NHL Daily Gambling Preview – 1/6/22

The Leafs game was a huge sweat but I swept the board last night going 3-0, winning 5 units. Huge ten game @NHL slate tonight to keep this incredible run rolling!!!

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Sabres vs. Sharks (7:00)

My Sabres suck. They’re 10-17-6, losing their last four game with three losses coming out of the break to the Devils, Islanders and Bruins. They’re averaging only 2.64 goals per game, seventh fewest in the NHL and allowing the fifth most goals in hockey, 3.49 goals per game. The Sharks come into this game with a 17-16-1 record, with a 2-2 record out of the break, off of pretty high scoring losses in Detroit (6-2) and Pittsburgh (8-5). Their offense isn’t producing a whole lot either, averaging 2.79 goals per game and allowing an average of 3.15 goals per game. I kind of like the Sharks here but not enough to bet on them, especially with Adin Hill starting in goal. What I will bet on this game though is half a unit on the alternate over 5.5.

Bruins vs. Wild (7:00)

The Wild were having a very good season and still are a very respectable 19-10-2 record. They’ve gotten hit with injury issues recently though, losing their last five straight games and can’t catch a break now that they have guys going on covid protocol too. Tonight Eriksson Ek, Spurgeon, Greenway, Bjugstad and Duhaime are all out of the lineup. Brodin returns and they have their 2019 and 2020 first round draft picks Matthew Boldy and Marco Rossi, the top two prospects in their organization making their debuts tonight. On the season they’ve been very good when healthy. The Wild are averaging a third most in the NHL, 3.65 goals per game and allowing an average of 3.1 goals per game. The Bruins are 17-10-2 coming out of the break with three straight wins against Buffalo, Detroit and NJ. They’re averaging 2.9 goals per game but they’re playing great defensively, allowing a seventh fewest 2.59 goals per game. If these teams were both completely healthy, I’d probably be on the Wild but with all of the guys out for the Wild, I’m taking the Bruins here for half a unit.

Lightning vs. Flames (7:00)

I hammered the Lightning on Tuesday night against Columbus and that win came so easily as they crushed Columbus 7-2, getting off their three game losing streak where they dropped back to back games against the Rangers and Florida. The Bolts are one of the top teams in the NHL with a 22-8-5 record and they’re 11-3-3 at home. Tampa’s averaging 3.26 goals per game, ninth most in the NHL and they’re allowing an average of 2.86 goals per game. Calgary’s been very good too. They’re 17-8-6, with two wins in their last three games coming out of the break, most recently getting crushed 6-2 in Florida on Tuesday night (double winner for me there too). They’re averaging 3.16 goals per game and allowing the second fewest goals in the league, only 2.36 per game. I’d lean Tampa and the over here but not strongly enough to make a bet on either of those, so I’m skipping this game completely. This should be the most fun game on the slate to watch tonight.

Devils vs. Blue Jackets (7:00)

The pretty lousy NJ Devils came out of the Christmas break pretty hot with three straight wins against the Sabres, Oilers and Capitals before losing 5-3 to the Bruins on Tuesday night (winner). They’re 13-16-5, averaging only 2.88 goals per game, while allowing the sixth most goals in hockey, an average of 3.44 goals per game. That doesn’t look great, but they’ve played decent hockey lately. The Blue Jackets on the other hand have been atrocious. They’re 15-15-1 and only have three wins in their last 13 games. They’re missing their top defenseman Zach Werenski making their already terrible defense, that’s allowing a fifth most 3.58 goals per game even worse. They have been able to score pretty well though, averaging 3.16 goals per game. The first time these teams played this season, the Jackets won 4-3 on Halloween in a shootout. I like the Devils to be able to score pretty easily on the Jackets tonight while Columbus scores a few themselves. I’ll take NJ for half a unit and the over in this game for a unit.

Flyers vs. Penguins (7:00)

Last night the Penguins rallied with four unanswered goals (three in the third period) to beat the Blues 5-3. That was the Pens ninth straight win, giving them a 19-8-5 record on the season. They’re likely starting Tristan Jarry tonight who came in late in the second period last night and didn’t give up a goal. Jarry’s surprisingly one of the best goaltenders in the NHL this season with a 1.89 GAA and .934 save percentage, leading the Penguins to allowing the fifth least goals in the NHL, an average of 2.5 goals per game. Their offense has been firing on all cylinders as well, averaging 3.22 goals per game, eleventh most in the NHL. They have a pretty easy matchup tonight in the second battle of Pennsylvania of the season. The Flyers haven’t been good this season, coming into this game with three straight losses in Cali to Anaheim, LA and SJ. They’re 13-14-6, averaging only 2.61 goals per game, sixth fewest in the NHL and allowing an average of 3.24 goals per game. They’re severely depleted and have several key injuries and guys on the COVID list, missing all of these players tonight: Sean Couturier, Ryan Ellis, Claude Giroux, Travis Konecny, Ivan Provorov and Travis Sanheim. I can’t see the remaining team keeping up with how great the Penguins are playing lately. I’ll take the Penguins in regulation here for 2 units along with a 1.5 unit parlay on the ML with the Avs ML that pays even money.

Stars vs. Panthers (8:30)

Florida’s one of the top teams in the NHL with an impressive 22-7-4 record this season. They’ve won their last four straight games coming out of the break including against very good Rangers, Tampa and Calgary teams. The Panthers are averaging the second most goals in the NHL, 3.85 per game and allowing an average of 2.88 per game. Dallas, who’s 15-12-2 on the season hasn’t played a game since December 20th and are back in action at home tonight, where they have an 11-3-1 record. They’re a hard team to gauge, averaging 2.79 goals per game, tenth fewest in the NHL and allowing an average of 2.9 goals per game. I like Florida to pull off the road win here and will take them for a unit along with a half unit on the alternate over 6.

Avalanche vs. Jets (9:00)

Both these teams have back to back wins to come out of the break, but I think the talent between them is quite far apart. Colorado’s 19-8-2 with seven wins in their last eight games. They have by the far the highest scoring offense in the NHL, averaging 4.21 goals per game. They’re giving up the tenth most goals in the league, 3.31 per game on average but that doesn’t really seem to be effecting them when they just outscore any issues they have. Winnipeg is on a three game win streak coming into tonight and have a 16-11-5 record on the season. Their offense is averaging 2.94 goals per game but they’re allowing the eleventh fewest in the league, an average of 2.72 per game. I like the Avs to win this one and I’ll just ride out the ML parlay I have here with the Penguins. I looked at the Avs regulation line and the over but neither really entice me all that much.

Coyotes vs. Blackhawks (9:00)

This is pretty much the toilet bowl between two shit teams. The Yotes are the worst team in the NHL with a 6-22-3 record, losing both games they played out of the break with shockingly different game flows, losing 8-7 to the Sharks and then 3-1 to the Jets. They’re scoring the fewest goals in the NHL, an average of 2.06 per game and allowing the most, an average of 3.77 per game. Chicago isn’t much better. The Hawks are 11-17-5, coming into this game on a five game losing streak. They’re averaging the third fewest in the league, an average of 2.24 per game and allowing the eighth most, 3.39 goals per game. The first time these teams played in Chicago, the Blackhawks won 2-1. I’d lean the Blackhawks are the better team here and should win but no chance I’m laying -160 on them. I’d also lean the under but not enough to bet on it between two of the worst defenses in the NHL. Just skipping this game.

Golden Knights vs. Rangers (10:00)

This should be a fun game. The Golden Knights are 23-13-1 on the season but have gotten hit with some more injuries, losing three of their last five games. The Knights are averaging 3.5 goals per game, fourth most in the NHL but allowing an average of 3.06 per game. The Rangers are on fire, winning their last three games and they have a 22-8-4 record on the season. They’re averaging 2.91 goals per game and allowing the fourth fewest goals in hockey, an average of 2.47 per game. That can mainly be attributed to Igor Shesterkin (2.09 GAA, .936 save percentage) top notch goaltending. If Shesterkin starts tonight (currently projected), I’d lean the Rangers here but I don’t have a big enough lean on it tonight to bet this game so I’ll just skip it. If Shesterkin doesn’t play, I’d lean the over.

Kings vs. Predators (10:30)

Both of these team have won three of their last five games, winning back to back games in their last two. LA is 16-12-5, averaging only a seventh fewest 2.64 goals per game but they’ve been very good defensively, allowing a sixth fewest average of 2.58 goals per game. The Predators have been very good lately. They’re 21-11-2, with a 9-1-1 record in their last eleven games. They’ve been very good defensively too on Juuse Saros great play in goal, allowing a ninth fewest average of 2.65 goals per game. They’re averaging 3.03 per game. When these teams played in Smashville on October 19th, the Preds won 2-1. I think Nashville keeps rolling here and I’ll take them and the under for a half unit each.

Game Bets

.5u Sharks/Sabres over 5.5 (-136)

.5u Bruins ML (-160)

.5u Devils ML (-165)

1u Devils/Blue Jackets over 6.5 (-110)

2u Penguins in regulation (-148)

1.52u parlay: Penguins ML/Avalanche ML (-102)

1u Florida ML (-135)

.5u Florida/Dallas over 6 (-143)

.5u Nashville ML (-145)

.5u Nashville/LA under 5.5 (-110)

Record (Regular Season): 257-192-11 (+9.04 units)