Anyone who thought the Washington Caps would waltz into the Stanley Cup odds finals with little to no trouble in the NHL playoff betting action were sorely mistaken.
The regular season champs in the NHL odds competition, with a record of 54-15-13 and 121 points, was defeated in the first game of the hockey betting post season. And it’s not going to get any easier from here on out.
The Caps were the overwhelming favorites in the Stanley Cup odds to win the whole ball of wax but they got off to a very rough start as the lowly Montreal Canadiens humbled the team in from of its home fans in our nation’s capitol.
The 3-2 loss was hardly a blowout but it’s a disturbing reminder for the #1 seed in the East that the NHL betting playoffs are no walk in the park and no team –no matter what their regular season record might have been- is entitled to anything once the puck drops in the post season wagering action.
Washington definitely could have played better but all credit is due to the #8 seed Canadiens who did a tremendous job shutting down the dangerous attack of the Caps and especially limiting captain Alex Ovechkin, the greatest scorer in hockey betting right now.
Montreal kept men in his grill all night long and by the time the final whistle blew in the third period Oveckin hadn’t even gotten a shot on goal, something that has only happened 3 previous times in his NHL betting career. If the Canadiens play three more games like that they’ll be featured in the Stanley Cup betting action.
But Stanley Cup odds experts agree that will be next to impossible. The Caps should explode on offense in Game Two and despite a 45 save performance in the first game on the road to the Stanley Cup betting action, it’s not likely that the Caps prolific offense will be silenced for much longer.
Still, the Caps got a wakeup call on Thursday and the team must rebound if it wants to reach the Stanley Cup odds competition.