Break even day for me yesterday on the NHL, going 3-3. Tonight we have an interesting six game slate, let’s win!
Sabres vs. Oilers (7:00)
Not a great cross conference game here to start the night. On Saturday night, my Sabres erased a 4-1 third period deficit, coming back to win 5-4 in overtime in Detroit for their first road win of the season, ending a five game losing streak. It was good to see the fight in them to come back and not just roll over in the third and I was quite impressed by the effort in a really fun game to watch. We’re still a bad team though in last place in the Eastern Conference with a 6-8-4 record and playing pretty poorly on both ends of the ice. The Oilers have been pretty bad to start the season, with just a 9-7-4 record. Their offense has been good, as expected, but they’ve been awful on the back end. They’re coming off a big 4-3 overtime win in Carolina on Saturday, winning three of their last four games. I like Edmonton to win here on the road and I’ll take them for half a unit. I really like the over in this game too, which I’ll take for a unit.
Bruins vs. Hurricanes (7:00)
Going into the year I would have thought that this would be a horrible mismatch, but the Bruins are far exceeding expectations and can’t stop winning. Boston’s leading the Atlantic Division with a 12-8 record, coming off a 3-2 win in Montreal on Saturday (can’t believe the over didn’t hit for me in that one, but I split it hitting a player prop parlay) with eight wins in their last nine games. Although their offense has been shockingly good, their defense is still pretty bad (which gets hidden a bit by Jeremy Swayman being fantastic in goal. I think the Hurricanes are easily the best team in the Eastern Conference this year. They’ve played great on both ends of the ice and coming off a 4-3 overtime loss at home to the Oilers, the Canes have gone 5-1-1 in their last seven games. The Bruins won the first game between these teams 2-1 at home a few weeks ago. I like Carolina to win this one at home to answer back and I’ll take them for half a unit. I like the over too, which I’ll take at 6 for half a unit as well.
Panthers vs. Canucks (7:00)
This cross conference matchup isn’t great. The Panthers have had a ton of injuries this year, and are 9-8-1 heading into tonight, coming off a 3-1 loss at home to the Lightning on Saturday in the first Battle of Florida of the season. Florida’s defense and goaltending has been good, but their offense hasn’t been producing. The Canucks have been pretty bad too, with a 9-9-2 record, especially struggling defensively. They’re in the second half of a back to back tonight, ending a three game losing streak yesterday with a 6-2 win in Tampa. Especially with Vancouver in the second half of a back to back, I’d expect the Panthers win this one at home, but the price is WAY too expensive at -270 for a team that hasn’t shown much this year. I’ll lay off it. I’d lean the over slightly, but not enough to bet it. I’ll stay off this game completely.
Capitals vs. Kings (7:00)
This is kind of a boring cross conference matchup. The Capitals are struggling this year. Coming off a 3-2 shootout loss at home to the Devils on Saturday, they’ve won just two of their last ten games to drop to 8-8-2 on the season after their 6-2 start to the year. The Kings on the other hand are playing far better now than how they started the season. They’re on a four game win streak coming off a 1-0 shutout win in Ottawa on Saturday and have lost just two games in regulation in their last 14 games, improving to 10-5-4 on the year. I’d lean LA wins here on the road, but not quite enough to bet it. Both of these teams have been good defensively but haven’t been stellar offensively. I like the under, and I’ll lay the -148 on the alternate under 6 for half a unit.
Blue Jackets vs. Canadiens (7:30)
This should be a pretty fun game in the East tonight since both of these teams, while being mid-tier teams play entertaining hockey. The Blue Jackets are 9-7-2 on the season, coming off a 2-1 shootout loss at home to the Rangers on Saturday after two wins in a row following a four game losing streak. They haven’t been all that great statistically on either end of the ice. The Habs after their really hot start to the year have fallen off. Coming off a 3-2 loss at home to the Bruins on Saturday, that I can’t believe didn’t hit the over with no goals in the third period (although I did hit a 3 leg player prop parlay on it), they’re on a three game losing streak with just one win in their last six games, dropping to 10-6-2 on the season. Their offense has been good, but their defense hasn’t been great. The side on this game’s a complete coin flip to me, and I don’t even have a lean on it. I like the over though, which I’ll take at 6 for half a unit. I’ll jump on another prop parlay here too with Caufield, Suzuki, and Marchenko to each get a point for half a unit.
Ducks vs. Mammoth (10:00)
Interesting matchup for the only late game tonight. Both of these teams started the year great but have struggled a bit lately. The Ducks are on a three game losing streak, coming off getting shut out 2-0 in Minnesota on Saturday to drop to 11-6-1 on the season. The Mammoth have just one win in their last five games, falling to 10-7-1, coming off a 3-2 overtime loss at home to the Islanders on Friday night. I’d lean Anaheim wins here at home to get out of their losing streak, but don’t like it enough to bet on. I’d lean the over, but not enough to bet it either. I considered a few player props on Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier, Nick Schmaltz, and Clayton Keller, but don’t like it quite enough to bet any of them, let alone combine them together, so I’ll just end my night early and stay off this game completely.
Bets
.5u Oilers ML (-162)
1u Oilers/Sabres over 6.5 (-122)
.5u Hurricanes ML (-180)
.5u Hurricanes/Bruins over 6 (-130)
.5u Capitals/Kings under 6 (-148)
.5u Blue Jackets/Canadiens over 6 (-132)
.5u parlay: Cole Caufield/Nick Suzuki/Kirill Marchenko 1+ point each (+140)
Record: 119-109-1 (-18.42 units)
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