This is high (at least one book has under -200), but I simply won't play +1.5 for exactly what happened last night in Ducks-Golden Knights Game 1: A tie game with five minutes left ended as a two-goal result due to an empty-netter. So why not -1.5? Because then I'm toast in overtime. The Wild clearly missed the injured Joel Eriksson Ek and Jonas Brodin in Game 1, and neither will play tonight. Colorado hasn't lost in the postseason yet, although I'd expect Minny to get at least one game back home. On home ice, +1.5 is a different story. The Avs might get back blueliner Josh Manson from injury tonight.

Anaheim won all three regular-season meetings by the same score of 4-3, but the Ducks didn't face current Knights No. 1 goalie Carter Hart in any of those -- or have they faced Vegas since John Tortorella took over as head coach. Completely different club since then. Could be a bit of an Anaheim trap spot, too, after the upset of Edmonton in Round 1. This is new territory for most of the Ducks.

What's the smart play? Probably Wild +1.5, but I fear the Nathan MacKinnon empty-netter and the two-goal Minnesota loss -- goalies are getting pulled with like 6 minutes left these days whereas usually in the final minute or so in the regular season. NHL playoffs are tough, man, not getting the +1/-1 or a total that I so prefer. Why not playing much of late. So I'll just have to eat this number and bump up the wager a bit. Top-line Minny forward Joel Eriksson Ek is in some doubt.

Wow a total of 5. This I was not expecting. I worked in Tampa a long time. When the Bolts won their first Stanley Cup in 2004, I was the sports front page designer. Have it hanging on my wall (Bucs' first Super Bowl title, too). So I know them and I know all their beat writers (although not really a thing these days, which is sad). Wasn't going to play this game because I root for the Bolts just for my friends but really like the Canadiens. I have no idea who will win but yeah at 5 have to. This is great for me as I can just root for offense. Extremely rare to get a 5 this early in the playoffs.

This 6.5 just popped. Would not play 6 (I mean might push). Yes, the past two in the series have seen nine goals scored in each, definitely ruining a parlay or two. But even U7.5 would have lost so I guess a win for not playing. I fully expect back to lower-scoring hockey in an elimination game for the Mammoth. Rare that elimination games are high scoring.

Well, a 7.5 just popped at BetRivers. As you can see, it's crazy juiced to the Under and I'm sure it's an alternate. But I wanted to play something tonight in this one, and I wasn't getting any good offers among our limited ones. If Ducks +1.5 were reasonable, that'd be it. Tough to bet playoff hockey without a full menu (why all my NHL SGPs on CBS Sports betting site are generally winning because I get to pick what I want), so I'll have to take a 3-3 regulation draw win in an elimination game.

This has been a type of game the Oilers have won in the past few postseasons with their backs to the wall. I am wondering if Connor McDavid is hurting because he hasn't quite looked his dominant self yet, and Edmonton has a goaltending problem. But I'll trust the veteran team to pull out perhaps the last home game of the season and force Game 6. Few Ducks players have been in this spot before as playoff newbies.

A little surprised the Mammoth are home dogs considering they have won the past two in the series. Knights goalie Carter Hart has gotten worse as the series has gone along while Mammoth counterpart Karel Vejmelka has gotten better. Utah's depth has been a difference as 12 different players have contributed at least a point. Four guys have two goals already, while six players have contributed at least two points.

I was sitting here wondering if the books had the stones to post a 7.5 total for a Stanley Cup playoff game. Question answered (have never seen an 8 in my life, FYI, if wondering). Can't tell you how rare that is. Again, I am prepared to lose and the Ducks nearly topped this themselves in Game 3. But it's an absolute must-play something per the math. We win on a 3-3 regulation draw in the postseason? 100 percent have to and when the final score is 6-5, I just say good job dudes. But I'm still "Beautiful Mind" right.

Already on the lookahead lines and this is the only 6.5. So I'm jumping the number because I don't think I'm going to have the option long. Believe it's that important of a total. I'm not going to do one of those "more TK" things but I've been pretty clear on U6.5 in these playoffs. Up about seven units on totals so far ...

This is pretty much it for the Bruins. Lose here and go down 3-1, and it's probably over. They were great at home during the RS but only managed a goal in the Game 3 loss. Jeremy Swayman has been really good in the series but not getting any offensive help. And the Sabres aren't exactly known for defense. Welcome to the Stanley Cup playoffs. Already recommended Under 6.5, which I was able to nab before it fell off all the boards.

Natural letdown spot for the Canes up 3-0. I thought this might go 7, and maybe it still will -- two of the Sens' three losses are by a goal. That top blueliner Jake Sanderson is out is definitely not ideal, but this feels like a semi-mail it in game for the Canes knowing how much wiggle room they have. If they score first then yeah they might finish, so I might do an Ottawa double of score first/win to get an even better price. I think you know my feelings on Under totals in the playoffs, but I'm not being offered 6.5 or that'd clearly be the play.

This series has been as fun as I thought it would be. Old-school, late 1980s speed hockey. Under 6.5 is a no-no. But on the off-chance the goalies have a decent Friday. Yeah, I have to play a half on U7. At least we push and not lose at 3-3 regulation. Prepared to lose but maybe it's 3-2 late and whomever leading gets the empty netter. Or the trailing team does and we push. I don't know that I will have a side play.

I think the Kings get at least one in this series, and I'm not guaranteeing this one Thursday but that would be the logical assumption. I'll touch on this more in my Thursday CBS Sports betting story/newsletter. Long story short, the Kings have played at least evenly so far if not a tad better. Just haven't solved Scott Wedgewood. I cannot explain the joy of owning a Stanley Cup playoffs +1.5 ticket when the teams are in overtime. At least for me. That's lampshade in the courtyard time ....

Don't know if you noticed, but 6.5s are becoming harder to find in the Stanley Cup playoffs. We won't see them again in Pens-Flyers, at least not alt totaled. Couple of other series we won't. So hopefully you pounced on those or just have been hammering alt U7.5s in parlays as I mentioned in Discord because those have been cashing. I don't love, love this 6.5 so will do a half, but I do like that it's in Boston, where the Bruins are just different defensively and so is Jeremy Swayman (2.18 GAA at home in RS compared to 3.26 away). Not going to be mega-upset if this is 3-3 at regulation, though. Super-fun series so far. Zero opinion on side.