With the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs reaching a crescendo, there are plenty of betting opportunities for each game. Our experts -- Emily Kaplan, Chris Peters, Ben Arledge and Greg Wyshynski -- will be here each day throughout the Stanley Cup Final, giving their best bets for that evening's game.
Game 3 puck line odds: Bruins +1.5 (-300), Blues -1.5 (+250) Game 3 over/under: 5 goals
Wyshynski: The Blues are 0-3 in Game 3s this postseason, including two losses at home. The Bruins are 1-2 in Game 3, with both losses on the road. Why go Bruins here? Well, it's going to be a series of adjustments, and I think the Bruins will course correct after the Blues really controlled the forecheck in Game 2. I think having six defensemen again will make a difference, as will the Blues losing center Oskar Sundqvist to suspension, which guts their fourth line. And you can't keep Patrice Bergerondown forever. I fully expect a 2-2 series headed back to Boston, but I like the Bruins in Game 3.
Pick: Bruins ML to win +100
Peters: The emotions of the first home Stanley Cup Final game in 49 years for the Blues are going to be difficult to contend with, but both teams are going to be down players in this game. The Bruins' defensive situation is pretty concerning, as they lack depth in that department and got exposed a bit as Game 2 wore on. Matt Grzelcyk is not an insignificant loss, nor is Oskar Sundqvist, who was suspended. The war of attrition that is the postseason is more than just a cliché at this late stage. In the Bruins' first two series of the playoffs, they struggled in Game 3s on the road and also had their toughest matchup of the Eastern Conference final in Game 3, though they ultimately won. Even though the Blues have been vulnerable in Game 3s this postseason, I like their chances a little better this time around. With the atmosphere and adrenaline pumping through St. Louis, I fully expect the Blues to start fast and hang on in a tight game.
Pick: Blues to win and the under Stanley Cup Final series picks
Wyshynski: It's almost charming that after one of the most unpredictable Stanley Cup playoffs in recent memory, the championship round pits the two teams playing the best hockey in the postseason against each other. No Cinderellas. No juggernauts. Just good regular-season teams that are rolling at the right time. What's fun about this series is how similar these teams have looked in the past couple of rounds: rolling four lines, getting exemplary goaltending, winning the special-teams battles and paying the physical toll. That said, I like the Blues (+145) to win the series in six games. Boston has home ice, but the Blues have won two of their three series without it, going 7-2 with a plus-9 goal differential. They're peaking at the right time.
Peters: There are some valid concerns about the Bruins having an 11-day layoff, but their seven-game winning streak heading into the break is far more telling about their play. Should Boston come out flat against the Blues early in Game 1, it would matter a little bit, as it makes that game harder to win. But there hasn't been an instance in this postseason when the Blues looked totally vulnerable. They're healthy and locked in. That's especially true of goaltender Tuukka Rask, whom I view as the X factor in the series. As good of a story as Jordan Binnington has been, Rask has been the better and more consistent goaltender this postseason and has played in a Stanley Cup Final before. I think the Blues will give Boston absolutely everything they have, as they're coming in hot too. But I think experience matters, and the Bruins have a lot of it. Bruins in seven.
Kaplan: I like the Bruins in seven, and I think this one will be a slugfest. A good power play isn't essential for a Stanley Cup run (Boston's PP actually wasn't very good in the 2011 playoffs), but let's note that Boston's man-advantage unit is going at a historic pace. Rask has been unbelievable, and yes, the 11 days between games might affect him most, but I can't imagine that the veteran will be fazed by it. While both teams have all four lines clicking, Boston's top line is more dangerous and has the capacity to steal games single-handedly.
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2019 Stanley Cup Final: Best bets for Game 3
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