Hockey Betting - Tuesday Night NHL Playoff Pick

The hockey betting season may end Tuesday night for the Carolina Hurricanes. Down three games to none, they must now attempt a feat only three North American sports teams have accomplished—two in hockey, one in baseball, none in basketball betting—and win four straight. Do they have a hope?

Penguins vs Hurricanes odds—Game 4 Tuesday, May 26 at 7:35 p.m. ET
Bet online hockey lines: Penguins -130, Hurricanes +110

It's amazing what a week can do to a team's NHL betting prospects. The Hurricanes looked like the championship team from 2006 over the first two rounds of betting sports, outlasting the Devils and squeaking past the Bruins in a war. The problem: back-to-back seven game wars burnt them out and their perpetual problem—seriously weak blueline depth—is more prevalent than ever in the Penguins vs Hurricanes odds. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin have absolutely terrorized the hapless 'Canes so far in this series; Crosby has five points in three games while Malkin has been just out of his mind, with a whopping six goals and nine points in three games. Worse yet for Carolina, Pens coach Dan Bylsma is double shifting his superstars.

In theory, Carolina should at least bounce back and win one game in this hockey betting series, but that won't happen, and here's why: first, the Hurricanes have to stop Crosby and Malkin. While that theoretically would happen at least once during a seven-game series, that implies that the Pittsburgh opponent has someone up to the task. The 'Canes have no true shutdown defender and Rod Brind'Amour at center is a shadow of what he was even two years ago. Carolina simply has no answer and had to win Game 3 to have any confidence in Game 4. This series is over and the Hurricanes know it.

Online bet: Penguins -130