Mikko Rantanen is quickly becoming the story of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
The twice-traded superstar scored and added two assists in Dallas’ 5-2 win over the Winnipeg Jets in Game 3, giving him six points in the first three games of this series (4G, 2A) and 18 in the first 10 of the playoffs.
Rantanen and the Stars are -160 favorites for Tuesday’s Game 4 in Dallas.
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Stars vs. Jets Game 4 betting preview
Rantanen was the difference-maker in Game 3, but the Stars as a whole did a terrific job of getting quality looks against Connor Hellebuyck and the Jets.
After generating 18 high-danger scoring chances at 5-on-5 combined in Games 1 and 2, the Stars created 16 of them in Game 3. Winnipeg tallied just seven.
It was the first time in this series that a game felt lopsided, as the two teams essentially split the scoring chances down the middle at 5-on-5 in the first two contests.
The onus is now on the Jets to make some adjustments in order to protect the good parts of the ice better.
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Stars vs. Jets Game 4 pick
Winnipeg did a solid job defensively in Games 1 and 2, holding Dallas to just two goals and 4.42 expected goals at 5-on-5.
The wheels came off the Jets in Game 3, so now I’d expect Winnipeg to do everything it can to keep its defensive structure in Game 4.
That could lead to a stodgy start, with both teams putting an emphasis on keeping things tidy out of the gate.
The deeper you get into a series, the harder it is to find time and space on the ice because the two teams now know one another’s tendencies, style, and strategies. That makes bets correlated with the Under worth a hard look, and I landed on the first period to end nil-nil at better than +400.
The Play: 1P Under 0.5 goals (+410, Bet365)
Why Trust New York Post Betting
Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry. He loves using game theory to help punters win bracket pools, find long shots, and learn how to beat the market in mainstream and niche sports.
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