I crushed yesterday’s big NHL slate, going 8-2 to win 3.08 units. Great day. Today we have a pretty big eight game slate for a Sunday, let’s make it three straight winning days of hockey!
Red Wings vs. Blackhawks (1:00)
Fun cross conference matchup to start off the day. The Red Wings come into today’s matinee with just one win in their last four games off a 4-1 loss at home to the Rangers on Friday night (glad I stayed off that game), and haven’t played great lately dropping to 9-6 on the season. The Blackhawks have exceeded my expectations this year, with two wins in a row after a 4-0 shutout win in Calgary on Friday (nice +135 cash for me), improving to 7-5-3. I think Detroit’s the better team here, but would lean Chicago pulls off the win as the +155 dog on the road today. Just don’t like it enough to bet on. I’d also slightly lean the under, but don’t like that enough to bet on with both of these teams being a bit inconsistent this season. So I’ll start my hockey day a bit later and lay off this game completely.
Penguins vs. Kings (2:00)
Fun cross conference matchup in this matinee. The Penguins have been a bit of a surprise with how well they’ve started the season, playing good hockey on both ends of the ice with a 9-4-3 record. They’re in the second half of a back to back today after a 2-1 shootout loss to the Devils yesterday, and have just one win in their last four games. The Kings have just one win in their last four games as well, coming off a 5-2 loss to the Panthers on Thursday, and they’ve struggled a bit on both ends of the ice with a 6-5-4 record. Pittsburgh won the first game between these teams 4-2 on the road last month and with the Pens in the second half of a back to back, I’d lean LA answers back today with a win on the road, but don’t like it enough to bet on. I’d slightly lean the over, but the total’s pretty much a toss up here so I’ll stay off this matchup completely.
Maple Leafs vs. Hurricanes (7:00)
Fun game in the East to get into the evening slate. The Leafs are 8-6-1 on the season and have been pretty inconsistent with a struggling defense but a solid offense, having a three game win streak come to an end with a 5-3 loss at home to the Bruins last night (one of my only two losers on yesterday’s big slate, although I did easily cash the over on it). The Hurricanes are playing great on both ends of the ice, with a 10-4 record. They’re on a three game win streak with four wins in their last five games, beating the Sabres 6-3 last night, in a game that was closer than that score considering that they scored two empty netters, but their man to man defense stifled Buffalo’s chances to score. I like Carolina to win here on the road and I’ll take them for half a unit. I’d lean the over, but not enough to bet it with both teams in the second half of back to backs.
Senators vs. Mammoth (7:00)
Interesting cross conference game here between two young teams that have been inconsistent as of late. The Senators are 7-5-3, on a four game point streak, coming off a 3-2 overtime win in Philly yesterday. Their offense has been solid, even with Brady Tkachuk out of the lineup, but they’ve been one of the worst teams in the league on the back end. The Mammoth started the season great, but with just one win in their last five games, getting crushed 6-2 in Montreal last night, they’ve fallen to 9-6 on the season. I think Utah’s the better team here and I’d lean they win on the road, but don’t like it enough to bet on based on how these teams have played coming into tonight and both of them in the second half of back to backs. I do like the over though, which I’ll take at 6 for half a unit.
Stars vs. Kraken (7:00)
Pretty big mismatch in the West in this one. The Stars have been struggling a bit as of late, with just two wins in their last five games, but they’ve picked up at least a point in all but one of their last nine games, bouncing back from a 7-5 loss at home to the Ducks on Thursday with a 5-4 win in Nashville yesterday afternoon (winner for me) to improve to 8-4-3. The Kraken are coming off a 4-3 overtime win in St. Louis yesterday and haven’t been all that great in their 7-3-4 start. The defense has been pretty good, but their offense is struggling. Dallas is the way better team here and I like them to get the win at home. I’ll take the Stars in regulation for half a unit. I’d very slightly lean the under, but didn’t even consider betting it.
Wild vs. Flames (8:00)
This is such a shitty game between two bad teams in the West. Both of these teams have been pretty terrible this year. The Wild are 6-7-3 on the year, with three wins in their last four games, coming off a 5-2 win on Long Island on Friday night. I think the Flames are the worst team in the league this year, getting shut out 4-0 at home to the Blackhawks (nice win for me) on Friday after two wins in a row. They’re just 4-10-2 and have the worst offense in the league, without a great defense to back it up. I’d lean Minnesota wins tonight at home, but they’ve played so inconsistently that I don’t trust them to bet on. I’d lean the under since neither of these teams can score, but their defenses haven’t been great either. This is a game where the best play is completely staying off it.
Canucks vs. Avalanche (10:00)
I’d say this is a pretty big mismatch out West. The Canucks are a mid tier team, not really playing all that great on either end of the ice. They have an 8-8 record, in the second half of a back to back tonight after a 4-3 win at home against the Blue Jackets last night. The Avalanche are a big time Cup contender, with a 9-1-5 record, on a six game point streak with four wins in their last five games, blowing out the Oilers 9-1 on the road last night for the biggest win one the season. They’ve played fantastic hockey on both ends of the ice. I like the Avs to win here on the road and I’ll lay the -192 on them for half a unit. I like the over as well, which I’ll take at 6 for half a unit.
Ducks vs. Jets (10:00)
Great game to end the night in the West, with both of these teams playing fantastic hockey to start the year. The Ducks are on fire to start the year, with the best offense in the league led by their young stars Cutter Gauthier and Leo Carlsson. Coming off a 4-3 overtime win last night in Vegas (winner on the over, and a Gauthier point away from hitting my three player parlay), they’re on a six game win streak, improving to a Pacific Division leading 10-3-1 on the year. The Jets have been very solid as well, backed by the best goalie in the world in Connor Hellebuyck, with an offense that can score at a pretty good clip to complement it. They do come into tonight off two losses in a row in California, surprisingly losing 2-1 in San Jose on Friday night. With Anaheim in the second half of a back to back, I’d lean the Jets win, but it’s tough to bet against this Ducks team right now, so I’ll stay off it. I’d lean the over, but at 6.5, I don’t think it’s worth betting, so I’ll lay off this game completely. Can’t wait to watch it.
Bets
.5u Hurricanes ML (-130)
.5u Senators/Mammoth over 6 (-115)
.5u Stars in regulation (-145)
.5u Avalanche ML (-192)
.5u Avalanche/Canucks over 6 (-118)
Record: 90-77 (-13.44 units)
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