Senators' odds are quite long with Players Only.
Betting against the Washington Capitals in the NHL's playoffs for the Eastern Conference title will take some guts. The Capitals' offense, lead by Alex Ovechkin, is absolutely blazing and as a team Washington are +73 in goal differential at this point, tops in the NHL by 19 goals.
Washington (+125 Players Only; outright Eastern Conference champion) are a lock for the Eastern Conference number 1 seed and for home ice advantage through the Eastern Conference playoffs.
But even so that doesn't make them a lock for the Eastern Conference banner. The Capitals might run into a hot goaltender in either Ryan Miller or Martin Brodeur in the second round of the playoffs but, surviving that challenge, they will then likely face the Pittsburgh Penguins in the conference finals (+240, 12/5; Eastern Conference champion). Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are certainly threats to Washington's stake in the Stanley Cup finals as they have taken their Penguins to the final round in each of the last two seasons, winning last year's epic final of the Stanley Cup in game 7.
Additionally, last year Pittsburgh stung Washington with a bitter loss in the second round of the playoffs, as the Capitals yielded a 2-0 series lead and then home ice advantage in game 7 to the Penguins, a team who then went on to win everything after that series. Should Washington meet Pittsburgh you have to think that the Penguins will have a crucial mental edge as they know they can win and Washington, including Ovechkin, might have a bit of a mental block for post-season success with such painful memories.
Crosby scoring the gold medal goal in sudden death overtime at the Olympics, with all the pressure in the world on his shoulders, is just a bigger boost to his confidence and his reputation as a 'clutch' player who doesn't fold on the biggest stage imaginable.
When you look past Washington and Pittsburgh you then find the Ottawa Senators, the current leaders of the Northeast Division. The Senators have a goal differential of -7 on the year but they have really come on strong in the last couple months and their odds appear to have some value.
Ottawa are priced at +2000 (20/1) to win the Eastern Conference with Players Only and those odds are certainly worth a sprinkle.
At this time the smartest thing to do in the Eastern Conference is to make two bets. Whatever amount you are betting, take 87% of it and pound either Washington or Pittsburgh for the Eastern Conference championship and with the remaining 13% sprinkle Ottawa. While 13% might seem like a small amount, keep in mind that at 20 to 1 even small bets cash in for big paydays.
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