Generic NHL Playoff Strategies to Keep in Mind:

1: Game 1′s and Elimination Games “Under” the total -with one exception

Again this is not a hard and fast rule in NHL betting and with the way the playoffs have started this season you’d be down multiple units strictly living by this rule. But the logic behind it is this; Game 1′s tend to start out tentative with each team going through the feeling out process. Neither team wants to start the series down 1-0 in the series and with many more meetings ahead coaches do like to play close to the vest. Showing everything you have in the series opener will hurt you later on in the series.

As far as the ‘unders’ in elimination games go, the thinking is quite similar as the both teams want to do everything they can to keep the puck out of their net. If it’s the team that’s trailing in the series they aren’t looking to dig themselves another hole to come out of to try and stay alive. The leading team knows they have to weather an early storm from the trailer and if they can do that then it becomes a game of trying to capitalize on mistakes during the counter attack.

Game 7′s are especially good for betting “unders’ as the “playing not to lose” mantra applies to both teams and you’ll generally see the refs keep the whistles in their pockets to avoid being the ones that decide the game.

The one exception to this rule that I use is to avoid playing ‘unders’ when a team is in position to get swept. Those games see the losing team come out like gangbusters to try and establish a lead and that leads to multiple chances for both sides.

2: Game 3′s Over the total

This is another general starting point I use and it tends to work best when the home team in Game 3 is either down 2-0 in the series or lost Game 2 to get an early split. Said team is at home because they finished with fewer points in the standings and after two games in hostile territory, they are excited to be back at home and anxious to get out in front. These teams are in attack mode right from the start and they not only get a lot of scoring chances they give up plenty as well.

3: Zig-Zag Theory

This is as basic as it sounds and it suggests you take the team that lost Game 1 in Game 2, the loser of Game 2 in Game 3 etc etc. This is not something I put a tremendous amount of stock in, but it’s something I never forget about.