Odds and Bets: Hurricanes and Panthers Keep the Score Low

Hurricanes vs Panthers Game 4: Five Goals or Less

The Florida Panthers can take another giant step in their remarkable 2023 Stanley Cup run. By winning Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Final Wednesday night they’ll sweep the Hurricanes and book their tickets to the final. This would be the first time since 1996 that the franchise achieves that feat and only the second time in its history.

Whether they put Carolina to bed or not shall be discovered tonight, but what might be easier to predict is how many goals will be scored. The majority of NHL games have totals set at 5.5. Through the first three bouts in this series, none have had more than five goals scored. Game 3 only had one! In fact, since the start of their second round series versus the Maple Leafs, the Panthers have been engaged in plenty of contests in which players scored five times or fewer. The streak is now seven contests. With Sergei Bobrovsky and Frederik Andersen in net the odds of that continuing are high.

Best bet: Take the under 5.5

Baltimore Orioles vs New York Yankees: Orioles on the Runline

The AL East is engaged in some massive series to start the week in baseball. The Blue Jays play a trio of tilts in Tampa Bay, the Red Sox are in California to test themselves against Shohei Ohtani and the Angels, and the Baltimore Orioles are in the Bronx to play the Yankees. Speaking of the latter two, they were engaged in a heck of a match on Monday night. Aaron Judge homered in the bottom of the ninth inning to tie the game at 5-5, and a sacrifice fly from Anthony Volpe won it for the pinstripes in the 10th.

For the second game, the visiting Orioles send Tyler Wells to the mound and the Yankees Nestor Cortes. The American League odds favour New York at -129, but Wells has been great for Baltimore this season, posting a 2.94 ERA in 52.0 innings pitched to go along with a 3-1 record. While it is tempting to think the Yankees will benefit from home field advantage…

Best Bet: Orioles with the runline

Manchester United vs Chelsea: United Locks up Champions League Spot

It might be easy to forget in a year when cross-town rivals Manchester City can capture a treble, but the classic Mancunian club, United, still has a lot to play for. For one, on June 3 they can play a role in stopping City from completing the treble by winning the FA Cup final – which would be their second trophy of the season after the Carabao Cup. A small double, but a double nonetheless.

Another sign of success for Erik ten Hag’s first year would be by locking up fourth place in the Premier League, thus sending Manchester United to the qualifying round of next year’s Champions League later this summer. They host Chelsea on Thursday, the latter who have been in shambles all season long. The Blues are way behind in 12^th place and are playing like they hoped the season had ended weeks ago. And the best part for United fans? Winning would mean bitter rivals Liverpool don’t make the Champions League next season.

Best Bet: Manchester United wins and locks up fourth place.