Finally a profitable day for me on the NHL yesterday, going 7-4 to win a much needed 1.5 units. Let’s win again on tonight’s five game slate!
Red Wings vs. Flames (7:00)
This cross conference game isn’t great to get the night started. The Red Wings are struggling right now, coming back from a 2-0 deficit in the third period on Saturday just to kill my Stars in regulation bet and then lose 3-2 in overtime in Dallas anyway for their third straight loss. They’re still tied with the Bruins, a point ahead of the Blue Jackets for the two Wild Card spots in the East, with a 36-23-8 record, but just have four wins in their last 14 games. The Flames have been awful, with a 26-33-7 record, coming off a 3-2 loss on Long Island on Saturday and they have just two wins in their last nine games. Detroit won the first game on the road between these teams 4-3 back in December. I like them to get out of the slump here at home and I’ll lay the -180 on them for half a unit. I’d lean the under, but not enough to bet it. I’ll also parlay Alex DeBrincat and Lucas Raymond to each get a point for half a unit.
Devils vs. Bruins (7:00)
This Eastern Conference game isn’t great, but I could see it being somewhat entertaining. The Devils bounced back from two losses with a 6-4 win at home against the Kings on Saturday (my under didn’t have a chance), and although they’ve struggled all year, haven’t been too awful lately, with five wins in their last seven games to improve to 33-31-2 on the season. The Bruins are tied with the Red Wings for the two Wild Card spots in the East with a 37-23-6 record, a point ahead of the surging Blue Jackets that are right on their tail. Coming off a 3-2 shootout win in a matinee on the road against the Capitals on Saturday, they’ve been pretty inconsistent lately, going 4-3-1 since the Olympics break after they were on a heater going into it. Boston won the first game between these teams 4-1 at home in December. I like them to win again here on the road and I’ll take them for half a unit at + money. The total’s a toss up, so I’ll stay off it. I’ll also parlay David Pastrnak and Jack Hughes to each get a point for half a unit.
Rangers vs. Kings (7:00)
Lousy cross conference matchup here. The Rangers have been awful all season, in last place in the Eastern Conference with a 28-30-8 record and a pathetic 9-15-6 record at home in MSG, but they’re playing their best stretch of hockey of the year right now. Coming off a shocking 4-2 win in Minnesota on Saturday (big double loser for me) where they were outshot 48-18 and still found a way to win their fourth straight game to extend their streak to 6-1-2 since the Olympics break. The Kings are only two points back from Seattle for the second Wild Card spot in the West, but they’ve been terrible too. Coming off a 6-4 loss in Jersey on Saturday, they’re just 27-24-15 on the season and they’ve only won four of their last 13 games. Although LA’s defense and goaltending has been good, their offense has been even more pathetic than the Rags. When these teams played in LA in January, the Kings won 4-3 at home. I’d slightly lean they win again here on the road, but I’m not touching them. I’d slightly lean the over as well, but statistically that makes no sense, so I’ll stay off that as well. I won’t stay off the game completely though, and I’ll parlay Adrian Kempe, Artemi Panarin, and Mika Zibanejad to each get a point for half a unit. I thought about taking the Breadman to get over 1.5 points in his first return back to New York after getting traded before the Olympics break, but don’t like it enough to bet on.
Stars vs. Mammoth (8:00)
This is really the only solid matchup on tonight’s slate. The Stars are on fire. Coming off a 3-2 overtime win at home against the Red Wings on Saturday, where they blew a 2-0 third period lead to end up needing overtime to win 3-2 and lose my regulation bet, they’re on a four game win streak with a 14-0-1 record in their last 15 games to improve to 42-14-10 on the season. On that run they’re now just three points back from Colorado for first place in the NHL, and six points ahead of the Wild for home ice in the first round. Even more impressively, they’ve gone on this run with Mikko Rantanen out since the Olympics. The Mammoth are in a slump right now, on a four game losing streak after a 4-3 loss at home to the Penguins on Saturday, but still hold a three point lead over Seattle for the first Wild Card spot in the West. Dallas is 2-1 this season against Utah, winning 4-3 at home in November, losing 2-1 on the road in January, then winning 3-2 on the road later in January. I like the Stars to win again here at home and I’ll take them for a unit. I’d lean the over, but not enough to bet it. I’ll also parlay Jason Robertson, Wyatt Johnston, and Clayton Keller to each get a point for half a unit.
Avalanche vs. Penguins (9:30)
Pretty big mismatch to end the night despite both of these teams being in playoff spots. The Avalanche are the best team in the NHL with a 44-12-9 record, but are shockingly coming off a 3-1 loss in Winnipeg on Saturday (big loss for me there, even with my win on a five leg +200 player prop parlay). They’ve been the best team statistically on both ends of the ice all season. The Penguins are tied with the Islanders for second and third in the Metro Division with a 33-18-15 record, coming off a 4-3 win in Utah on Saturday where they came back from down 2-0 late in the second period. They’ve struggled without Sidney Crosby, who’s still out injured from the Olympics, and Evgeni Malkin, with just two wins in their last seven games. Pittsburgh will get Geno back in the lineup tonight, coming back from his five game suspension for getting his wires crossed and trying to slash Dahlin in the head. I like the Avs in this bounce back spot at home quite a bit and I’ll take them in regulation for a unit. I like the over as well, which I’ll take for half a unit. I’m also on a handful of player props here. I’ll parlay Nathan MacKinnon, Martin Necas, and Cale Makar to each get a point for a unit. I’ll also take MacKinnon to get over 1.5 points for half a unit and in his first game back, I’ll take Malkin to get a point for half a unit.
Bets
.5u Red Wings ML (-180)
.5u parlay: Alex DeBrincat/Lucas Raymond 1+ point each (-105)
.5u Bruins ML (+105)
.5u parlay: David Pastrnak/Jack Hughes 1+ point each (-145)
.5u parlay: Adrian Kempe/Artemi Panarin/Mika Zibanejad 1+ point each (+138)
1u Stars ML (-165)
.5u parlay: Jason Robertson/Wyatt Johnston/Clayton Keller 1+ point each (+150)
1u Avalanche in regulation (-150)
.5u Avalanche/Penguins over 6.5 (-110)
1u parlay: Nathan MacKinnon/Martin Necas/Cale Makar 1+ point each (-145)
.5u Nathan MacKinnon over 1.5 points (-148)
.5u Evgeni Malkin over 0.5 point (-130)
Record: 775-840-2 (-62.85 units)
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