The Pittsburgh Penguins can move to within one victory of repeating as champions with a win on Saturday when they face the Predators in Nashville in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final as +115 road underdogs on the NHL betting lines at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.
Pittsburgh was once again badly outplayed by Nashville on Wednesday, getting outshot by a 38-27 margin, but escaped with a 4-1 victory as -136 home chalk to take a 2-0 series lead ahead of Saturday night’s Penguins versus Predators Game 3 matchup at Bridgestone Arena.
The Penguins have now posted wins in five of their past six contests, and avoided consecutive losses on all but one occasion during their 21-game playoff run, fuelling a rapid rise on the series prices where they are now heavy -600 chalk to claim their third Stanley Cup since 2009.
And with 26 points so far this spring, Pittsburgh centre Evgeni Malkin has emerged as a clear +150 favourite to claim his second career Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player during the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Malkin has scored twice during the Stanley Cup Final.
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Penguins goaltender Matt Murray, who turned away 37 of 38 shots in Game 2, trails as a +550 wager to emerge as this year’s Conn Smythe winner.
A disheartened Predators squad returns home searching for answers after losing in Pittsburgh in two games they otherwise dominated. However, Nashville has risen to the occasion on home ice, winning seven of eight during these playoffs, and is -135 home chalk for Saturday.
The Predators have held opponents to two or fewer goals in six of their eight post-season home dates, while outscoring visitors by a 25-13 margin. But after being forced to kill seven penalties while failing to capitalize on four power plays in Game 2, the club must play more disciplined hockey and find ways to solve Murray if they are to capture their first Stanley Cup championship and pay out as long +400 underdogs on the series prices.
However, comebacks from a 2-0 series deficit in the Stanley Cup Final are rare. Just five teams in NHL history have rebounded to win the Stanley Cup after losing the first two games of the final, with the 2011 Boston Bruins the most recent team to accomplish the feat.
Despite his recent shaky play, goaltender Pekka Rinne continues to lead all Predators as a +1200 candidate to win the Conn Smythe Trophy; defenceman P.K. Subban follows at +1600.
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