It’s a busy weekend in the NHL, so let’s dive into our first look at the action going on.
Saturday features a large slate of games with 12 games. Now, at the time of writing this article, the Friday games are yet to play but you can still find odds for today’s set of NHL games here. Check in with me @bestofmatt over the weekend for updated picks and odds for Saturday’s games. I’ll also provide you with a quick glance at Sunday’s games and where I should be leaning.
NYI vs NJD
NYI ML -159
Plain and simple, the Islanders are rolling. People like to talk about how boring the Islanders are to watch but really, who cares if they’re winning you money (also, they’ve been exciting as heck recently). The Isles are 9-0-1 in their last 10 games and dominated the New Jersey Devils during their last matchup. The Devils were limited to just five high danger scoring chances while the Islanders reeled off 20. Anders Lee looks to be out for a while (and the line reflects it at -159) which is a big hit to the team, but this looks like a spot where Oliver Wahlstrom could step up into the top six and fill in that scoring void. Let’s roll with the Islanders moneyline and the puckline.
PIT vs BUF
PIT ML -215
I can’t make any sense as to why 60%+ of the money is going towards the Buffalo Sabres. We’re talking about the same Buffalo Sabres who have lost 9 games in a row. The same Buffalo Sabres where Corey Perry, of the Montreal Canadiens, playing on the league minimum, has more goals than Taylor Hall and Jack Eichel (who is now out for a week with an injury) combined. The same Buffalo Sabres who have given up the third-most goals against in the league at 61. Meanwhile, the Penguins look like they’re finding their groove, winning four straight. Yeah, I’ll be on the Penguins moneyline and puckline.
WAS vs PHI
WAS ML -107
I could almost write “Washington Capitals as an underdog? Easy.” and be done with this outlook, but here’s why. The Caps’ have been hot as of late (8-1-1 over their last 10) and the Flyers have looked very pedestrian. Evgeny Kuznetsov looks to have left his injury woes behind him and has solidified the Caps’ top six. Although they’ve been on separate lines, Alex Ovechkin has been the beneficiary. Ovechkin’s goal numbers are a little lower than expected, but he’s continued to be a high-volume shooter that looks to be shooting even more as of late. In the five games Kuznetsov has been back and looking healthy, Ovechkin has been comfortable firing the puck more averaging 5.4 shots per game. You won’t get the Capitals at this price often and the trends seem to be in their favor while Philly is reeling.
Sunday Quick Glance
Detroit seems to be everyone’s sweetheart after upsetting more teams than expected this year, but I’ll be going straight to the Hurricanes. I won’t be touching any game Columbus is in for the foreseeable future. Way too much volatility with that team. From Patrik Laine and John Tortorella’s behavior to their Jekyll and Hyde offence/goaltending. They’ve been a no-bet for me and will remain as such. I’ll likely be on the Avalanche puckline if Philipp Grubauer starts Sunday. However, if Hunter Miska gets the start, I’ll just be on the Avalanche moneyline.
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