It's set and forget time in this Edmonton-Los Angeles series, I'm betting the over in every game unless it goes to a Game 7. You can find a flat 6 at a reasonable price, so feel free to do that if you'd like to cover a potential push, but after a 7-4 and 5-4 game, I don't see this pace slowing down. This marks the 16th playoff matchup over the past three years for these teams, and nine of the 15 so far have seen 7+ goals, including five straight going for nine or more. Give me the over, and load up some Adrian Kempe props while you're at it, the man seems to be contractually obligated to shoot the puck against Edmonton.

Simply put: Alexandar Georgiev answered the call in Game 2 in Winnipeg. While I still don't fully trust him, I do believe Georgiev played well enough to get the confidence boost he needed for the Avs to go on a run. I also expect a better performance from Connor Hellebuyck, but this Avs attack is lethal. Look for Colorado to continue its dominance at Ball Arena on Friday night.

Nothing has changed here. The Avs still have a goaltending problem, although they sure seem to have Connor Hellebuyck's number. Still, we are getting +1.5 at about the same price as Avalanche ML. So in OT while you ML bettors are sweating a cash, I'll be sweating in the hot tub and trying to go back to the 80s. Could really use some El DeBarge.

We saw a glimpse of what this series could become with Thatcher Demko out of the net, and it's not pretty for Vancouver. On just 15 shots, Casey DeSmith allowed three goals for a putrid save percentage of .800. Nashville won 4-1 thanks to an empty netter, and now returning home, they seem set to take control of this series. I was a believer in the value on the Preds before this series began, and I'm surprised we're getting such a reasonable price on their moneyline at home on Friday. Count me in.

Think the Canucks are toast in this series with No. 1 goaltender Thatcher Demko ruled out for Friday after also missing Game 2 with an injury -- and it sounds like he will not return this series after winning the opener. Casey DeSmith is a solid No. 2 but a massive downgrade as we saw in Game 2 when he allowed a goal on Nashville's first shot as the Preds won 4-1 in Vancouver. DeSmith also struggled some at the end of the regular season. Really tough break for the Pacific Division champs.

This looks a bit worrying for the Canucks, with GK Thatcher Demko out until further notice, as was the case in the Game 2 loss to the Preds. It was Demko (35-14-2 in the regular season) who was main catalyst in the Vancouver surge under Rick Tocchet; not so much backup Casey DeSmith, in goal again tonight and having hit the wall late in the regular season when in an extended stint as the Canucks' number one with Demko out. At Bridgestone, Andrew Brunette has the last line shifts, and if not for a brief moment of madness in the opener (when Vancouver scored twice in 12 seconds in the 3rd period), the Preds could already be up 2-0. Play Preds on Money Line

Some ominous signs for the Caps, who face almost certain extinction in this series if they fall behind 3-0 after tonight. Elsewhere in the East last night, neither the Lightning nor Islanders could hold serve at home and are now in desperate trouble in their first-round matchups. Moreover, Alex Ovechkin, who can't be invisible for the Caps to succeed, has been just that in the first two games, with a mere one shot on goal. But Washington proved resilient down the stretch, Charlie Lindgren is still performing admirably in goal, and the first two games were challenges for the Rangers. NY will still be in control of this series after tonight, though it might be a bit closer. Play Caps on Money Line

A team returning home down 0-2 in the series is very much a system play that I have to trust. These Game 3 situations tend to get the group as motivated as they'll ever be to avoid falling into an 0-3 hole. These two teams met last season in the first round. Carolina took the first two games at home, the series went to New York, and the Islanders won Game 3 5-1. I am bumping this down to a .5u play because the way Game 2 ended could just be so demoralizing for the Isles, but I'm expecting a spirited and aggressive effort to make this a series.

If the Islanders are going to get one, it figures to be this one. The Canes lost one of their top defenseman, Brett Pesce, to an injury in the Game 2 comeback win. Winger Jesper Fast missed the first two and not expected back. The Isles are giving Ilya Sorokin his first shot in net of the series. He didn't have a typically great year but historically has been money at home. The Islanders are in an identical situation to last year, trailing 2-0 in the series to the Hurricanes, and they responded with a 5-1 win in Game 3 on home ice. The Isles also ended the regular season with five straight road wins. And we don't even need that.

We generally do not get odds feeds of alternate totals, etc. on any sport, but we are getting one from Bet365 on this total -- hence the crazy juice (on 5.5 goals, the Under is -115). I'll be surprised if this goes Over 6.5 barring a 3-3 regulation tie, so I'm going to take the rare opportunity.

The Islanders might have needed some psychological counseling after blowing a onetime 3-0 during Game 2 at Raleigh, with the last three Canes goals coming in the final 2:15, turning around what had been a very late 3-2 Isles lead. The takeaway from the first two games, however, is that New York is hardly outclassed, as the Islanders have been skating with the Canes. New York also solved Carolina goalie Frederik Andersen, at least to a degree, on Monday, with Bo Horvat, Kyle Palmieri, and Anders Lee all scoring goals. Patrick Roy has made one important switch for tonight, as Ilya Sorokin will be in the Islander goal after Semyon Varmalov likely a bit shell-shocked after Monday's late loss. Play Islanders on Money Line

I said before this series began that this had all the makings of a six or seven-game showdown, and I stand by that read. Game 2 went to OT, and Game 1 was also a one goal win for Florida. There's few things I like more than backing a team coming home down 2-0 in a series, especially when that team is as talented as the Tampa Bay Lightning. Grab Tampa to win and make this a series.

The Tampa Bay Lightning return home after two one-goal losses while getting out-shot in both games. The Panthers are now 4-1 vs. Tampa Bay this season. I have to believe that the Lightning will play one of their best games, knowing they can’t go down 3-0 and expect to win the series. Tampa Bay has a championship pedigree, and it should be on full display at Amalie Arena.

We aren't going to get totals of 6.5s often in the playoffs; the first two games of this series both ended 3-2 in favor of Florida. The Panthers also did lose a top-six forward to injury in Game 2 in Sam Bennett (20G, 21A in regular season). He's out at least a week. Personally think the only way this loses Thursday is if we get the dreaded 3-3 regulation tie.

The Sunshine State series is being conducted in close quarters, with plenty of tight checking and not much room for the respective snipers to operate. Defense has been the name of the game as each of the first two games landed 3-2 in Florida's favor, and both goalies (Sergei Bobrovsky and Andrei Vasilevskiy) looking sharp beat. If there might be an edge with the series shifted to Tampa, it's the absence of Panthers forward and catalyst Sam Bennett, out at least a week with what appeared a wrist injury suffered in Game 2. In a series of such tight margins, the absence of a key cog like Bennett looms large, and the Lightning will play with real urgency tonight. Play Lightning on Money Line