I had a 2-0 sweep last night to win 1.02 units with my Sabres having a fantastic third period comeback to beat the Penguins 6-3. After just two NHL games last night we have a loaded 13 game slate.
Red Wings vs. Capitals (7:00)
The Red Wings have definitely improved from last season and come into tonight’s game with a 4-3-2 record. On Monday night they got dominated from start to finish, losing 8-3 to the Sabres while getting outshot 46-18. On the season the Red Wings have scored an average of 3.11 goals per game on an average of 28.7 shots per game and they’ve allowed an average of 3.56 goals per game on an average of 35.2 shots allowed. The Caps are 5-4-2 on the season, coming off back to back losses that needed overtime. They lost 3-2 in a shootout in Carolina on Monday and then lost 3-2 at home in the closing seconds of overtime to the Golden Knights on Tuesday. Washington is scoring an average of 2.91 goals per game on an average of 27.4 shots per game and they have allowed an average of 2.82 goals per game on an average of 32.6 shots per game. In the three games these teams played last season, the Caps won two of those three games with all three games going under. I’d lean the Capitals win this game on the road but not enough to bet on it so I’ll lay off this game. I’d slightly lean the over as well, but not enough to bet it.
Senators vs. Golden Knights (7:00)
Vegas looks like one of the best teams in the NHL to start this season with a great October to bounce back from missing the playoffs last year for the first time since become a franchise. New head coach Bruce Cassidy’s done a great job at improving the back end for a team that was already quite good offensively. They’re off to a 9-2 start to their year and come into tonight’s game on a five game win streak. The Knights have scored an average of 3.18 goals per game on an average of 33.7 shots per game and they’ve allowed just 1.73 goals per game on an average of 28.3 shots on goal. The Senators are on a three game losing streak, losing to the Bolts, Panthers and Wild and they’re now 4-5 on the season. Ottawa has been quite good offensively this season, averaging 3.67 goals per game on an average of 30.3 shots per game. They haven’t been as good on the back end though, allowing an average of 3.44 goals per game on an average of 34.6 shots per game they’ve given up. Last season the Knights won both games they played against Ottawa, winning 5-1 and 2-1. I’ll take the Golden Knights for half a unit.
Lightning vs. Hurricanes (7:00)
This could be a very fun game to watch between these two very good Eastern Conference teams. The Lightning are 6-4 on the season, coming into tonight’s game on a three game win streak with just one loss in their last six games. The Bolts have scored an average of 3.2 goals per game on an average of 31.2 shots per game and they’ve allowed an average of 3.1 goals per game on an average of 30.5 shots on goal. Their world class goaltender in Andrei Vasilevskiy is confirmed in goal tonight. The Hurricanes are 6-2-1 after a 3-2 shootout win against the Caps on Monday and a 4-3 overtime win in Philly on Saturday. The Canes are scoring an average of 3.11 goals per game on an average of 36.2 shots per game. They’ve allowed an average of 2.78 goals per game on an average of just 26.2 shots allowed. Last season Carolina beat the Lightning twice in the three games these teams played with the wins staying under and the the loss went over. I’d lean Tampa wins this game at home but its too close of a game to bet. I like the under as well, expecting a defensive grind of a game but both teams have trended over recently. I’ll stay off this game completely.
Rangers vs. Bruins (7:30)
The Bruins have started their season the best in the NHL with a 9-1 record, coming into tonight’s game on a six game win streak. On Tuesday they came back from down 5-2 in the second period to come back and win 6-5 in overtime. The B’s have been fantastic offensively, averaging an NHL leading 4.4 goals per game on an average of 35.7 shots per game. They’ve been good on the backend as well, allowing an average of 2.6 goals per game on an average of 31.7 shots allowed per game. The Rangers are on a three game win streak after a 1-0 double shutout win against the Flyers on Tuesday, improving to 6-3-2 on the season. New York has scored an average of 2.91 goals per game on an average of 36.5 shots on goal and they’ve allowed an average of 2.73 goals per game on a 28.3 shots allowed per game average. The Rags won two of the three games between these teams last year with two of the three games they played staying under. I like the Bruins to stay hot on the road and I’ll take them for half a unit as an underdog tonight. I’d lean the under but not enough to bet on it.
Wild vs. Kraken (8:00)
After a terrible start to their season, the Wild have bounced back with a 5-1-1 record in their last seven games, coming off a dominant 44-1 win against the Habs on Tuesday. Minnesota has been good offensively all season, averaging 3.4 goals per game on an average of 34.2 shots per game. They struggled on the back end to start the season but have improved since and on the year they’re allowing an average of 3.6 goals per game on an average of 31.8 shots allowed. The Kraken have improved from their inaugural season last year. On Tuesday they were outshot 40-26 by the Flames but with three third period goals game back from down 4-2 to beat Calgary and improve to 5-4-2 on the season. They’ve been good offensively, averaging 3.45 goals per game on an average of 31.7 shots per game but they’ve struggled defensively, allowing an average of 3.46 goals on an average of just 27.4 shots allowed. Last year Minnesota won two of the three games that these teams played. I like the Wild to win this game and will take them for half a unit. I like the over as well with two good offense and two defenses that have struggled, which I’ll also bet for half a unit.
Blues vs. Islanders (8:00)
After starting their season a hot 3-0, the Blues have been struggling since the and come into tonight’s game on a five game losing streak to drop to 3-5 on the season. On Monday they got embarrassed, losing 5-1 at home to the Kings. They’ve seen struggles on both ends of the ice. Offensively, they’ve only been able to score an average of 2.38 goals per game on an average of only 28.9 shots generated. On the back end, they’ve allowed an average of 3.75 goals per game on an average of 31.4 shots allowed, giving up an average of six goals per game in their last three games against LA, Montreal and Nashville. The Isles on the other hand come into tonight’s game on a four game win streak to move to 6-4 on the season. They’ve been pretty solid on both ends of the ice. They’re averaging 3.6 goals per game on an average of 33.3 shots per game and have allowed an average of just 2.5 goals per game on an average of 31.6 shots allowed. Last year these teams split their two cross conference games with a 2-1 Islanders win and 6-1 Blues win. I like the Islanders here on this pick em to get a win on the road and will take them for half a unit. I’d lean the over but not enough to bet on it.
Jets vs. Canadiens (8:00)
Both of these teams have been decent to start their seasons. The Jets are 5-3-1, coming off a 2-1 overtime loss in Vegas on Sunday, ending their three game win streak. Winnipeg has scored an average of 2.89 goals per game on an average of 29.7 shots on goal and they’ve allowed an average of 2.78 goals per game on an average of 33.4 shots allowed. They have a top tier goalie in Connor Hellebuyck confirmed in goal tonight who has a 2.41 GAA and .931 save percentage with a shutout so far this season. The Habs are coming off a 4-1 loss in Minnesota on Tuesday where they got dominated but they haven’t been too bad, coming into tonight’s game with a 5-5 record. They have scored an average of 2.8 goals per game on an average of 29.8 shots on goal and they’ve allowed an average of 3.1 goals per game on an average of 32.3 shots they’ve given up. Winnipeg won both teams between these cross conference Canadian teams last season, winning 8-4 and 4-2. I like the Jets to win this game at home tonight but I think it’s way overpriced to bet it at the -205 price, so I’ll stay off this game.
Blackhawks vs. Kings (8:30)
The Blackhawks started their season better than I had expected them to but they’ve cooled off since then. They’re now 4-4-2 on the season, coming into tonight’s game on a four game losing streak after losing 3-1 at home to the Islanders on Tuesday. They’ve been scoring more than I expected them to and have been very efficient, scoring an average of 3.2 goals per game on an average of just 25.7 shots per game. Defensively, they’ve allowed an average of 3.3 goals per game on an average of 34.2 shots they’ve given up per game. The Kings have been up and down so far this season with a 6-6 record, coming off a 5-2 loss in Dallas on Tuesday. Offensively they’ve been fine, averaging 3.5 goals per game on an average of 33 shots per game. For a team that was very good defensively last year though, they’ve struggled on the back end so far this season. They’re allowing a high average of 3.92 goals per game on an average of 31.6 shots per game they have given up with poor goaltending from Quick and Petersen. LA won two of the three games between these Western Conference teams last season. The Kings should win this game since they’re the much better team here but on the road with how inconsistent they’ve been, I don’t think they’re worth betting on at the -180 price tonight.
Flames vs. Predators (9:00)
The Flames choked away a 4-2 lead on Tuesday to the Kraken, giving up three unanswered third period goals to lose 5-4 in a game they dominated at home, outshooting Seattle 40-26. They’re now 5-3 on the season coming into tonight with back to back losses. The Calgary offensive has been very good, averaging 3.5 goals per game on a high average of 37.8 shots generated per game. They’ve had some issues defensively though, allowing an average of 3.13 goals per game on an average of just 27.4 shots they’ve allowed per game. The Preds opened their season with back to back wins against the Sharks in Prague but have been one of the worst teams in the NHL since returning to North America. Nashville’s now 3-6-1 on the year, coming off a 7-4 blowout loss in Edmonton on Tuesday and they only have one win in their last eight games. Pathetic. Their offense has struggled to score, averaging only 2.6 goals per game on an average of 30.1 shots per game. Their defense hasn’t been much better despite having a great goalie in Juuse Saros between the pipes, allowing an average of 3.5 goals per game on an average of 32.4 shots per game. All three games between these teams last year were decided by a goal with the Preds winning 3-2 twice and the Calgary winning 5-4. I love the Flames to bounce back here and I’ll take Calgary in regulation for a unit. I’d lean the over as well but not enough to bet on it.
Oilers vs. Devils (9:00)
This is easily my most anticipated game on tonight’s slate. The Oilers have been playing really good hockey lately, coming into tonight’s game on a five game win streak to improve to 7-3 on the season after a 7-4 blowout win against the Predators on Tuesday. Connor McDavid leads the NHL in scoring with 22 points (11 goals, 11 assists) and his offense has scored an impressive average of 4.1 goals per game on an average of 33.4 shots they’ve generated. Defensively, Edmonton has allowed an average of 3.2 goals per game on an average of 33.8 shots allowed. The Devils have been fantastic as well, one of the best teams in the NHL by several statistics. Lindy Ruff has found something out of this team and they coming into tonight’s game with a Metropolitan Division leading 7-3 record on a four game win streak, coming off an easy 5-2 win in Vancouver on Tuesday after blowing out the Blue Jackets 7-1 on Sunday and shutting out the Stanley Cup champion Avs 1-0 last Friday. The Devils offense has been very good, leading the NHL in expected goals and high danger opportunities translating to a 3.6 goals per game average on an average of 39.1 shots per game. Defensively they’ve been very good as well. They’ve allowed the fewest shots against in the NHL, an average of just 21.8 per game and they’re giving up an average of 2.5 goals per game. These teams split their two games last season with the Devils winning 6-5 in overtime and the Oilers winning 6-3. I’d slightly lean the Oilers win this game at home but not enough to bet on it with how great NJ has been playing. I love the over though. 7 goals is a bit steep but I’ll lay the juice and take the alternate 6.5 line for a unit.
Coyotes vs. Stars (10:00)
The Coyotes got a shocking 3-1 win at home against the Panthers on Tuesday night, their first at Mullett Arena. They were completely outplayed the entire game but goaltender Karel Vejmelka had an incredible 41 save, .976 save percentage performance to steal the win in a game that the Yotes got outshot 42-21. The Yotes are one of the worst teams in the NHL this season, coming into tonight’s game with a 3-5-1 record. They’ve scored an average of 2.89 goals per game, only generating an average of 22.3 shots per game and they’ve allowed a high average of 4 goals per game on an average of 37.2 shots they’ve given up. Tonight the Coyotes will start backup Connor Ingram in net who has a 3.7 GAA and .891 save percentage in the three games he’s played this season. Dallas has been decent this year with a 6-3-1 record, coming off a 5-2 win against the Kings on Tuesday. They’ve been good on both ends of the ice, averaging 3.3 goals per game on an average of 30 shots on goal and allowing just 2.3 goals per game on average on an average of 31.1 shots allowed. Surprisingly these teams spit the four games they played last season with the Stars winning the first two and the Coyotes winning the second two later in the season. This is a great spot for Dallas and I can’t see the Yotes winning two games in a row. I’ll take the Stars in regulation for a unit.
Canucks vs. Ducks (10:00)
This is a matchup between two horrible Pacific Division teams. The Canucks are 2-6-2 on the season, coming off a 5-2 loss to the Devils at home on Tuesday night where they got dominated, getting outshot 36-23. NJ got out to a 4-0 lead and coasted it to their win that was never close. Vancouver’s offense has been okay, averaging 3 goals per game on an average of 27.4 shots on goal. They’ve sucked defensively though, allowing an average of 4 goals per game on an average of 33 shots allowed. The Ducks are 3-6-1, coming off back to back wins. After beating the Leafs 4-3 in overtime on Sunday, they won 6-5 in a shootout in San Jose on Tuesday in a very entertaining back and forth game. Anaheim has struggled on both ends of the ice this season. They’ve scored an average of 2.5 goals per game, generating 28.9 shots on goal per game on average. Defensively, they’re one of the worst teams in the NHL, allowing an average of 4.3 goals per game, giving up a high average of 37.9 shots on goal. Last year the Ducks won three of the four games between these Pacific Division opponents. I’d slightly lean the Canucks win tonight but no way I’m betting this game. I’d also lean the over but not enough to bet on it.
Sharks vs. Panthers (10:30)
Last year’s Presidents Trophy winning Panthers have definitely dropped off a bit from last season but they’re still a pretty good team. They are 5-4-1 to start their year with only one win in their last four games. They’re coming off an embarrassing 3-1 loss in Arizona on Tuesday, where they were the dominant team, outshooting the Yotes 42-21 but were only able to get one goal past Karel Vejmelka on their 42 shots. Florida has scored an average of 3 goals per game this season, still generating a ton of shots, averaging 39.5 shots on goal per game. They haven’t been great defensively, allowing an average of 3.1 goals per game on an average of 27.6 shots on goal. The Sharks are one of the worst teams in the league this year, coming into tonight’s game with a 3-8-1 record. They’re coming off a 6-5 shootout loss in a very evenly matched game against the Ducks on Tuesday where both teams had 44 shots on goal. San Jose has struggled on both ends of the ice. They’ve only been able to score an average of 2.42 goals per game on an average of 28.7 shots on goal and they’ve allowed an average of 3.25 goals per game on an average of 30.9 shots allowed. Florida won both games they played against San Jose a season ago, both in overtime beating the Sharks 5-4 and 3-2. I like the Panthers to bounce back here and will take them in regulation for half a unit. I’d lean the over as well but not enough to bet on it.
Game Bets
.5u Golden Knights ML (-143)
.5u Bruins ML (+115)
.5u Wild ML (-170)
.5u Wild/Kraken over 6.5 (-115)
.5u Islanders ML (+100)
1u Flames in regulation (-129)
1u Oilers/Devils over 6.5 (-150)
1u Stars in regulation (-143)
.5u Panthers in regulation (-139)
Record: 72-67-2 (-13.99 units)
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