Saturday, April 22 NHL Playoff Picks

The NHL Playoffs continue on Saturday, April 22 with three games on TBS and one on ABC. All of the series will be shifting locations, as the first two games were held at the home of the top seed. The next two games of the series will now be held at the home of the lower seed. The Vegas Golden Knights visit the Winnipeg Jets in a matinee game on TBS, the Toronto Maple Leafs visit the Tampa Bay Lightning on TBS, the New York Rangers visit the New Jersey Devils on ABC and the Colorado Avalanche visit the Seattle Kraken on TBS. Let’s look at Saturday, April 22 NHL Playoff picks.

Check out the latest NHL Playoff odds at BetRivers.

NHL Playoff Schedule – Saturday, April 22, 2023

Game 3 – Vegas Golden Knights at Winnipeg Jets, 4 pm Eastern – TBS

Game 3 – Toronto Maple Leafs at Tampa Bay Lightning – 7 pm Eastern – TBS

Game 3 – New York Rangers at New Jersey Devils – 8 pm Eastern – ABC

Game 3 – Colorado Avalanche at Seattle Kraken – 10 pm Eastern – TBS

Vegas Golden Knights

The Vegas Golden Knights visit the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday in Game 3 of their series. Did you know that the Golden Knights finished the regular season with the fewest road losses in regulation of any NHL team? Vegas was simply an outstanding road team during the regular season and I see no reason that won’t continue on Saturday. There is no doubt that the crowd will be going crazy in Winnipeg on Saturday afternoon, but Vegas is the better team and they are an excellent road squad. I expect Vegas to play really well in the two games in Winnipeg and the Golden Knights may very well sweep the two games in Winnipeg.

Vegas has won just four of the last 10 at Winnipeg but the Golden Knights changed that narrative this season, as they won 6-5 at Winnipeg back in mid-December. Five of the last seven meetings at Winnipeg have gone under the total.

I know that Winnipeg shocked Vegas in Game 1 of this series in Vegas, but perhaps the Jets were a little bit underrated coming into the series. I also think it may take a couple of games for Vegas captain Mark Stone to get back into playing shape, as he was out for a long time before returning in Game 1. There also won’t be as much pressure on Vegas now that they head out on the road and I expect them to play really well in Winnipeg. I’ll take the Golden Knights on Saturday.

Colorado Avalanche

The Colorado Avalanche visit the Seattle Kraken in Game 3 of their series on Saturday night. We mentioned earlier that the Golden Knights had the fewest regulation losses on the road of any NHL team. Do you know which team had the most road wins of any team in the league? That’s right, the Colorado Avalanche. Colorado was excellent on the road this season and despite Seattle finishing in a playoff spot, they were not that good at home. The Kraken finished with just 20 home wins, fewest among any team that made the playoffs.

Did you know that the Avalanche are 10-3 in their last 13 games playing on 1 day of rest? Did you know that before Thursday’s game, the road team was 4-0 in the last 4 meetings? The teams have met three times previously in Seattle and Colorado has won two of the three meetings.

I think Seattle was taken a little bit lightly by Colorado in Game 1 of this series and I don’t think that will be the case going forward. The Avalanche still have the best players in this series in Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar and Mikko Rantanen and despite what Grubauer did in Game 1, I am not sold he can continue to play at a high level throughout this series. Colorado’s offense is going to get going and I expect the Avalanche to win both road games in Seattle.

Check out the latest NHL Playoff odds at BetRivers.