Sabres Edge Canadiens In Cup Odds, Hurricanes Lurk

The market is giving Buffalo a slight nod against Montreal, and that tells you where the smart money thinks this series starts. The Sabres are drawing the kind of respect that usually comes only after a team has made people pay attention the hard way. But the Hurricanes are waiting on the other side, which means one matchup is just the opening act for a bracket that can turn ugly fast. In this league, a tiny edge in the odds can look a lot like a warning label once the games start.