Game 4 of the Eastern Conference NHL playoff betting semi-finals between the Montreal Canadiens and the Pittsburgh Penguins will be gut check time for the Habs. Montreal has been the Cinderella of this year’s NHL postseason betting so far but it looks like the clock is getting closer to striking midnight and if the Habs don’t win Game 4 at home it all but assures the team’s exit from the NHL playoff odds action.
It’s never easy playing against the defending Stanley Cup betting champs (the Pittsburgh Penguins in this case) but the Canadiens can win this hockey betting matchup. The winning strategy for this team is no secret as it begins and ends with goal keeper Jaroslav Halak. Halak single-handed shut down the potent Washington Capitals attack in the first round of the NHL betting playoffs sending Alex Ovechkin Niklas Backstrom home early.
But so far Halak hasn’t been as effective against the NHL playoff betting wizened Penguins. This NHL postseason betting series has been far from a blowout but there is little doubt in the sports betting community that the Penguins have been the better team throughout. The Pens took games 1 and 3 but were stymied in Game 2 of this playoff betting series.
The Habs will have to go back to drawing board and duplicate that same success in Game 4 on Friday. The only problem is the Pens can go back to that same hockey betting drawing board and fix their mistakes. Pittsburgh has the definite advantage when it comes to making NHL playoff adjustments and has the advantage in general simply because it has superior talent.
And that brings the hockey betting equation back to square one, which Halak beating the Pens beating the Pens with his superb goaltending. The Habs will win or lose depending on his Halak tends the net. But as we saw in Game 3, Pittsburgh can win in a low scoring battle. The margin of error for Halak is miniscule and if the past few games in this hockey betting series are any indication he’ll have to pitch a shutout for the Canadiens to win.
