To prove that the NBA‘s top team getting knocked out of the playoffs wasn’t a fluke, the NHL did the same Sunday night.
The Florida Panthers, the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference who clinched a playoff spot when two other teams lost, shocked the hockey world by tying Game 7 late in regulation, then beating the top-seeded Boston Bruins 4-3 in overtime on Sunday night in Boston.
From a betting perspective, Boston was the heavy favorite to lift Lord Stanley’s Cup, dropping as low as +320 after taking a 3-1 series lead over the Panthers. They reached as low as +200 during their dominant regular season.
The Panthers knocking out the Bruins in a stunned TD Garden came four days after the No. 8 Miami Heat eliminated the NBA’s top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks in five games.
How shocking was the series’ result?
“The improbable has just happened here on Boston ice,” TNT announcer Darren Pang said.
The Bruins went into Sunday night’s game as heavy favorites to win (-227 at FOX Bet, bet $10 to win $14.41 total), while the Panthers closed at +170 to win.
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Carter Verhaeghe scored the game-winner 8 minutes, 35 seconds into overtime.
Florida’s stunner came after Boston scored three straight goals to take a 3-2 lead, and the Bruins were a minute from advancing.
With goalie Sergei Bobrovsky pulled for an extra skater, defenseman Brandon Montour tied it with a minute left in regulation.
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Florida winning in OT wasn’t a fluke this postseason – road teams are 11-3 in OT. And the Panthers and Bruins split their four regular-season games.
Besides members of the Panthers and their extended families, those celebrating Florida shocking Boston were bettors who predicted the Panthers winning in seven games (+800) and the series going seven games (+240).
– Boston was -320 to win the series at FOX Bet (bet $10 to win $13.13 total) entering the postseason. Florida was +250 (bet $10 to win $35 total).
– The Bruins were 65-12-5 (135 points in the regular season); the Panthers were 42-32-8, 92 points.
– The Bruins cruised to the Presidents’ Trophy for most points in the regular season (135, at least 22 more than every other team).
– The Bruins set a single-season record for wins (65) and eclipsed the 1976-77 Montreal Canadiens‘ mark of 132 points.
– The Panthers were eight points out of a playoff spot after Christmas.
– Boston was 40-7-3 in Eastern Conference play this season.
– The Bruins scored three straight goals to lead 3-2 with just under eight minutes left in the third period.
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