On yesterday’s big NHL slate, I went 13-14 but had a solid profitable night, winning 2.51 units. Tonight we have a solid seven game slate, let’s head into the Olympic break on a three night win streak!
Sabres vs. Penguins (7:00)
Fantastic Eastern Conference game between two of the best surprises of this season, with both of these teams in playoff spots and playing fantastic hockey, but both coming off overtime losses on Tuesday. My Sabres have been one of the hottest teams in hockey, with a 21-4-2 record in our last 27 games to improve to 32-18-6 on the season, coming off a 4-3 overtime loss in Tampa on Tuesday night. We’re in the first Wild Card in the East, two points behind the Red Wings and Habs for second and third in the Atlantic, and a point ahead of the Bruins. The Penguins are coming off two losses in a row, losing 5-4 in overtime on Tuesday night on Long Island. They’ve still been very good though, with a 28-15-12 record, in second place in the Metro Division, a point ahead of the Islanders. Pittsburgh won the first game between these teams 4-2 at home back in November. I like my boys to answer back here at home and I’ll take them for half a unit. I’ll also take the over for a unit. Additionally, I’ll parlay Tage Thompson, Sidney Crosby, and Evgeni Malkin to each get a point for a unit.
Devils vs. Islanders (7:00)
Such a boring matchup in the Metro Division. The Devils are horrible. They’re 28-26-2, struggling especially offensively this year. Coming off a 3-0 shutout loss at home to the Blue Jackets on Tuesday, they have just one win in their last five games after a nice little run with five wins in six games. The Islanders have been good defensively, despite their offense not being great. They’re in third place in the Metro Division with a 31-21-5 record, with four wins in their last six games, bouncing back from two losses with a 5-4 overtime win at home against the Penguins on Tuesday. The Isles are 3-0 this season against Jersey, winning 3-2 in overtime on the road in November, 2-1 at home in December to go into the Christmas break, and then blowing them out with a 9-0 win at home in January. I like the Isles to complete the season sweep here, and I’ll take them for half a unit. The defense and goaltending for both of these teams isn’t bad, but both offenses are putrid, so I like the under, which I’ll also take for half a unit.
Rangers vs. Hurricanes (7:00)
Awful mismatch in the Metro Division. The Rangers are horrendous, in last place in the Eastern Conference with a 22-28-6 record, getting even worse yesterday when they traded Artemi Panarin for next to nothing. It’s shocking that Chris Drury (who is still my favorite Sabres player of all time) hasn’t gotten fired by James Dolan yet. This franchise is a disaster. They’re on a three game losing streak coming off a 6-5 loss in Pittsburgh on Saturday and have just three wins in their last 17 games. The Hurricanes on the other hand have been very good, leading the division with a 35-15-6 record. Coming off a 4-3 win at home against the Senators on Tuesday, they’ve gone 11-1-3 in their last 15 games, playing great on both ends of the ice. The Canes are 2-1 this season against the Rags, winning in a 3-0 shutout on the road in November, losing 4-2 at home later that month, then 3-2 at home in overtime in December. New York’s been a complete joke at home, with a 6-14-4 record in MSG, and I love Carolina to win here on the road. I’ll take them in regulation for a unit. I’d slightly lean the over, but I’m not touching the total in this game. I’ll also parlay Sebastian Aho, Seth Jarvis, Andrei Svechnikov, and Mika Zibanejad to each get a point for half a unit.
Flyers vs. Senators (7:00)
Pretty boring game in the East. The Flyers have come crashing down to reality after their hot start to the year. They ended a four game losing streak on Tuesday with a 4-2 win at home against the Capitals, but have just three wins in their last 14 games to fall to 25-20-10 on the season. Philly’s struggled on both ends of the ice now, with their offense being bad all year, but their defense now struggling as well. The Senators have been bad as well, in last place in the Atlantic with a 27-22-7 record, but have played decent hockey lately, with a four game win streak for them ending on Tuesday with a 4-3 loss in Carolina. Ottawa’s 2-0 this year against the Flyers, winning 2-1 at home in October and 3-2 in overtime on the road in November. I’d lean they win again here on the road to complete the season sweep, but not enough to bet it. I’d also lean the under slightly at 6.5, but not enough to bet that either. I won’t stay off this game entirely though, and I’ll parlay Tim Stutzle, Brady Tkachuk, and Travis Konecny to each get a point for half a unit.
Capitals vs. Predators (7:00)
Terrible cross conference matchup. Both of these mid-tier teams kind of stink. The Capitals are 28-23-7, ending a three game win streak on Tuesday with a 4-2 loss in Philly. Statistically they’ve been pretty good though on both ends of the ice this year. The Predators aren’t great either. They’re in the second half of a back to back, playing a way better game than I expected last night at home against the Wild, losing 6-5 in overtime, coming back from a 3-1 deficit to tie it up in the first period, and then trading goals the rest of the game to ultimately lose 6-5 late in overtime (big double winner for me on that goal. Nashville has just three wins in their last nine games after a hot streak but come into tonight on a five game point streak to get to 26-23-7 on the season. They’ve struggled on both ends of the ice. The Preds won the first game between these teams 3-2 at home last month. With Nashville in the second half of a back to back tonight, I’d lean the Caps win at home, but I’m not touching it at -162. Way too expensive. I’d also lean the under at 6.5, but I’m not touching it. I do like Ryan O’Reilly to stay hot though, and I’ll take the Factor to get a point for half a unit.
Lightning vs. Panthers (7:30)
I wouldn’t say the Battle of Florida is all that great this season. The Lightning are the best team in the Eastern Conference with a 36-14-4 record, and my clear cut pick to win the East this year. They’re on a four game win streak with an 18-1-1 record in their last 20 games, playing elite hockey on both ends of the ice. Tampa’s coming off tying it up on Darren Raddysh’s goal with 26 seconds left in regulation before Jake Guentzel got away on a breakaway to beat my Sabres on Tuesday night with 15 seconds left in OT. The Panthers injuries this year likely ended their back-to-back-to-back Cup run, as they’re in last place in Atlantic with a 29-24-3 record. They’re in the second half of a back to back tonight, on Brad Marchand’s shootout goal ending a four game losing streak with a 5-4 shootout win at home against the Bruins last night. The Bolts are 2-1 this year against their in-state rivals, winning 3-1 on the road in November, losing 5-2 at home in December, and then answering back in Sunrise with a 4-2 win on the road later in December. Especially with the Panthers in the second half of a back to back, I like the Lightning to win at home here. I’ll take them in regulation for a unit. I’d lean the over at 5.5, but not enough to bet it. I like a bunch of player props here. I’ll take Nikita Kucherov to get over 1.5 points for a unit, I’ll take a half unit shot on him to get over 2.5 points, which he’s done in four of his last seven games, I’ll parlay him, Jake Guentzel, Brandon Hagel, and Darren Raddysh to each get a point for half a unit, and I’ll take a another half unit parlay on those four, along with the two stars on the Panthers, Sam Reinhart and Matthew Tkachuk to each get a point.
Golden Knights vs. Kings (10:00)
Not a great game in the Pacific to end the night and head into the Olympic break. The Golden Knights are in the second half of a back to back tonight, getting me a nice double winner last night with a 5-2 win at home against the Canucks in a perfect, get right spot for them, ending a five game losing streak. Vegas has been very inconsistent, yet still lead the weak Pacific Division with a 26-16-14 record, two points ahead of the Oilers. The Kings have been pretty bad all season, also in the second half of a back to back tonight after a 4-2 loss at home to the Kraken. They’re 23-18-14 on the year, playing pretty good defensively, but awful offensively, which should get a nice bump when Artemi Panarin joins the lineup. Both previous games between these teams went to overtime with the road team winning both of them, a 6-5 shootout win for the Kings in the first week of the season in Vegas, and a 3-2 answer back from the Knights in overtime in January. I like the Golden Knights to buck that trend at home, and I’ll take them for half a unit. I’d lean the under, but not enough to bet it at 5.5. I like a few player props on Vegas. I’ll parlay Jack Eichel, Mark Stone, and Mitch Marner to each get a point for a unit, and I’ll take Eichel to get over 1.5 points for half a unit.
Bets
.5u Sabres ML (-125)
1u Sabres/Penguins over 6.5 (-125)
1u parlay: Tage Thompson/Sidney Crosby/Evgeni Malkin 1+ point each (+192)
.5u Islanders ML (-110)
.5u Islanders/Devils under 5.5 (-130)
1u Hurricanes in regulation (-130)
.5u parlay: Aho/Jarvis/Svechnikov/Zibanejad 1+ point each (+241)
.5u parlay: Tim Stutzle/Brady Tkachuk/Travis Konecny 1+ point each (+224)
.5u Ryan O’Reilly over 0.5 point (-160)
1u Lightning in regulation (-135)
1u Nikita Kucherov over 1.5 points (-162)
.5u Nikita Kucherov over 2.5 points (+190)
.5u parlay: Kucherov/Hagel/Guentzel/Raddysh 1+ point each (+120)
.5u parlay: Kucherov/Hagel/Guentzel/Raddysh/Reinhart/Tkachuk 1+ point each (+362)
.5u Golden Knights ML (-130)
1u parlay: Jack Eichel/Mark Stone/Mitch Marner 1+ point each (-106)
.5u Jack Eichel over 1.5 points (+140)
Record: 653-695-1 (-42.73 units)
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A Town's Zone 