NHL Playoffs: Stanley Cup Pick and Predictions – Boston Bruins at Chicago Blackhawks Game One
I’ve addressed everything I’m looking for in my analysis of the game with an earlier post inside the community that I will include below, but I haven’t looked into the Z-CODE output, and that’s what we’ll analyze here. If you want my thoughts on the game, see our series post below, as that’s all I’ll be looking at Game One for. Going low confidence and feeling out the matchup…
Z-Code doesn’t give much of a ML signal, with a nearly coin-flip output and 2 stars value on the dog, one star on the Hawks at home. The strongest signal from z-code, as has been through the playoffs with these teams, is the underdog +1.5 line. Personally, this is a line I rarely use, but it does seem to have value here.
Inside the community, the under looks to be popular as well.
Following the computer: Bruins +1.5
Following me: Boston very low confidence ML
Following community: Under 5
Bruins 2 – Blackhawks 1
Very low confidence
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NHL Playoffs, Stanley Cup Series Prediction: Boston Bruins Vs Chicago Blackhawks
I’m just going to break this down in a point by point analysis for the concerns on this game that I have… I don’t feel strongly one way or the other, but I’ll surely be on the Stanley Cup. I’m on the Bruins, and I’ll be going small here. It’s been a great playoffs, we had a spectacular first two rounds, we hit three of the final four teams, and we’re up pretty big. For me, that’s what it’s all about, and shameful as it is, this series is all about the thrill for me. Boston holds a special place in my hockey heart after their SC win over the Canucks helped my sports journalism connections really take off; a bold prediction where we got everything right, from the number of games to the winner to the riots after in Vancouver led to many new and wonderful opportunities for me.
1. Tuukka Rask: The guy just shut down the best offense in hockey in historic fashion. No goalie is hotter, and no goalie has proven themselves more. He’s on fire, and he’s not someone I feel comfortable betting against… so why not support him in case he stays on this run?
2. Depth and physicality: The Bruins have built their team around depth and physicality. They have four strong lines, but no true top line. They have a full defensive group that shows no weaknesses. They grind and grind and grind… they wear teams out. I think they’re bigger and meaner than the Blackhawks.
3. Chicago is tired. I think if you had to pick one team that’s more exhausted, it’s the Hawks. If you want to talk about “lucky comebacks” against the Maple Leafs, you can’t forget the Blackhawks three games to one comeback against the Red Wings. They were done, but somehow came back… I think they spent a ton of energy, whereas the Bruins have cruised through their last two series.
4. Kane and Toews; These guys are stone cold. They’re not producing at the clip that the BLackhawks needed when they last won the Cup, and they’re being targeted. If you look over every series so far, Toews has been the victim of cheap shots and aggressive checking. You have to wonder how healthy he is, and how much he has left in the tank. I think these guys are burnt out.
That’s really all I’ve got. It’s enough for a low confidence play… Blackhawks are deep and were the hottest team in the NHL for most of the year, but I like the way Boston matches up. Not much else to say… don’t go too big here and don’t be sucked in by the lure of the Stanley Cup Finals. Don’t overbet!
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