2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs Round 2 Trends: Shorter Series and Less Scoring

The second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs has come to a close. Only one series went the distance and we saw another sweep like we did in Round 1.

The trends for the second round are in. It’s time to take a look at what might be worth betting on in the Conference Finals. Certain trends have carried over from Round 1 to Round 2, so it is possible we see them continue even further.

2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs 2nd Round Trends

• Home teams went 12-10 in the second round
• The Over went 9-13 in the second round
• Favorites went 13-9 in the second round
• Only 1 out of 4 series required 7 games to crown a winner
• Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl had points in every game of Round 2 for Edmonton
• The Florida Panthers scored 1 goal or less in every game of Round 2

What Did We Learn in Round 2?

Home Teams are Still Hard to Beat

Home ice advantage has been the story in these playoffs. The trend carried over from Round 1, and the only series to have a home losing record was the St. Louis vs. Colorado series.

The record was not as impressive as Round 1, as the first saw a mark of 32-19. However, half of the total home losses in the second round took place in a single series.

In the Carolina Hurricanes vs. New York Rangers series, the home team won the first six games. In Game 7 the trend was broken, and the Rangers took the series victory on the road.

Less Goals as Better Teams Move On

As teams start to advance, better goaltending has been shown. This was evident in the Florida vs. Tampa Bay series. All games in that series went under the total goals line. Florida only managed 3 goals in 4 games and never scored more than 1 in any game.

Only one series saw a winning Over record. The Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers hit the Over 4 out of 5 times.

The four goaltenders remaining in the playoffs don’t give up many goals, and this Under trend is expected to continue as we get deeper into the playoff bracket.

Favorites With Another Winning Record

Even though 3 out of the 4 number 1 seeds were eliminated in Round 2, the betting favorites were victorious.

As most of the series got into the later games, favorites were shifting based on home ice advantage and previous results. This resulted in seeing the favorites win more of the later games to hold the trend through the first two rounds.

McDavid and Draisaitl are Dangerous Weapons

Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl had points in every game of Round 2 against Calgary. They combined for 5 goals and 24 assists. against the Flames.

Draisaitl, alone, had 15 assists in the series. He had at least 2 helpers in every game to send his team to the Conference Final for the first time since 2006. McDavid scored the overtime winner in Game 5 to clinch the series for Edmonton.

Conference Finals Trend Predictions

We will not see as many goals in the Conference Finals. Teams did not get to this point without solid goaltending and defense. The Under is the bet for each series.

The teams with home ice advantage in the Conference Finals are a combined 9-3 at home during the postseason. The home teams should have a major advantage as we get later into the playoffs. Expect the home trend to continue for the 3rd straight round.

The favorite will likely be the teams who are playing at home. With the expected home trend to continue, the favorites will also have the upper hand.

Edmonton will continue to get production from their top two goal scorers. If you are looking for prop bets in this round, bet on McDavid and Draisaitl to continue their hot playoff streaks.

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