NHL Playoffs 2019: Latest Stanley Cup Odds and Predictions for Saturday Games

The field of potential Stanley Cup winners continues to dwindle after another team was eliminated from the NHL playoffs on Friday night.

The Calgary Flames, the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, lost and were thus eliminated as the Colorado Avalanche won their series in five games to advance to the second round. Calgary joins the Tampa Bay Lightning and Pittsburgh Penguins among the eliminated teams.

On Saturday, another team could be eliminated, as the St. Louis Blues host the Winnipeg Jets with a 3-2 series lead. The Jets need back-to-back wins to avoid a first-round exit.

Entering the postseason, the Lightning were the popular pick to win the Stanley Cup after their historic regular season, during which they won a record-equaling 62 games. However, they were swept by the Columbus Blue Jackets, leaving a wide-open championship race.

Latest Odds to Win Stanley Cup

Columbus 13-2
N.Y. Islanders 7-1
Vegas 15-2
Washington 8-1
St. Louis 10-1
Nashville 11-1
Colorado 14-1
Toronto 14-1
Boston 17-1
Winnipeg 22-1
Carolina 25-1
Dallas 25-1
San Jose 30-1

Odds via Oddschecker.

Saturday Schedule, Odds (All Times ET)

Game 5: Dallas +130 (bet $100 to win $130) at Nashville -145 (bet $145 to win $100), 3 p.m., NBC

Game 6: Winnipeg +125 at St. Louis -140, 7 p.m., NBC Sports Network

Game 5: Carolina +120 at Washington -135, 8 p.m., NBC

Odds via Caesars.

Saturday Predictions

Nashville over Dallas

Tony Gutierrez/Associated Press

The Nashville Predators had a 2-1 series lead heading into Game 4 on the road against the Dallas Stars. They lost 5-1, and they will look to get back on top when they play host for Game 5. Expect them to do just that.

Each of the first three games in this series were decided by one goal, and Game 5 should return to being competitive. But Nashville will be advancing to the second round for the fourth straight season, and taking this game will move the Preds one win away from doing so.

However, the Stars will continue to play close games, which is exactly what the Predators are expecting.

"They've made it as difficult as they can for us," Nashville center Ryan Johansen said, according to The Tennessean's Joe Rexrode. "You've got to give some credit to them for sure, the way they've played the game as a team defensively. They've made it challenging for us, and it's our job to find a way to create more now."

St. Louis over Winnipeg

Jeff Roberson/Associated Press

The Jets will be the fourth team eliminated from this year's NHL playoffs when they fall to the Blues in St. Louis on Saturday night.

In each of the first five games of this series, the road team has been victorious. According to the Associated Press (h/t ESPN.com), this is the first time that has happened in 15 years and only the fourth time in NHL history. Also, there has never been a best-of-seven series in which the first six games have all been won by the visiting team.

St. Louis will end the road streak when it secures a series victory on its home ice.

"It's bizarre," Blues center Brayden Schenn said, according to NHL.com's Tim Campbell. "You fight for home ice all year, and this far in the playoffs, it hasn't made a difference. We're looking forward to getting in front of our fans on home ice. It's been a tough series so far. [A] lot of one-goal games. It's been tight."

Washington over Carolina

Karl B DeBlaker/Associated Press

Unlike St. Louis-Winnipeg, this series has been dominated by the home team. The Washington Capitals won the first two games at Capital One Arena, then the Carolina Hurricanes evened the series with back-to-back wins in Games 3 and 4 at PNC Arena.

Prior to last year, this would most often be the point when Washington couldn't bounce back and would go on to get eliminated. But the defending Stanley Cup champions have better postseason experience under their belts now, and they will rely on that to regain control of this series.

"It's a wake-up call for all of us," Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin said, according to Mike Vogel of the team's website. "We can't be one guy who is going to make a save or score a goal. You have to go out there and play your game. If you don't want to do it, don't play."

Ovechkin will make some big plays and power Washington to a Game 5 victory.