NHL GAME PREVIEWS & BETTING TIPS

Dallas heads to Grand Casino Arena on Thursday night for Game 6 with its season on the line. Minnesota leads this first-round series 3-2, so the setup is pretty clean now: the Wild can close it out at home, while the Stars have to win to force a Game 7 back in Texas. Puck drop is set for 7:30 PM

The Edmonton Oilers head to Honda Center on Thursday night for a 10:00 PM start on TNT knowing there is no margin left. Anaheim leads this first-round series 3-2, so Game 6 is simple for Edmonton: win and drag this matchup back to Rogers Place, or the season ends on the road. The Ducks, meanwhile, are one win from closing

Game 5 is where this series starts to feel different. Montreal and Tampa Bay are tied 2-2, and after four games of thin margins, one bounce, one special-teams mistake, or one goalie stretch can swing the whole matchup. Puck drop is set for 7:00 PM at Benchmark International Arena, with ESPN2 carrying the broadcast. The Canadiens had a real shot

Game 6 heads to Xfinity Mobile Arena on Wednesday night with the Flyers holding a 3-2 lead and the pressure finally shifting a bit. Philadelphia had this series at 3-0, then dropped Games 4 and 5, so this is no longer just a closeout spot. It is a response spot. Puck drop is set for 7:30 PM ET, and the

Game 5 shifts back to T-Mobile Arena on Wednesday night, and this series feels exactly like what a 2-2 first-round matchup should feel like. Utah heads to Las Vegas for a 10:00 PM ET puck drop on TNT after letting a 4-3 third-period lead slip away in overtime in Game 4. That stings a bit, obviously, but it also says

Boston heads to KeyBank Center with no margin left. Game 5 is set for Tuesday at 7:30 PM ET, and the Bruins are trying to extend a series that now sits 3-1 in Buffalo’s favor after the Sabres rolled to a 6-1 win in Game 4. The setting matters here because Buffalo is back home with a closeout chance, while

Game 5 heads back to Dallas with this first-round series tied 2-2, which is about what these four games have deserved. Minnesota stole Game 1 in Dallas, the Stars answered with wins in Games 2 and 3, and the Wild clawed back again with a 3-2 overtime win in Game 4 behind Matt Boldy’s late winner and 43 saves from

Game 5 shifts back to Rogers Place on Tuesday night, and the pressure is squarely on Edmonton. The Oilers are home for a 10:00 PM ET puck drop on TNT, but they are also down 3-1 in the series after dropping three straight to a Ducks team that has looked faster, calmer, and a little more opportunistic in the biggest

Game 5 brings real pressure back to PPG Paints Arena on Monday night, with the Philadelphia Flyers trying to close out the Pittsburgh Penguins at 7:00 PM on ESPN. Philadelphia leads the series 3-1 and has already won twice in this building, so the road angle is not some small side note here. It matters. The Flyers have looked comfortable