger to want to win this thing. Before all of that happens though, we have to have the conference tournaments. Below I went ahead and scouted the vast land of the NCAA to put together my picks for each of the conference tournaments. Now I will admit, some conferences have a clear cut favorite. Some on the other hand have 2-5 teams that can truly make a run happen if things click at the right time. With March Madness right there at our fingertips, let’s crack this book and put some money in our pockets leading up to the big dance.
American East - Vermont (-190)
I think this might be one of the easier choices in the NCAA. Vermont is leading the division in essentially every scoring category. They are excellent on the glass, rarely turn the ball over, and rank 22nd in the nation in points allowed per game. This team is lead by a core group of seniors who know how to play together. I expect them to stun some teams when it comes time for March Madness. Lock in the Catamounts and forget about it.
NHL Power Rankings (Pre All-Star Break)
1. Colorado Avalanche
Elite, stacked, fast, and hungry for the cup. Nobody should be surprised to see this team #1, as they were favorites from the start and have shown every bit of that title. Kadri is having such a HOT season and while being one of the best 'second' line centers in the game (4th in the league in points). If Colorado’s goalies can prevent less than 3 goals against every game, then this team is set for a long run into the playoffs and a couple titles because they are an offensive juggernaut. Nathan Mackinnon, Cale Makar, Mikko Rantenen, Gabriel Landeskog & Devon Toews are in top form as they punish enemy defenses and terrorize opposing goalies. They have an 8-point lead over anybody else in the West and I would be surprised if they let it slip at anytime point season.
Rahl Bets' Playoff Records
Brock - ATS: (6-4) ML: (4-1) Tanner - ATS: (5–4-1) ML: (8-2) Shane - ATS: (4-5) ML: (5-5) Matt - ATS: (7-3) ML: (8-2) Jeff - ATS: (1-3) ML: (5-5) The Wild Card round seemed too great to over come. The Bengals slaying the money on their franchise's back, winning a playoff game for the first time since 91’. The 49ers beat “Americas Team” in dramatic fashion, and Josh Allen showed the Patriots who the new king of the AFC East is in commanding fashion. Then the NFL said “hold my beer” and gave us arguably the best playoff weekend ever, showcasing exactly why the NFL is the most watched program in the country.
Hello everybody! Welcome back to Sticks and Stones Report as we approach the end of Week 14 of the NHL's 2021-22 season. Let's get to it, shall we?
Atlantic
Both Florida teams are buzzing! Huberdeau is one of the best players in the league this year and the Panthers are electric behind this exciting squad.…