The Anaheim Ducks (57-24-2-5) have been the best team here in the postseason by every metric imaginable. They'll be facing a stern test up at the Saddledome on Tuesday night though, as they are facing a very desperate Calgary Flames (49-34-4-3) outfit in Game 3 of this best-of-seven set.
ODDS ANALYSIS
The poor Flames have been mauled in this series, and it has gotten to the point that we know no matter what happens, they won't be favored in any game the rest of the way. That said, they have to win four of the next five as dogs, and we expect the margin to be around +130 or so on Tuesday night.
That might seem excessive for a home team, but remember that Anaheim was dominant as both a -188 favorite and a -208 favorite in Games 1 and 2.
GOALIE REPORT
It really has been a relatively easy series for Frederik Andersen. Heck, Andersen has only faced 172 shots in six playoff games, a testament to just how good his defense has been in front of him. Andersen did have a couple stern tests in Winnipeg in the opening round of the playoffs, and though those were some vulnerable games, he still managed to get victories in each.
QUOTE TO NOTE
"I don't think by any stretch of the imagination this was a dominant effort for us. We stopped working as hard as we did in the first period, and they created a lot of havoc in our end. The pace of the game was an awful lot faster. That's what Calgary can bring, and they brought it." – Ducks head coach Bruce Boudreau, chastising his team for the way it played the latter stages of Game 2 at home
SITUATIONAL BETTING
Even though Anaheim has been a third period team all season long, it’s been the first period in which it’s shined in this series. The Ducks have scored first and have scored early in the opening stanza in both games against the Flames to date, proof that the best time to do live betting on Anaheim might be right when the puck drops.
PROP TALK
Johnny Gaudreau has been kept dead silent in this series. He only has a total of two shots on 38 shifts, and has yet to find his way onto the stat sheet.
However, at home against Vancouver is when he really shined in the opening round of the playoffs. Five of his six points were tallied in the three home games, including both of his goals. Perhaps the time is here for the rookie to really step up his game. We aren't ones to bet against him in this one.
ANALYSIS & PREDICTION
It's so hard to envision the Flames winning a single game in this series, but we also know that the odds are going to be on their side to do so.
Calgary has too good of a team and is too good of a home team in particular to cave in and get swept. The "Sea of Flames" in Calgary should come to help out its team, and we think the end result is going to be a really exciting Game 3.
Calgary 5, Anaheim 4
The NHL lines for this Tuesday game will first be available at BookMaker Sportsbook. Minute-by-minute puck-lines, totals, moneylines and props are available for this game using the live betting platform at BookMaker.
Load your betting bankroll from your smartphone or tablet with BookMaker's new cashier feature! Depositing and withdrawing funds from your account has never been easier. BookMaker's live betting platform means you always have access to odds and lines to every sporting event. Click here, and start wagering today! Game 3 of this series between the Anaheim Ducks and the Calgary Flames will commence on Tuesday, May 5, 2015 at 9:30 p.m. ET at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The contest will be broadcast nationally on USA.
