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PLAYOFFS LIVE: ROUND 1 16 Teams Best-of-Seven

2026 Stanley Cup
Playoffs Betting Guide

Round 1 update (April 27). Two teams now through to Round 2: Carolina (swept Ottawa Saturday) and Colorado (swept LA Sunday with a 5-1 Game 4, ending Anze Kopitar's 20-year career). Buffalo demolished Boston 6-1 in Game 4 to take a 3-1 lead. Anaheim shocked Edmonton with a controversial OT goal in Game 4 to take a 3-1 lead — Oilers on the brink. Tampa won Game 4 in Montreal 3-2 to even at 2-2. Colorado now Cup co-favorite at +250.

2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs Betting Guide
Futures

2026 Stanley Cup Odds

Stanley Cup winner odds as of April 27, 2026 (Carolina + Colorado both through to Round 2 after weekend sweeps). Colorado tightened to +250 co-favorite. The defending champion Florida Panthers failed to qualify; no three-peat.

📊 Want our model's per-team Cup probability? See our full 16-team Bradley-Terry forecast with five-factor power ratings: Stanley Cup 2026 Probability Model →

TeamOddsConf
1
Colorado Avalanche Leads MIN 2-0 after tightening up defensively for a 5-2 Game 2 win Tuesday — MacKinnon 3 points, Wedgewood 29 saves. Avalanche through 6 playoff games unbeaten. Game 3 in Saint Paul Thursday 5/7. Tops the Cup model board at ~33% probability.
+170 West
2
Carolina Hurricanes Leads PHI 2-0 after a 3-2 OT Game 2 at Lenovo Center Monday — Taylor Hall scored at 18:54 of OT after the Flyers had clawed back from down 2-0 (Drysdale PP + Couturier 39 sec apart). Game 3 in Philadelphia Wednesday 5/6. Cup model probability climbing toward 30%.
+260 East
3
Vegas Golden Knights Leads ANA 1-0 after a 1-0 Game 1 win at T-Mobile Arena Monday — Brett Howden scored mid-second on a Marner setup (5th playoff goal), Carter Hart 21-save shutout. Game 2 at home Wednesday 5/6.
+475 West
4
Buffalo Sabres Game 1 vs Montreal Wednesday 5/6 in Buffalo (Montreal gets two extra rest days after their seven-game grind vs Tampa). First Sabres series win since 2007 propelled them here.
+850 East
5
Minnesota Wild Trails COL 0-2 after dropping a tighter 5-2 Game 2 in Denver. Kaprizov + Johansson scored but the Wedgewood-anchored Avalanche kept Minnesota off the rush. Series moves home for Game 3 Thursday 5/7 with elimination only two games away.
+2200 West
6
Philadelphia Flyers Trails CAR 0-2 after blowing a 2-0 lead in Game 2 at Raleigh Monday and losing in OT 3-2 on a Taylor Hall winner. Drysdale + Couturier had scored 39 seconds apart but the comeback never came. Series now critical: Game 3 in Philadelphia Wednesday 5/6 with elimination only two games away.
+5000 East
7
Anaheim Ducks Trails VGK 0-1 after a 1-0 Game 1 loss at T-Mobile Arena Monday. Carter Hart blanked the Ducks; Anaheim outshot Vegas in stretches but generated little high-danger chances. Game 2 in Vegas Wednesday 5/6.
+8000 West
8
Montreal Canadiens Game 1 of the Atlantic Division semifinal vs Buffalo Wednesday 5/6 in Buffalo. Coming off a stunning G7 upset of Tampa 2-1 at Amalie despite being outshot 28-9; rookie Jakub Dobes was the difference.
+1700 East
9
Tampa Bay Lightning Eliminated 4-3 by Montreal at home in Game 7. Outshot the Canadiens 28-9 but lost 2-1; rookie Dobes outdueled Vasilevskiy. Stunning early exit for the Stamkos-era core; the franchise's deepest run in years now ends in Round 1.
Eliminated East
10
Boston Bruins Eliminated 4-2 by Buffalo. Lost Game 6 at TD Garden 4-1; Lyon stoned the Bruins for 25 saves. Pastrnak goalless through the final two games.
Eliminated East
11
Utah Mammoth Eliminated 4-2 by Vegas. Lost Game 6 at Delta Center 5-1; never recovered from giving back the 2-1 series lead in two straight OT defeats. First playoff exit as the Mammoth.
Eliminated West
12
Edmonton Oilers Eliminated 4-2 by Anaheim. McDavid + Draisaitl out in Round 1 again.
Eliminated West
13
Dallas Stars Eliminated 4-2 by Minnesota. C2 seed out in Round 1.
Eliminated West
14
Pittsburgh Penguins Eliminated 4-2 by Philadelphia. Came back from 0-3 to 3-3 then lost 1-0 in OT. Crosby/Malkin/Letang core falls just short.
Eliminated East
15
Ottawa Senators Swept by Carolina 4-0.
Eliminated East
16
Los Angeles Kings Swept by Colorado 4-0. Captain Kopitar's 20-year career ends with the loss.
Eliminated West
Round 1 (Live)

First Round Matchups

Round 1 status as of April 27. Two teams advanced (Carolina + Colorado, both via 4-0 sweeps). Two more on sweep watch (Buffalo, Philadelphia). Anaheim shockingly up 3-1 on Edmonton. Below are all eight matchups with live series score, game-by-game results, and series odds. Every series is best-of-seven.

Eastern Conference

Buffalo Sabres vs Boston Bruins
Buffalo wins series 4-2
✓ G1 (4/19): Sabres 4, Bruins 3 (OT) · G2 (4/21): Bruins 4, Sabres 2 · G3 (4/23): Sabres 3, Bruins 1 · G4 (4/26): Sabres 6, Bruins 1 · G5 (4/28): Bruins 2, Sabres 1 (OT, Pastrnak GW) · G6 (5/1): Sabres 4, Bruins 1 (Lyon 25 saves)
BUF -300 / BOS +240
(A1) vs (WC1). Buffalo closed it out at TD Garden in Game 6 with a 4-1 win Friday 5/1. Backup Alex Lyon stopped 25 of 26 in his first playoff start; Tage Thompson 2A. First Sabres series win since 2007 — the Drury/Briere conference-final run. Buffalo advances to Round 2 vs the TBL/MTL G7 winner.
Tampa Bay Lightning vs Montreal Canadiens
Montreal wins series 4-3
✓ G1 (4/19): Canadiens 4, Lightning 3 (OT) · G2 (4/21): Lightning 3, Canadiens 2 (OT) · G3 (4/24): Canadiens 3, Lightning 2 (OT) · G4 (4/26): Lightning 3, Canadiens 2 · G5 (4/29): Canadiens 3, Lightning 2 (Texier GW) · G6 (5/1): Lightning over Canadiens (G7 forced) · G7 (5/3): Canadiens 2, Lightning 1 (Newhook GW, Dobes 28 saves)
TBL -160 / MTL +135
(A2) vs (A3). Montreal stunned Tampa 2-1 in Game 7 at Amalie Arena Sunday 5/3 despite being outshot 28-9. Alex Newhook game-winner with 8:53 left, Suzuki goal; rookie Jakub Dobes posted 28 saves to outduel Vasilevskiy. Canadiens advance to Round 2 vs Buffalo in an Atlantic Division semifinal.
Carolina Hurricanes vs Ottawa Senators
Carolina wins series 4-0
✓ G1 (4/18): Hurricanes 2, Senators 0 · G2 (4/20): Hurricanes 3, Senators 2 (2OT) · G3 (4/23): Hurricanes 2, Senators 1 · G4 (4/25): Hurricanes 4, Senators 2
CAR -280 / OTT +230
(M1) vs (WC2). East regular-season champs (113 points) closed it out in Game 4 with a 4-2 road win in Ottawa to complete the sweep. Carolina advances to Round 2; third team in NHL history with at least one series win in eight consecutive playoff years.
Pittsburgh Penguins vs Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia wins series 4-2
✓ G1 (4/18): Flyers 3, Penguins 2 · G2 (4/20): Flyers 3, Penguins 0 · G3 (4/22): Flyers 5, Penguins 2 · G4 (4/25): Penguins 4, Flyers 2 · G5 (4/27): Penguins 3, Flyers 2 · G6 (4/29): Flyers 1, Penguins 0 (OT, Cam York winner)
PIT -150 / PHI +130
(M2) vs (M3). Cam York scored at 17:32 of overtime to give Philadelphia a 1-0 Game 6 win at Xfinity Mobile Arena and eliminate the Penguins. Pittsburgh became just the 5th team in NHL history to take a series back from 0-3 to 3-3, then fell short. Arturs Silovs 31 saves in defeat. Flyers advance to Round 2 vs Carolina.

Western Conference

Colorado Avalanche vs Los Angeles Kings
Colorado wins series 4-0
✓ G1 (4/19): Avalanche 2, Kings 1 · G2 (4/21): Avalanche 2, Kings 1 (OT) · G3 (4/23): Avalanche 4, Kings 2 · G4 (4/26): Avalanche 5, Kings 1
COL -450 / LAK +350
(C1) vs (WC2). Presidents' Trophy winners completed the sweep with a dominant 5-1 Game 4 at Crypto.com Arena (MacKinnon 2G+1A, Makar goal, Wedgewood 24 saves). Avalanche advance to Round 2; Kings captain Anze Kopitar's 20-year career ended with the loss after he announced his retirement in September.
Dallas Stars vs Minnesota Wild
Minnesota wins series 4-2
✓ G1 (4/18): Wild 6, Stars 1 · G2 (4/20): Stars 4, Wild 2 · G3 (4/22): Stars 4, Wild 3 (2OT) · G4 (4/25): Wild 3, Stars 2 (OT) · G5 (4/28): Wild 4, Stars 2 · G6 (4/30): Wild 5, Stars 2 (Quinn Hughes 2G)
DAL -135 / MIN +115
(C2) vs (C3). Wild closed out at home in Game 6 with a 5-2 win at Grand Casino Arena. Quinn Hughes scored twice including a series-clinching deflection that ricocheted off a Stars defender. Stars (C2 seed) out in Round 1; Minnesota advances to Round 2 vs Colorado.
Vegas Golden Knights vs Utah Mammoth
Vegas wins series 4-2
✓ G1 (4/19): Golden Knights 4, Mammoth 2 · G2 (4/21): Mammoth 3, Golden Knights 2 · G3 (4/24): Mammoth 4, Golden Knights 2 · G4 (4/27): Golden Knights 4, Mammoth 3 (OT) · G5 (4/29): Golden Knights 5, Mammoth 4 (2OT, Howden SH GW) · G6 (5/1): Golden Knights 5, Mammoth 1
VGK -190 / UTA +155
(P1) vs (WC1). Vegas closed it out at Delta Center in Game 6 with a 5-1 win Friday 5/1. Brett Howden + Mitch Marner combined for 4 points; Hill made 26 saves to bury Utah's third-period push. Mammoth's first playoff exit under the new identity. Vegas advances to Round 2 vs Anaheim.
Edmonton Oilers vs Anaheim Ducks
Anaheim wins series 4-2
✓ G1 (4/20): Oilers 4, Ducks 3 · G2 (4/22): Ducks 6, Oilers 4 · G3 (4/24): Ducks 7, Oilers 4 · G4 (4/26): Ducks 4, Oilers 3 (OT) · G5 (4/28): Oilers 4, Ducks 1 · G6 (4/30): Ducks 5, Oilers 2
EDM +120 / ANA -140
(P2) vs (P3). Anaheim closed it out at home in Game 6 with a 5-2 win. Three goals in under 7 minutes of the first period (Ryan Poehling, Chris Kreider, Cutter Gauthier) put it away early. McDavid + Draisaitl out in Round 1 again; Anaheim records its first playoff series win in 9 years and advances to face Vegas/Utah winner.
Round 2

Second Round (Division Semifinals)

Best-of-seven series between the Round 1 winners. Typically drops the puck 2-4 days after the last first-round series concludes.

Eastern Conference

Buffalo Sabres vs Montreal Canadiens
Game 1 Wednesday 5/6
BUF -150 / MTL +130
Atlantic semifinal. Buffalo (first series win since 2007) faces Montreal coming off a stunning G7 upset of Tampa Bay 2-1 at Amalie Arena (Newhook GW, Dobes 28 saves). Game 1 in Buffalo Wednesday 5/6 to give Montreal extra rest after the seven-game grind.
Carolina Hurricanes vs Philadelphia Flyers
Carolina leads 2-0
✓ G1 (5/2): Hurricanes 3, Flyers 0 (Andersen 19-save SO; Stankoven 2G) · G2 (5/4): Hurricanes 3, Flyers 2 (OT, Taylor Hall GW at 18:54)
CAR -360 / PHI +280
Metro semifinal. Carolina takes a commanding 2-0 series lead after Taylor Hall scored at 18:54 of overtime in Game 2 Monday night at Lenovo Center. The Flyers had blown a two-goal lead — Jamie Drysdale (PP) and captain Sean Couturier scored twice in 39 seconds before the Hurricanes clawed back. Series moves to Philadelphia for Game 3.

Western Conference

Colorado Avalanche vs Minnesota Wild
Colorado leads 2-0
✓ G1 (5/3): Avalanche 9, Wild 6 (14 different scorers; Makar 2G in third) · G2 (5/5): Avalanche 5, Wild 2 (MacKinnon 1G+2A; Wedgewood 29 saves)
COL -240 / MIN +200
Central semifinal. Colorado takes a 2-0 series lead with a much tighter 5-2 Game 2 win at Ball Arena Tuesday — Nathan MacKinnon 1G+2A, Necas + Landeskog each 1G+1A, Wedgewood 29 saves. Kaprizov + Johansson scored for MIN. The Avalanche remain undefeated through 6 playoff games. Series moves to Saint Paul for Game 3 Thursday 5/7.
Vegas Golden Knights vs Anaheim Ducks
Vegas leads 1-0
✓ G1 (5/4): Golden Knights 1, Ducks 0 (Howden 2nd-period GW; Hart 21-save SO)
VGK -425 / ANA +320
Pacific semifinal. Vegas takes Game 1 with a tight 1-0 win at T-Mobile Arena Monday night. Brett Howden scored midway through the second period (his 5th of the postseason) on a Mitch Marner setup; Carter Hart made 21 saves to seal the shutout. Game 2 in Vegas Wednesday 5/6.
Bet Types

How to Bet on the NHL Playoffs

The NHL playoffs use best-of-seven series with no shootouts — only sudden death overtime. This changes how several bet types work compared to the regular season.

Moneyline

Pick which team wins the game. Simplest NHL bet. Includes overtime and shootout in regular season, but playoffs have no shootouts, so OT periods play until someone scores.

Example Colorado Avalanche -160 to beat Dallas Stars. Bet $160 to win $100.

Puck Line (1.5)

Hockeys version of the point spread. The favorite must win by 2+ goals (-1.5), or the underdog can lose by 1 and still cover (+1.5). Because ~48% of NHL games are decided by 1 goal, the puck line dramatically shifts odds vs moneyline.

Example Avalanche -1.5 (+145) means Colorado must win by 2+. Stars +1.5 (-170) means Dallas can lose by 1 and you still win.

Over/Under (Totals)

Bet on whether the combined goals scored by both teams will be over or under a number set by the sportsbook. NHL totals typically range from 5.0 to 6.5. Playoff games historically trend UNDER: tighter defense, better goaltending, lower pace.

Example Over/Under 5.5 goals. If the game finishes 3-2, the total is 5; Under wins.

Series Winner

Bet on which team wins a best-of-seven playoff series. Available only during the postseason. No need to pick individual games; just who advances. Typically better odds than game-by-game moneylines.

Example Tampa Bay -245 to beat Montreal in their first-round series. Canadiens +200 to pull the upset.

Stanley Cup Futures

Bet on which team will win the Stanley Cup before the playoffs begin (or during). Odds change as teams advance or get eliminated. Early bets offer the best value.

Example Colorado +300 means a $100 bet returns $400 total if the Avalanche win the Cup.

Player Props

Bet on individual player performance: goals, assists, points, shots on goal, saves. Playoff player props are especially popular for stars like MacKinnon, McDavid, and Vasilevskiy.

Example Nathan MacKinnon Over 1.5 points tonight (-110). Andrei Vasilevskiy Over 28.5 saves (-115).

Period Betting

Bet on the outcome of individual periods: first period moneyline, first period over/under, or which team leads after each period. Great for live betting during playoff games.

Example First period Over 1.5 goals (-130). Colorado to lead after first period (+150).

Conn Smythe Trophy

Bet on the playoff MVP. Historically goes to a player on the winning team, usually a forward or goaltender who dominates throughout the postseason.

Example Nathan MacKinnon +400. Andrei Vasilevskiy +600. Cale Makar +800.
Strategy

NHL Playoff Betting Tips

Data-driven strategies for betting the Stanley Cup Playoffs. These trends are based on a decade of NHL postseason data.

01

Unders hit more in playoffs

NHL playoff games average 0.4 fewer goals than regular season. Tighter checking, better goaltending, and higher stakes mean the Under hits at a higher rate, especially in early rounds when teams are feeling each other out.

02

Home ice matters less than you think

Road teams won 49.2% of playoff games over the last decade. The Presidents' Trophy winner has won the Cup just 8 times in 35 years. Do not automatically back the higher seed.

03

Goaltending is king

The Conn Smythe Trophy has gone to a goaltender in 5 of the last 15 years. A hot goalie can carry a team far beyond its talent level. Track save percentages and goals saved above expected (GSAx) entering the playoffs.

04

Puck line underdogs print in close series

When a series is tight (odds within -150), taking the underdog +1.5 on the puck line is one of the most profitable NHL playoff bets historically. Most games are decided by 1 goal.

05

Series price vs game price

Betting on a series winner at +200 is often better value than trying to pick individual games. You only need 4 wins out of 7; variance works in your favor over a longer sample.

06

No shootouts in playoffs

Unlike the regular season, playoff games continue with 20-minute sudden death overtime periods until someone scores. This is critical for moneyline and puck line bets; marathon OT games happen every year.

Storylines

2026 Playoff Storylines That Move the Needle

Buffalo Ends 14-Year Drought

The Sabres have not played a playoff game since 2011 — the longest active drought in NHL history until this season. They responded by winning the Atlantic Division. KeyBank Center will be the loudest building in hockey. Buffalo is +1700 to win the Cup, making them a popular long-shot futures bet.

No Florida Three-Peat

The defending champion Florida Panthers failed to qualify, ending their bid for a historic three-peat. The last team to three-peat was the New York Islanders (1980-83). Florida joins a long list of back-to-back champions who could not complete the triple.

Colorado Enters as Overwhelming Favorite

The Avalanche won the Presidents' Trophy with the best record in the league. Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar (back from injury) anchor one of the deepest rosters in the NHL. Colorado has not won the Cup since 2022 despite elite regular seasons — postseason execution is the question. At +300, they represent the shortest Cup price since the 2019 Tampa Bay Lightning (who were swept in Round 1).

McDavid Still Chasing

Connor McDavid has taken the Edmonton Oilers to back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals (2024, 2025) and lost both times. At +1200 and 29 years old, this might be his best remaining window. Edmonton as a wild card team with elite star power is a classic dark horse profile.

Utah Mammoth: Playoff Hockey in Salt Lake City

Just their second season after relocating from Arizona, the Mammoth bring NHL playoff hockey to Salt Lake City for the first time. They face Vegas in Round 1 as underdogs, but the franchise is building momentum fast.

Maple Leafs Miss for First Time Since 2016

Toronto failing to qualify is one of the biggest stories of the regular season. The Leafs had the longest active playoff streak in the NHL before this season. Maple Leafs bettors who backed season-long futures took a significant loss.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

When do the 2026 NHL Playoffs start?

The 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs begin on Saturday, April 18, 2026. All first-round matchups are best-of-seven series. The Stanley Cup Final will conclude no later than June 21, 2026.

Who is favored to win the 2026 Stanley Cup?

The Colorado Avalanche are the betting favorites at +300 (bet $100 to win $400 total). They won the Presidents' Trophy for the best regular-season record. Tampa Bay Lightning (+450) and Carolina Hurricanes (+475) are the next closest.

What is puck line betting?

The puck line is hockey's version of the point spread, set at 1.5 goals. The favorite must win by 2+ goals to cover -1.5, while the underdog can lose by 1 and still cover +1.5. About 48% of NHL games are decided by 1 goal, making the puck line a high-impact bet.

Are there shootouts in the NHL Playoffs?

No. Unlike the regular season, there are no shootouts in the NHL Playoffs. Tied games continue with 20-minute sudden-death overtime periods until a goal is scored. This is important for bettors because marathon overtime games (sometimes 2-3 extra periods) happen every year.

How many teams make the NHL Playoffs?

16 teams qualify — 8 from each conference. The top 3 teams in each division make it automatically, plus 2 wild card teams per conference based on best remaining record. The format is a fixed bracket (no re-seeding) with four rounds of best-of-seven series.

Which team ended the longest playoff drought?

The Buffalo Sabres ended a 14-year playoff drought — the longest in NHL history at the time. They had not played a postseason game since 2011. Buffalo won the Atlantic Division and enters as +1700 to win the Cup.