Yesterday wasn’t my best on the NHL, going 4-8 to lose 3.08 units. Let’s bounce back with an early start on today’s five game slate!
Blue Jackets vs. Kings (4:00)
We start the day early with a make up cross conference matchup for the snow storm that hit the whole North East a few weeks ago, and it isn’t the best game, but it’s important for both of these teams making pushes for playoff spots. The Blues Jackets are playing great, now just three points away from the Bruins for the second Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference and four points back from the Islanders for third place in the Metro Division with a 32-21-9 record. Coming off a 5-4 overtime loss at home to the Mammoth on Saturday, they’ve gone on a 14-2-2 run in their last 18 games. The Kings haven’t been great, coming into tonight with a 25-23-14 record, but with how weak the Pacific Division is, they’re just three points back from the Kraken for the second Wild Card spot in the West and six back from the Oilers for third place in the division. Their defense and goaltending has been good this year, but their offense is struggling. LA made some nice moves before the deadline, but have still struggled with just two wins in their last nine games. Columbus won the first game between these teams 3-1 on the road in December. I like them to win again today at home and I’ll take them for half a unit. I’d slightly lean the under, but not enough to bet it. I’ll also parlay Adrian Kempe, Artemi Panarin, Zach Werenski, and Kirill Marchenko to each get a point for half a unit.
Flyers vs. Rangers (7:00)
Pretty lousy matchup in the Metro Division. The Flyers are playing well as of late with four wins in their last five games, but it likely won’t be enough as they’re seven points back from the Bruins for the second Wild Card in the East. They’re coming off a 4-3 shootout win on the road in Pittsburgh (loser for me) in a matinee on Saturday. The Rangers are awful, in last place in the East with a 24-30-8 record. They’re coming off a 6-3 loss in Jersey on Saturday afternoon, ending a four game point streak out of the break, but have just four wins in their last 23 games. The Flyers are 1-1-1 this season against the Rags, losing 5-4 in a shootout on the road in December, losing 6-3 at home in January, then winning 3-2 in overtime on the road in MSG a few weeks ago. I like Philly to win again tonight at home to tie up the season series and I’ll take them for half a unit. I considered parlaying it with Mika Zibanejad to get a point, but I don’t think he’s worth betting and there’s no other player I like enough in this game to parlay that with. The total’s a toss up to me at 5.5, and I’m laying off it.
Capitals vs. Flames (7:00)
Another lousy cross conference matchup here. The Capitals are on the outside looking in on a playoff spot, seven points back from the Bruins for the second Wild Card spot in the East with a 31-26-7 record. They’re coming into tonight on a three game losing streak after a 3-1 loss in Boston on Saturday in the first game since trading long time Caps defenseman John Carlson at the deadline. The Flames have been one of the worst teams in the league with a 25-30-7 record, but ended a four game losing streak with an impressive 5-4 win at home against the Hurricanes on Saturday night (loser for me on that one). Although Calgary’s defense has been pretty decent this year, their offense is horrendous. Washington won the first game between these two teams 3-1 on the road in January. I like them to win again here at home and I’ll take them in regulation for half a unit. I also like the under, not expecting much scoring here with both offenses not being all that great, and both teams being solid on the back end, so I’ll take the alternate line at 6 for half a unit.
Blackhawks vs. Mammoth (8:30)
Big mismatch in this Central Division game. The Blackhawks are awful, in last place in the division with a 23-29-11 record, struggling on both ends of the ice, and they traded a good handful of impact players at the deadline. They’re in the second half of a back to back tonight, coming off a 4-3 overtime loss in Dallas yesterday for their third loss in a row with just two wins in their last 13 games. The Mammoth have been really solid with a 34-25-4 record. They’re in the first Wild Card in the West with a 14-5-1 record in their last 20 games, on a three game win streak, coming off a 5-4 overtime win in Columbus on Saturday. Chicago has won both previous games between these teams though, winning 3-1 at home in the first week of the season and then with a 4-0 shutout on the road just over a week ago. I like Utah to win here on the road and I’ll parlay the moneyline with Clayton Keller to get a point for a unit. I’d lean the under, but not enough to bet it.
Canucks vs. Senators (9:00)
Horrible matchup in this cross conference mismatch to end the night. The Canucks are far and away the worst team in the NHL with a 19-36-8 record, coming off a 3-2 overtime loss in Winnipeg on Saturday. They’re brutal, playing horrendous hockey on both ends of the ice, with just one win in their last nine games, and just three wins in their last 25 games. The Senators are playing great right now, with a good offense all year, and now their goaltending has improved a bit recently. They’re making a push for the playoffs, just five points back from the Bruins for the second Wild Card spot in the East. Coming off a big 7-4 win in Seattle on Saturday night (easy winner for me), they’ve gone 8-1-2 in their last eleven games, picking up at least a point in 14 of their last 17 games to improve to 31-22-9 on the season. In the first game between these teams in Ottawa in January, the Sens won 2-1 at home. I like them to win this one in easier fashion tonight. I’ll take Ottawa in regulation for a unit. I also like the over, which I’ll take for half a unit. Along with those, I’ll parlay Brady Tkachuk and Tim Stutzle to each get a point for a unit.
Bets
.5u Blue Jackets ML (-142)
.5u parlay: Kempe/Panarin/Werenski/Marchenko 1+ point each (+190)
.5u Flyers ML (-142)
.5u Capitals in regulation (-125)
.5u Capitals/Flames under 6 (-125)
1u parlay: Mammoth ML/Clayton Keller over 0.5 point (-125)
1u Senators in regulation (-140)
.5u Senators/Canucks over 6.5 (-102)
1u parlay: Tim Stutzle/Brady Tkachuk 1+ point each (-105)
Record: 738-781-2 (-38.93 units)
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