Another very nice profitable night for me on the NHL yesterday as I went 6-3-1 to win 2.18 units, my third in the last four days after such an incredible weekend going 16-1. Tonight we have another big ten game slate, let’s keep rolling!!
Bruins vs. Predators (7:00)
This isn’t all that great of a matchup tonight in Boston with the Predators going on the road to face the best team in the NHL. I broke this game down in depth in my article on StatSalt and as I said in that article, I expect the Bruins to win pretty easily at home. I’ll take them in regulation for a unit. I’d lean the under but not enough to bet it.
Flyers vs. Canadiens (7:00)
Not the best matchup here tonight in the East. I broke it down in depth in my article on StatSalt. As I said in that article, I’d lean the Flyers win to extend their win streak at home, especially with the Habs in the second half of a back-to-back after their 4-3 shootout win against the Sabres last night but not enough to bet it. I’d also slightly lean the under but not enough to bet that either, so I’ll stay off this game entirely.
Hurricanes vs. Lightning (7:00)
This is a fun matchup tonight between two of the playoff teams in the Eastern Conference, with both teams coming off losses to the Bruins. The Hurricanes lead the Metro Division with a 47-16-9 record, coming off a 4-3 shootout loss to the Bruins on Sunday (winner for me). Carolina’s played great hockey on both ends of the ice. The Lightning are comfortably in third place in the Atlantic with a 42-26-6 record, with another first round matchup pretty much set against the Leafs, which I actually expect them to lose this year. They come into tonight’s game on a four game losing streak, coming off a 2-1 loss in Boston on Saturday afternoon. Tampa has been just as fantastic offensively as they have been the last several years, but their defense (which is still decent), took a significant step back and that’s why I expect them to lose to Toronto in the first round of the playoffs. The Canes won both previous games between these teams this season, winning 4-3 in Tampa on November 3rd in a shootout and then in a 6-0 shutout win at home on March 5th. I expect them to complete the season sweep tonight and will take them for half a unit.
Red Wings vs. Penguins (7:00)
Not the best matchup here. The Red Wings, who are coming off a 3-0 shutout loss in Philly on Saturday, have really struggled recently with just one win in their last six games and only three wins in their last 15 games to drop to 31-32-9 on the season. Detroit’s been bad on both ends of the ice this season, especially offensively. The Penguins still hold a three point lead over Florida for the second Wild Card spot in the East, with a 36-27-10 record, coming off a 4-3 win at home against their rival Capitals on Saturday. Pittsburgh has been good offensively but they’ve been pretty inconsistent defensively. The first game between these teams this season needed overtime with the Red Wings winning 5-4 in Pittsburgh on December 28th. I like the Pens to win this one on the road and will take them for half a unit, laying the -190 juice. I’d lean the over but not enough to bet it.
Rangers vs. Blue Jackets (7:00)
HUGE mismatch here in this Metro Division matchup. The Rangers are having a great season and officially clinched their spot in the playoffs this season with a 4-3 win in Florida on Saturday (big winner for me on the over). They’ve won six of their last seven games with an 8-1-1 record in their last ten games. The Rags have played great on both ends of the ice. The Blue Jackets are right in the Bedard sweepstakes with a 23-42-7 record this season and after winning their two previous games, they’re coming off an 8-2 blowout loss in Montreal on Saturday. Statistically they’ve been awful on both ends of the ice. These teams split their first two games this season with the Blue Jackets winning 5-1 on the road on October 23rd and the Rangers answering back in Columbus with a 3-1 win on January 16th. I’d expect an easy win for the Rags tonight at home at MSG. The price on this game is unbettable at -400 with the regulation line juiced all the way up to -235. I’ll go with a unit on the Rangers puck line and half a unit on their team total over 4. I’d lean the over on the game but not enough to bet it.
Blues vs. Canucks (8:00)
The Canucks have had a disappointing season but they’re one of the hottest teams in the NHL right now. Coming off a 4-2 win in Chicago on Sunday (big triple winner for me with Vancouver scoring all four goals in the last 20:17 of the game), they’re on a three game win streak with ten wins in their last twelve games to improve to 34-34-5 on the season. The Canucks offense has been pretty good all season but their defense and goaltending has been quite the struggle. The Blues have had a disappointing season, coming into tonight’s game with a 33-34-6 record and they were big sellers before the deadline. They had a five game point streak come to an end on Sunday (another easy triple winner for me that was a bit of a sweat late), losing 7-6 in LA. St. Louis was down 5-1 in the first period but came back to turn it into a competitive game late. They’ve been okay offensively but have been one of the worst defensive teams in the NHL. These teams split their first two games this season with the Blues winning 5-1 in Vancouver on December 19th and the Canucks answering back with a 3-2 overtime win on the road on February 23rd. I like Vancouver to win again here on the road and will take them for half a unit, expecting them to continue their hot run. I like their team total even better though and will take the Canucks team total over 3 for a unit along with half a unit on the over for the game.
Blackhawks vs. Stars (8:30)
This is a pretty shitty matchup in the Central Division and a huge mismatch. The Blackhawks are one of the worst teams in the NHL, with a 24-43-6 record. Coming off a 4-2 loss at home to the Canucks on Sunday (cashing me a triple winner), they’re on a five game losing streak with just three wins in their last 15 games. Statistically Chicago is one of the worst teams in the NHL on both ends of the ice. The Stars are coming off a loss to the Canucks as well, losing 3-1 on Saturday at home (the over on that game was my only loss on Saturday’s huge slate and my only loss the entire weekend for that matter). With two wins in their last six games, they’ve fallen to third place in the Central but they’re still very comfortably in a playoff spot with a 39-20-14 record on the season. Dallas has played very well on both ends of the ice this year. The Stars have won two of the three games between these teams this season, winning 6-4 at home on November 23rd, losing 4-3 at home on February 22nd and then answering back with a 5-2 win in Chicago on March 2nd. I expect an easy win for the Stars here on the road tonight. The -275 moneyline is too expensive for me but I will take the Stars in regulation for 1.5 units along with their team total for half a unit.
Flames vs. Kings (9:00)
Pretty interesting game out West here tonight even though the trajectory of the seasons of these two teams is so far apart. The Kings are coming off a 7-6 win for the Kings on Sunday, a triple winner for me that became a bit more of a sweat late. They were up 5-1 in the first period but let their foot off the gas and let the Blues make it again. With that win, they’re on a twelve-game point streak with a 10-0-2 record in that span, in second place in the Pacific Division, just two points back from Vegas for the Western Conference lead. The Kings have been great offensively but inconsistent defensively. The Flames have been pretty disappointing this season, outside of the playoff picture with a 33-26-15 record. They’re coming off a 5-3 win on Saturday against the Sharks (winner for me in regulation). Calgary’s been alright defensively but they’ve been terrible offensively. This will be the fourth and final game between these teams this season with the Kings leading the season series 2-1. The Flames won the first game 6-5 at home on November 14th, the Kings answered back with a 4-3 overtime win at home on December 22nd and then won an 8-2 blowout a little over a week ago on March 20th. Although I don’t expect this game to be as much of a blowout, I do like the Kings to win on the road and will take them for half a unit at the nice +110 odds. I like the over even better though, which I’ll take for 1.5 units.
Golden Knights vs. Oilers (10:00)
These two teams, who are two of the top three teams in the Pacific Division, are in the second half of a home-and-home tonight after a great game in Edmonton on Saturday with the Golden Knights winning 4-3 in overtime on the road. Now the series shifts to Vegas for the last of the four games of the regular season between them and the Knights can clinch their spot in the playoffs with a regulation win tonight or a slew of other scenarios involving the Jets and the Predators. The Golden Knights lead the Western Conference with a 46-21-6 record. They’re on a four game win streak with just one loss in their last nine games. Vegas has played well on both ends of the ice. Edmonton’s in third place in the division with a 41-23-9 record. With the overtime loss on Saturday, just their second in their last nine games, they had a five game win streak come to an end. Led by the best hockey player in the world in Connor McDavid, the Oilers offense is easily the best in the NHL, but they’ve been very inconsistent defensively. Prior to the overtime loss at home on Saturday, the Oilers won both previous games between these teams this season, both by 4-3 scores, at home on November 19th in overtime and then in regulation on the road in Vegas on November 14th. I’d slightly lean the Oilers answer back with a win on the road tonight but just like I stayed off it on Saturday, the right play on a side in this matchup is none at all. I once again really like the over though and will take the alternate over 6.5 here for a unit.
Sharks vs. Jets (10:30)
Not the best game to close out tonight’s slate. The Sharks have the worst record in the NHL, coming into today’s game with an 19-39-15 record. After a 5-3 loss in Calgary on Saturday, they’re on an nine game losing streak with just one win in their last 15 games. This team’s brutal on both ends of the ice. The Jets are having a good season, in the second Wild Card spot in the West with a 41-30-3 record. They’re coming off a 4-1 loss in LA on Saturday with three wins in their last five games but are still in a bit of a slump with only six wins in their last 17 games. The Jets have been good defensively all season, backstopped by one of the best goaltenders in the NHL in Connor Hellebuyck but their offense hasn’t been all that great. The Sharks won the first game these teams played this season earlier this month in Winnipeg, getting a 3-2 overtime win on the road. I’d expect the Jets answer back with a win tonight and will take them in regulation for half a unit (the moneyline isn’t worth it at -195).
Game Bets
1u Bruins in regulation (-167)
.5u Hurricanes ML (-140)
.5u Penguins ML (-200)
1u Rangers -1.5 (-157)
.5u Rangers TT over 4 (-148)
.5u Canucks ML (-120)
1u Canucks TT over 3 (-152)
.5u Canucks/Blues over 6.5 (-135)
1.5u Stars in regulation (-159)
.5u Stars TT over 3.5 (-129)
.5u Kings ML (+115)
1.5u Kings/Flames over 6 (-110)
1u Oilers/Golden Knights over 6.5 (-165)
.5u Jets in regulation (-120)
Futures
1u Boston Bruins – Stanley Cup Champions (+1000)
1.5u Boston Bruins – Stanley Cup Champions (+1100)
2u Vegas Golden Knights – Stanley Cup Champions (+1200)
1.5u Carolina Hurricanes – Stanley Cup Champions (+1300)
1u New York Rangers – Stanley Cup Champions (+1300)
1u New Jersey Devils – Stanley Cup Champions (+1600)
Record: 635-518-25 (-50.77 units)
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A Town's Zone 