With a clutch comeback with two goals in the last minute of the game 18 seconds apart for the Blues to win and then a 3-3 game between the Ducks and Red Wings going to OT to hit the over, I swept the board yesterday on NHL, going 2-0, winning 2.5 units. Tonight with a bunch of games postponed, we have a three game slate.
Capitals vs. Bruins (7:00)
This is an interesting matchup to me. The Capitals have a 20-7-9 record on the season and they’re 10-3-5 at home. They come into this game on three straight losses, most recently they lost 3-2 in a shootout against an injury ridden Minnesota Wild team on Saturday. With a 2-0 lead, the Caps essentially scored on themselves on an empty net for a delayed penalty, the first goal like that I’ve ever seen and then later gave up the tying goal with 35 seconds remaining in the game, before blowing it in a shootout. On the season they’ve been very good statistically on both ends of the ice, averaging an eighth most 3.33 goals per game and allowing an average of 2.64 goals per game, ninth fewest in the NHL. They also get Nick Backstrom and TJ Oshie back in the lineup tonight, who should complement Ovi well to get that offense firing like it should. The Bruins have been hot lately, with four wins in their last five games coming out of the Christmas break and have scored at least four goals in each of those four wins. They’re now 18-11-2 on the season. The B’s have allowing an average of just 2.58 goals per game, seventh fewest in the NHL and scoring an average of 2.94 on the season. I’d lean the Capitals here, but Washington’s let me down in all of their last three games. The play I like better here with Zach Fucale starting two games in a row for the first time in his career for the Caps and the Bruins starting Linus Ullmark is the alternate over 5.5 (this moved up to 6 while I was writing this blog), which I’ll take for 1.5 units.
Avalanche vs. Kraken (9:00)
In possibly the best game of the year on Saturday night, the Avs came back from down 4-1 at home to the Toronto Maple Leafs to win 5-4 in overtime, their fourth straight win coming out of the Christmas break. They’re 21-8-2 with a 13-2-1 record at home and they by far have the best offense in the NHL, averaging 4.32 goals per game. They haven’t been good defensively, allowing 3.26 goals per game. Tonight they’re starting backup Pavel Francouz in goal, so I’d expect him to give up a handful of more goals than usual. Seattle’s been atrocious. They’re 10-19-4 and they’re on a five game losing streak, dropping eight of their last nine games. The Kraken are averaging 2.79 goals per game and allowing 3.67 goals per game, third most in the NHL. Not a great formula for success, especially against the hottest offense in the NHL. The first time these teams met, the Avs got out to a 7-0 lead before letting off the gas in the third period and winning 7-3 in Seattle. Tonight they’re at home in Philipp Grubauer’s return to Denver after being a Vezina candidate last season before not getting protected in the expansion draft and going to the Kraken. He’s been outright bad this year with a 3.3 GAA and .882 save percentage. I’m not expecting much out of him against his former team. Colorado should be able to score at will here. I love the over, even at 6.5 on this game and I’ll hit it for 2.5 units along with 1.5 units on the Avs TT over 4 and half a unit on the Avs in regulation.
Kings vs. Rangers (10:30)
Both of these teams come into this game off big wins on Saturday night. The Rangers are still one of the top teams in the NHL with a 23-9-4 and after their 4-1 win in Anaheim on Saturday, they come into this game with four wins in their last five games. They’re averaging 2.89 goals per game but they’ve been very good defensively, allowing 2.5 goals per game, third fewest in the NHL. That’s mostly because of Igor Shesterkin in goal, one of the best goalies in the league and he’s currently out of the lineup, so the Rags have to go with Georgiev again. LA’s coming off a 4-0 shutout win at home on Saturday against the Red Wings, their third win in their last four games. They have been very good defensively as well, allowing only 2.54 goals per game, sixth fewest in the NHL but they’ve gotten very little production offensively, averaging only a seventh fewest 2.66 goals per game. If Shesterkin was playing for the Rangers, I’d absolutely love the under here and probably take the Rags too but with Georgiev, I think the best move on this game is to just skip it, especially with the Rangers playing their third road game in the last five days.
Game Bets
1.5u Capitals/Bruins over 5.5 (-137)
2.5u Avalanche/Kraken over 6.5 (-125)
1.5u Avalanche TT over 4 (-143)
.5u Avalanche in regulation (-230)
Record (Regular Season Total): 273-204-11 (+13.72 units)
Regular Season Pregame: 273-203-11 (+14.29 units)
Regular Season Live: 0-1 (-0.57 units)
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