As the NHL and NBA playoffs begin, teams from Detroit are favored
to win each championship - the Red Wings at roughly 3-1 and the Pistons
at even money.But if Hockeytown hopes to earn another sports title this year, the
Pistons better bring it home, according to Las Vegas handicapper
Patrick Bartucci.
Bartucci will be betting against the Red Wings and other
short-priced teams such as the Ottawa Senators and Dallas Stars in the
NHL playoffs.
He recommends backing four midrange, longer shots instead: the New
Jersey Devils and Buffalo Sabres from the Eastern Conference, and the
Calgary Flames and San Jose Sharks from the Western Conference.
"If I were to make a prediction now, I'd have New Jersey and San
Jose in the finals," Bartucci said. "And both are available at
double-digit odds (to win the Stanley Cup) as the playoffs begin."
As always, it's important to shop around for the best value, but in
recent days odds on the Devils and the Flames could be found in the 9-1
to 10-1 range, with the Sharks and Sabres as high as 15-1 to 18-1 to
win the NHL title.
The Sharks played exceptionally well in April and have been among
the best teams in hockey since trading for league scoring champ Joe
Thornton on Nov. 30. They're better than a 3-2 favorite in their
first-round series against Nashville.
The Flames could ride goalie Miikka Kiprusoff, the leading Vezina
Trophy candidate, deep into the playoffs, Bartucci said. Calgary is a
2-1 series favorite against Anaheim.
Bartucci likes the Devils - who won 10 games in a row heading into
the playoffs behind hot-handed goalie Martin Brodeur - as a 5-2
favorite against the New York Rangers in their best-of-seven series.
"The Rangers backed into the playoffs, and if you can stop (their
leading scorer) Jaromir Jagr, you can stop the Rangers," said Bartucci,
online at patricksfreepress.com. "I think teams have learned how to do
that."
The Sabres are 3-2 favorites in their first-round series against
Philadelphia, and Bartucci again finds value with the favorite. "Buffalo is a very aggressive team," he said. "The Flyers haven't
had a goalie since Pelle Lindbergh, so no matter who they start (in the
net) they're going to be at a disadvantage. Buffalo is an attack team
and they're going to be too much for Philadelphia's defense."
LAS VEGAS SUN
