Semi Final Preview

Welcome to the playoffs! The regular season is in the rearview mirror, and the stakes couldn't be higher. We have two incredible Semi-Final matchups on deck. One features a classic David vs. Goliath storyline, while the other is a heavyweight rubber match between two teams that genuinely don't like each other.

Let's dive into the Vegas-style betting lines and see how the oddsmakers are breaking down the action.

Game 1: (1) Wolves vs. (4) Polars

The Vegas Lines 💰

• The Spread: Wolves (-4.5)

• Moneyline: Wolves -350 | Polars +275

• Over/Under: 21.5 Goals

The Bookmaker's Logic 🧠

• The Matchup: The Wolves are the undisputed Kings of the regular season. They are an offensive juggernaut, coming off a 17-12 victory over the second-place Muskies. The Polars, on the other hand, are the Cinderella story of Week 9. They shocked the Bucks 11-8 to build some serious momentum heading into the playoffs.

• The Wolves Factor: Depth, depth, and more depth. The Wolves don't rely on just one guy. If you shut down Richard Haan, Chase Forsythe, Kent Radbourne (who dropped 5 goals and 2 assists last week) or Kyle Rushton (who had a 4-assist night) others will step up. The Wolves have 7 players in the top 15 scorers this year. Oddsmakers set lines by factoring in team strength and historical performance; the Wolves' consistent dominance makes them massive favorites.

• The Polars Factor: Can lightning strike twice? The Polars' hopes rest squarely on the shoulders of Carter Teneycke. He put up an unbelievable 10 points (8 goals, 2 assists) last week. But asking him to do that against the Wolves' defense—and Goalie Josh Doiron—is a tall order.

• The Spread & Total: In lacrosse betting, point spreads are used to level the playing field between mismatched teams. A 4.5-goal spread is huge for a playoff game, but the Wolves have been clearing lines like this all season. The Over/Under is set at a moderate 21.5, respecting the Wolves' firepower but questioning if the Polars can contribute enough to push it over.

Game 2: (2) Muskies vs. (3) Bucks

The Vegas Lines 💰

• The Spread: Muskies (-1.5)

• Moneyline: Muskies -135 | Bucks +115

• Over/Under: 22.5 Goals

The Bookmaker's Logic 🧠

• The Matchup: This is the game everyone is circling. These two teams split their regular-season meetings in dramatic fashion. The Muskies took the first one, but the Bucks stunned them with a 12-9 upset back in Week 8.

• The Muskies Factor: They have the star power. Shane Halliwell is a walking highlight reel, and Dylan Gillespie (who had 4 goals last week) provides the perfect secondary scoring punch. They score in bunches, but their defense just gave up 17 goals to the Wolves. They need to tighten up if they want to advance.

• The Bucks Factor: The Bucks are the ultimate wild card. They looked like world-beaters when they took down the Muskies, and have given the Wolves their only loss of the season back in week 1, BUT they then laid an egg against the last-place Polars in Week 9. They absolutely must stay out of the penalty box against the Muskies' lethal power play. The Campbell brothers need to come out with a big week with support from Matt Waters, Justin Cruz and Aaron Jackson.

• The Spread & Total: Oddsmakers engineer these lines to attract equal betting action on both sides. Setting the Muskies as slight -1.5 favorites reflects their higher seed and overall offensive talent, but acknowledges the Bucks' recent head-to-head victory. The 22.5 Total anticipates a fast-paced, back-and-forth shootout.