This article is part of our NHL Picks series.
NHL Picks and Parlays: Expert NHL Bets for Tuesday, April 23
There are four more games on the National Hockey League playoff schedule for Tuesday night, with two games in the Eastern Conference, and two games in the Western Conference.
And let's get this out of the way quickly. Last night was a disaster, so hopefully if you tailed the picks from this column it wasn't too painful. That was absolute rock-bottom, and if you lost, take solace in the fact that I also gave quite a bit back. Things were looking pretty good for a while...until they weren't. The Islanders-Hurricanes game turned on a dime, as did the Maple Leafs-Bruins game, and then it just snowballed from there.
Let's get it back, and re-build that bankroll. The hockey playoffs are a marathon, not a sprint. Let's get (re-)started!
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Best NHL Picks Tonight
Washington Capitals 
at New York Rangers 
The Rangers opened the series Sunday with an emphatic 4-1 victory at Madison Square Garden to take the early 1-0 series lead.
There was no scoring in the first period, which was pleasing to Under (5.5). And, I am sure everybody had this on their playoffs bingo card, but Matt Rempe scored the first goal of the playoffs for the Rangers at 4:17 on assists to Jimmy Vesey and Barclay Goodrow. Rempe also had a charging penalty in Period 1, and that's more like it.
Just 33 seconds late in the second period, it was Artemi Panarin with the goal, and Vesey got his second point of the period at 6:23 against Charlie Lindgren to make it 3-0 before Washington got on the board.
If Goodrow and Vesey are going to have multi-point performances in these playoffs, even infrequently, it's going to be a long ride for the Blueshirts.
The Caps looked uncomfortable for two-thirds of the game, and the Rangers are worth backing in Game 2 on the puck line, as they look to push Washington back to the nation's capital in an 0-2 hole.
- Rangers PL (-1.5, +102 at FanDuel)
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Tampa Bay Lightning 
at Florida Panthers 
In the other Eastern Conference matchup, the Panthers eased by the Lightning 3-2 in Sunrise in Game 1. Puck-line bettors for Florida were beside themselves in the series opener.
In the third period, Florida took a 2-1 lead on Carter Verhaeghe's power-play goal. Matthew Tkachuk added an empty-net goal at 17:55 to make it 3-1. The Panthers looked to have a cover, but a cross-checking penalty to Verhaeghe gave Tampa Bay life with an extra attacker and the power play. Eventually, Steven Stamkos snapped one home at 19:50, slicing the lead to 3-2, but it was too little and too late to force overtime. But it did change the puck-line result.
Game 1 went to Florida, its fifth win in the past six meetings. The Under has a slight 3-2 edge in the past five meetings, while splitting 2-2 in the past four skates in Sunrise.
Backing Tampa Bay on the puck line is an expensive bet, but it makes plenty of sense. We could be in line for an overtime battle in Game 2.
- Lightning PL (+1.5, -175 at BetMGM)
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Colorado Avalanche 
at Winnipeg Jets 
The Avalanche and Jets had a wild 7-6 game, which went in favor of the Jets at Canada Life Centre in Game 1.
Valeri Nichushkin opened the scoring at 6:10 of the first period, then Josh Morrissey and Vladislav Namestnikov answered for the Jets. Miles Wood and Nathan MacKinnon answered back, before Mark Scheifele leveled things 3-3 heading into the room. That guaranteed an Over result after just 20 minutes, but the teams were far from done.
Adam Lowry got into the act with a pair of even-strength goals, before Kyle Connor scored on the power play to make it 6-3. The Avalanche got two power-play goals from Artturi Lehkonen and Cale Makar, bookending a Connor even-strength marker, making it 7-5 Winnipeg. Casey Mittelstadt scored with 30 seconds left to make things interesting, but the Jets held on for the wild 7-6 win.
Alexandar Georgiev allowed seven goals on just 23 shots, and Connor Hellebuyck was dinged for six goals on 46 shots.
Both tendies must be better in Game 2, and beyond. However, will they be? The past three meetings have seen the winning side score at least six goals, and the winning team in the past 10 in the series has scored at least four times.
The Over is 3-0-3 in the past six in the series, and 5-2-3 in the past 10. Until we see some semblance of defense, Over is easily the play, and you can get a flat 6 at a couple of shops still, although it is pricey.
- Over 6.5 (+105 at DraftKings)
Nashville Predators 
at Vancouver Canucks 
The Predators played the way they wanted against the Canucks in Game 1. It was a defensive, physical battle in Game 1. Nashville held a 2-1 lead heading into the final 20 minutes, then Vancouver fed off of its home crowd, notching two goals in a 12-second span, to make the Predators uncomfortable.
Dakota Joshua was an unlikely hero, notching the game-winning goal, and empty-net goal and three points. He also dished out a team-high six hits.
The Canucks are playing in front of a wild crowd, and that's the difference. In Game 2, it's not too expensive to back the home side straight up. You should do that.
- Canucks ML (-128 at FanDuel)
NHL Parlays Tonight
4-Way Big Parlay (+1001 at FanDuel)
- Rangers PL (-1.5, +102) vs. Capitals
- Lightning PL (+1.5, -178) at Panthers
- Over 6.5 (+100) - Avalanche at Jets
- Canucks ML (-134) vs. Predators
2-Way Eastern Conference Parlay (+215 at FanDuel)
- Rangers PL (-1.5, +102) vs. Capitals
- Lightning PL (+1.5, -178) at Panthers
2-Way Western Conference Parlay (+249 at FanDuel)
- Over 6.5 (+100) - Avalanche at Jets
- Canucks ML (-134) vs. Predators
