Winning night yesterday on the NHL for me, going 3-1 to win 0.9 units. Needed that. Let’s make it two winning nights in a row on tonight’s big nine game slate. Let’s go!
Canadiens vs. Lightning (7:00)
Pretty lousy mismatch in the Atlantic Division to get tonight started. Although there’s a huge gap in talent between these teams they both come into tonight’s game on solid runs and that’s against solid teams. The Habs have had a horrible season, in last place in the Atlantic, but coming off an impressive 5-3 win against the Panthers on Tuesday, they’ve won four of their last five games. The Lightning are very comfortably in the first Wild Card in the East, playing for seeding with Toronto, who they’re coming off beating 4-1 last night. They’ve gone 9-1-1 in their last eleven games and have played great. The Bolts will look to complete the season sweep tonight, as they’ve already won the three previous games between these teams, winning 5-3 on the road in November, 4-3 at home on New Year’s Eve, and 4-3 at home again in a shootout last month. Even in the second half of a back to back, I like them to win again and I’ll take them for half a unit. Although all three previous games went over, I’d lean this one stays under the total, but not enough to bet it.
Senators vs. Panthers (7:00)
Although this isn’t a great matchup in the Atlantic, the trajectories these teams, who are on opposite ends of the standings, come into this game on is wild. The Senators have been awful this year, but just had a five game win streak come to an end on Tuesday with a 3-2 loss in Minnesota. The Panthers on the other hand have been fantastic this year, in second in the division, but they’ve been on a brutal run lately. Coming off yet another loss for me as they lost 5-3 in Montreal on Tuesday, Florida just has two wins in their last ten games. The Panthers won both previous games between these teams, shutting out the Sens 5-0 in November on the road and then winning 3-2 in overtime at home in February. I like them to win again here and I’ll take them for half a unit. I’d lean the over but not enough to bet it.
Capitals vs. Penguins (7:00)
This is always a great rivalry between Ovi and Sid in the Metro Division. Everyone thought both of these teams were dead, especially the Penguins, but they’re now both right in the mix and separated by just three points in the insane race for the second Wild Card spot in the East. Washington is 2-1 against the Pens this year with a 4-0 loss at home in October, a 4-3 win on the road in Pittsburgh in January, and then a 6-0 shutout on the road last month. The Caps are coming off a 6-2 loss in Buffalo on Tuesday night to extend them to a three game losing streak after a stretch of six wins in seven games, and they’re a point back from the Flyers for third in the Metro, holding the second Wild Card spot, tied in points with the tiebreaker over Detroit and a point lead over the Isles. The Pens somehow came back from the dead. Coming off a 6-3 win in Jersey on Tuesday, they’re on a six game point streak with four wins in their last five games. I’d lean the Caps win this one and I’d lean the under, but not enough to bet it. I’ll stay off this very compelling game.
Hurricanes vs. Bruins (7:00)
This should be a great matchup between two of the best teams in the Eastern Conference. The first game between these teams was close, with the Canes winning 3-2 on the road in Boston in January and I expect another close game here. The Hurricanes are very comfortably in second in the Metro, with their spot in the playoffs clinched. They’ve played fantastic hockey lately with a 13-3-1 record in their last 17 games, coming off two shutouts in a row beating the Red Wings 4-0 and the Habs 3-0. The Bruins lead the Atlantic Division and coming off a 3-0 shutout win in Smashville on Tuesday, they’ve won three of their last four games. I’d lean the Canes win this one at home tonight and I’d lean the under, but not enough to bet anything on this one. I’ll lay off this game entirely.
Blue Jackets vs. Islanders (7:00)
Pretty lousy game in this Metro Division matchup, but this is a very important game for the Isles. The Blue Jackets are a dead team, by far the worst team in the Eastern Conference. They’re coming off two wins in a row though, shockingly beating the Avs 4-1 on Monday night. The Islanders are a point back from the Caps and Red Wings for the second Wild Card in the East, and two points back form the Flyers for third in the Metro. The playoff picture in this division is wide open. Coming off a 2-1 win against the Blackhawks on Tuesday, they’ve won three of their last four games after a bad losing stretch. New York won both previous games between these teams with a 2-0 win on the road in October and a 7-3 win at home in December. I like them to win again here to complete the season sweep and make this playoff race even spicier. I’ll take them in regulation for half a unit. I’d lean the under, but not enough to bet it.
Predators vs. Blues (8:00)
This should be a pretty fun game in the Central Division. The Predators after going on a fantastic 18 game point streak to get them comfortably in the first Wild Card in the West, come into tonight’s game on a three game losing streak, getting shut out 3-0 at home by the Bruins on Tuesday after big losses in Colorado and Arizona. The Blues have gotten hot a little too late. Coming off a 3-2 overtime win against the Oilers at home on Monday night, they’ve gone 8-2-1 in their last eleven games. The Preds won both previous games between these teams on the road with an 8-3 win in November and a 5-2 win in February. I’d lean Smashville completes the season sweep at home tonight, but at -195, I think that price is a little too inflated with St. Louis playing pretty well recently. I’d very slightly lean the over, but that’s about as close to a coin flip as they come.
Wild vs. Avalanche (8:00)
I’m expecting this to actually be a great game tonight in the Central. Both previous games were close, with the Avs winning each of them by a goal, a 3-2 on the road in November and 2-1 in overtime at home last month. Colorado’s been fantastic this year, comfortably in second place in the Central with their ticket to the playoffs already punched. They’ve struggled a bit lately though with just one win in their last four game, unable to even beat the shitty Blue Jackets with a 4-1 loss in Columbus on Monday. The Wild aren’t making playoffs but they’ve been decent recently, with an 8-1-4 record in their last 13 games, coming off a 3-2 win against the Sens on Tuesday. I expect this game to be close, but think the Avs win. This might be a stupid move, but I could see winning both of them, and at worst they go 1-1, but I’ll take the Avalanche ML and Wild +1.5 for half a unit each. Let’s get another one goal win for Colorado. I’d lean the under, but not enough to bet it.
Jets vs. Flames (8:00)
This is a pretty solid Western Conference matchup tonight despite both of these teams playing pretty poorly as of late. The Jets, who are coming off a 4-3 win against the Kings at home on Monday to end a six game losing streak, are in third place in the Central. The Flames are out of the playoffs, already eliminated and have played lousy lately as well, with just one win (also against the Kings) in their last seven games, coming off a 5-3 loss to the Ducks at home on Tuesday. Despite Winnipeg being the better team here, Calgary won both previous games between these teams at home, 5-3 in October, and 6-3 in February. I’d expect the Jets to avoid the season sweep tonight, but not a shot they’re worth the -200. I’ll stay off that, and I’d lean the under, but at 5.5 I don’t think that’s worth it either, so I’ll lay off this game entirely.
Sharks vs. Kings (10:30)
Terrible Pacific Division matchup to end tonight’s slate with this California rivalry. The Kings have been good this season, in the Wild Card in the West, trailing the Golden Knights by three points for third in the Pacific. Last night with Trevor Moore’s hat trick they cashed for me in their 5-2 win against the Kraken (although the under lost with a four goal third period) to end their three game losing streak. The Sharks on the other hand are the worst team in the NHL, with just one win in their last eleven games (and only two in their last 20). This team’s horrendous. LA’s 2-0-1 against San Jose this year, winning 4-1 on the road, 5-1 at home, and then losing 4-3 in a shootout at home. I like the Kings, even in the second half of a back to back to win this one easily, and I’ll take them in regulation for half a unit. I’d lean the over, but not enough to bet it.
Game Bets
.5u Lightning ML (-155)
.5u Panthers ML (-162)
.5u Islanders in regulation (-115)
.5u Avalanche ML (-166)
.5u Wild +1.5 (-175)
.5u Kings in regulation (-185)
Futures
4u Vegas Golden Knights – Stanley Cup Champions (+1000)
Record: 541-490-11 (-96.51 units)
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