Nearly perfect Sunday for me on the NHL, going 4-1 to win 2.38 units, with the Canes needing OT instead of covering the puck line. Tonight we have a six game slate, let’s make it three winning days in a row!
Capitals vs. Senators (6:30)
Decent game with a bit of an earlier start to get tonight’s slate going. The Capitals have been fantastic this year, easily the top team in the Eastern Conference, They’re coming into tonight’s game on their only three game losing streak of the season, after a 3-1 loss at home against Tampa on Saturday. Ovi scored the sole goal for the Caps in that loss and is now just eleven goals from Gretzky and can do it quicker than Wayne did. the Senators are two points back from Detroit in the wild open Wild Card race in the East. They got out of a five game losing streak on Saturday, beating the Sharks 5-3 at home. Both previous games between these teams in Ottawa in January went to overtime, with the Caps winning 1-0 on the road and the Sens answering with a 5-4 win at home. I like the Caps to end this losing streak and I’ll take them for a unit. I’ll also take Ovechkin to score again on this chase for history, with his anytime goal for half a unit. I’d lean the over, but not enough to bet it.
Canadiens vs. Sabres (7:00)
Lousy matchup between the two worst teams in the Atlantic Division for the second time in three days for the second half of a home and home. This will be the final matchup between these teams this year as Montreal looks to complete the season sweep, winning all three previous games. The Habs won the first game 7-5 in Buffalo in November, then blew us out 6-1 at home in December and on Saturday beat us 4-2 in Buffalo in a pretty fun, competitive game where the Sabres just didn’t have enough. Montreal is now on a four game win streak after going on a slump of just one win in their previous nine games. Prior to Buffalo’s loss on Saturday and their pathetic loss to the Canes on Thursday, we had gone on a nice stretch with six wins in our prior seven games. The Canadiens historically own us, and I like them to complete the season sweep here at home. I’ll take the Habs for half a unit. I like the over as well, which I’ll take at 6 for a unit.
Panthers vs. Lightning (7:00)
The Battle of Florida is always fantastic, and both of these teams have played fantastic hockey lately, making this matchup even better. Florida’s having a great year, as the Cup Champs are going back and forth with Toronto seemingly every night for first place in the Atlantic. They’re on a three game win streak with eight wins in their last ten games, coming off a 3-0 shutout win against Calgary on Saturday. This weekend the Panthers acquired Seth Jones from Chicago in exchange for Spencer Knight, and put Matthew Tkachuk, who will be out for the rest of the regular season on LTIR, clearing cap space, Vegas Golden Knights style for another big addition for the playoffs, so expect more moves from Bill Zito before the deadline on Friday. The Lightning are in third place in the Division, playing fantastic hockey right now too. Coming off an impressive 3-1 win in DC on Saturday, they’re on an eight game win streak. These teams split their first two games on the road back to back in December, with the Panthers winning 4-2 in Tampa and the Bolts answering back with a 4-0 shutout in Lauderdale the next night. I’d slightly lean the Panthers and the under here, but the best move here is laying off this game completely.
Rangers vs. Islanders (7:00)
The Battle of New York blows this year, with both of these teams being awful this season. They’re separated by just three points in the standings, both on the outside, looking in on the Wild Card, a few points out. I don’t see either team making it though. The Rangers are playing decent as of late, in the second half of a back to back tonight, coming off a 4-0 shutout at home against the Preds yesterday (easy winner for me that I’m glad I didn’t stay off of), for their sixth win in their last nine games. The Islanders have had their runs recently. After a seven game win streak, they went on a four game losing streak and have since won their last two games, dominating the Predators on Saturday with a 7-4 win. The Rangers won both previous games between these teams 5-2 at home in November and then 5-1 in a blowout on Long Island last week. I’d lean the Isles answer back here with the Rags in the second half of a back to back, but I’m not touching the side in this game. I do like the over though at 5.5, which I’ll take for half a unit.
Maple Leafs vs. Sharks (7:30)
Huge mismatch here in this cross conference game, and I don’t even care that Toronto’s in the second half of a back to back. The Leafs have been very good, at the top of the Atlantic Division, with a point lead over Florida. They’re on a five game win streak with just one loss in their last nine games, coming off a 6-5 overtime win in Pittsburgh in yesterday’s matinee in a solid game capped off by Willy Nylander’s game winner. Sharks on the other hand, are the worst team in the NHL. They’re on an eight game losing streak with just one win in their last 15 games, coming off a 5-3 loss in Ottawa on Saturday. This should be another easy win for the Leafs, and I didn’t even consider caring about them in the second half of a back to back. I’ll take the Toronto puck line for a unit. I’d lean the over, but not enough to bet it.
Blackhawks vs. Kings (8:30)
Horrible Western Conference matchup to end the night. The Blackhawks are right with the Sharks as one of the two worst teams in the NHL. They ended a five game losing streak with a 6-3 win in Anaheim on Saturday, just their sixth win in their last 27 games. Chicago traded away one of their best players this weekend, sending Seth Jones to Florida for Spencer Knight, a move that I think in the long term is good for both teams, but definitely makes the Blackhawks even worse right now. The Kings, comfortably in third place in the Pacific, were on quite the hot run, but have cooled down a bit, coming into tonight on a three game losing streak after a 4-1 loss in St. Louis on Saturday. Chicago won the first game between these teams in LA back in December in a shootout, with Tyler Bertuzzi tying it up with 31 seconds left to go to the shootout in a game that the Kings outshot them 40-21. This feel like a great “get right” spot for LA and I’ll take them in regulation for a unit on the road. I’d lean the over, but I’m not touching it.
Game Bets
1u Capitals ML (-148)
.5u Alex Ovechkin anytime goal (+110)
.5u Canadiens ML (-110)
1u Canadiens/Sabres over 6 (-124)
.5u Rangers/Islanders over 5.5 (-125)
1u Maple Leafs -1.5 (-122)
1u Kings in regulation (-150)
Futures
2u Vegas Golden Knights to win the Stanley Cup (+1800)
Record: 416-379-13 (-51.98 units)
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