Tag: Bet NHL

Colorado Avalanche at Anaheim Ducks odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Friday’s Colorado Avalanche at Anaheim Ducks sports betting odds and lines, with NHL matchup analysis, picks and tips.

The Colorado Avalanche (34-18-7) drop the puck against the Anaheim Ducks (24-29-7) Friday at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., at 10 p.m. ET. We analyze the Avalanche-Ducks sports betting odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips and picks around this matchup.

Avalanche at Ducks: Projected starting goalies

Pavel Francouz vs. John Gibson

Francouz has cruised to a 14-5-3 record with a 2.44 goals against average and .923 save percentage in 21 starts and 24 appearances overall. He has won three of his past four starts, and hasn’t lost in regulation in five starts since a 1-0 loss on the road against the Islanders Jan. 6. He is 1-0-1 with a 2.45 GAA and .909 SV% in the past two starts in place of the injured Philipp Grubauer (lower body).

Gibson is 17-23-4 with a 2.99 GAA and .904 SV% in 44 starts, including a 10-10-1 home record with a 2.79 GAA, .908 SV% and his lone shutout. He hasn’t faced the Avs this season, but he went 2-0-0 with a 2.01 GAA and .943 SV% in two starts vs. them last season.

Place a sports bet on this hockey action or other games at BetMGM.

Avalanche at Ducks: Odds, picks and betting tips

Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access them at USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated at 12:40 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Ducks 4, Avalanche 3

Moneyline (ML)

The DUCKS (+135) are worth a roll of the dice considering they have won each of the past three meetings in this series. That includes a dominating 5-2 win in Denver back on Oct. 26. The public is all over the Avalanche (-167) despite the fact they’re just 7-19 in the past 26 in Anaheim, and 17-35 in the previous 52 meetings overall. The underdog is also 5-2 in the past seven in this series.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Ducks to win returns a profit of $13.50, while a $10 wager on the Avalanche results in a profit of $5.99.

Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

The Ducks (+1.5, -200) are not worth the risk, as you need to put up two times the return. For the Avalanche (-1.5, +165), they’re a nice value if you like them, but they have had their troubles against the Ducks, so they’re not the play for me.

Over/Under (O/U)

OVER 5.5 (-134) is the way to go, hitting in four of the past five games in this series. While the Avs have seen the Under hit in seven of the past eight overall, including 7-0 in the past seven as a favorite, the Over is still the way to go. That’s because the Over is 5-2 in the past seven at home for Anaheim, and 4-1 in the past five against winning teams.

Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Detroit Red Wings at New York Islanders odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Friday’s Detroit Red Wings at New York Islanders sports betting odds and lines, with NHL matchup analysis, picks and tips.

The Detroit Red Wings (15-43-4) travel to meet the New York Islanders (33-20-6) Friday at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, N.Y., at 8 p.m. ET. We analyze the Red Wings-Islanders sports betting odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips and picks around this matchup.

Red Wings at Islanders: Projected starting goalies

Jonathan Bernier vs. Semyon Varlamov

Bernier has turned into a trade chip for the lowly Wings leading up to Monday’s deadline. He’ll have at least one more game to build his stock. He enters with a 13-17-2 record, 2.89 goals against average and .908 save percentage, which looks bad. However, those numbers are phenomenal given how poorly Jimmy Howard has played, going 2-22-2 with a 4.08 GAA and .886 SV%. Howard was in the crease, allowing three goals in just 7:56 before getting pulled, in an 8-2 loss Jan. 14 at the Isles.

Varlamov enters 17-12-4 with a 2.55 GAA and .918 SV%, with each of the past two categories slightly ahead of his career numbers. He didn’t start that mid-January start against the Wings, but he allowed just one goal on 31 shots in a 4-1 win in Detroit Dec. 2.

Place a sports bet on this hockey action or other games at BetMGM.

Red Wings at Islanders: Odds, picks and betting tips

Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access them at USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated at 12:20 p.m. ET.

Prediction

Islanders 3, Red Wings 1

Moneyline (ML)

The Islanders (-304) should be AVOIDED, not because they’re not going to win, but you have to risk over three times the return on investment. It’s just not worth the risk of an upset. Ask those who laid big money on the Canadiens in Detroit Tuesday – a 4-3 loss. However, the Wings (+240) have won just once in the past seven meetings.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Islanders ML returns a profit of $3.29, while a $10 wager on the Red Wings ML results in a profit of $24.

Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

The ISLANDERS (-1.5, -106) are a better bet on the puck line, even though you still won’t catch plus-money backing them to win by 2 goals or more. Despite the win by the Red Wings (+1.5, -115) last time out, they’ve averaged just 1.7 goals per game across the past seven outings, and rank last in the league with a 2.02 GPG for the season.

Over/Under (O/U)

UNDER 5.5 (-129) is the play here as the Red Wings are terrible at putting the biscuit in the basket. The Under is 4-0-1 in the past five on the road for the Wings, while going 5-1-1 in the past seven overall. The Under is also 4-0 in the past four for the Isles, and 5-1-2 in the past eight against Atlantic Division foes. However, tread lightly, as the Over is 13-3 in the past 16 meetings in New York, while the Isles are 5-0 in the past five at home.

Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Montreal Canadiens at Washington Capitals odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Thursday’s Montreal Canadiens at Washington Capitals sports betting odds and lines, with NHL matchup analysis, picks and tips.

The Montreal Canadiens (27-27-8) visit the Washington Capitals (37-17-5) Thursday at Capital One Arena for a 7 p.m. ET puck drop. We analyze the Canadiens-Capitals odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips and picks around this matchup.

The Canadiens enter on a five-game skid, recently losing at the Detroit Red Wings 4-3 Tuesday. The Capitals own a two-game losing streak and have dropped four of their last five – recently suffering a 3-2 setback at the Vegas Golden Knights Monday.

Canadiens at Capitals: Projected starting goalies

Carey Price vs. Braden Holtby

Price is 24-22-5 with a 2.76 goals against average (GAA), a .910 save percentage and three shutouts. The 2015 Vezina Trophy winner’s recent struggles have been in direct correlation with the Habs’ skid. He’s allowed 17 goals – at least 3 per game – in the current five-game losing streak. He’s 1-1 vs. the Capitals this season, winning at Washington 5-2 Nov. 15, and losing 4-2 (allowing 3 goals) in Montreal Jan. 27.

Holtby – the 2016 Vezina Trophy winner – is 21-13-4 with a 3.11 GAA, an .897 SV% and no shutouts. He was pulled in his last start after yielding 7 goals on 25 shots in a 7-2 loss vs. the Philadelphia Flyers Saturday. He did win the start before that, beating the Colorado Avalanche 3-2 Feb. 13. He did not play in the first game vs. the Canadiens, but he was the winning goalie Jan. 27 when he stopped 31 of 33 shots.

Place a sports bet on this hockey action or other games at BetMGM.

Canadiens at Capitals: Key injuries

Canadiens

  • D Victor Mete (foot) questionable
  • RW Brendan Gallagher (lower body) questionable

Capitals

  • C Evgeny Kuznetsov (upper body) questionable

Canadiens at Capitals: Odds, picks and betting tips

Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access them at USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated at 2:10 p.m. ET.

Prediction

Capitals 5, Canadiens 2

Moneyline (ML)

AVOID. The Capitals (-209) are just too expensive. Every $2.09 wagered on the Caps ML only profits $1 if they win. The Canadiens (+170) offer value – a 1.7-to-1 payoff – but I can’t back a team on a 5-game slide. I’ll PASS.

Puck Line/Against the Spread (PL/ATS)

WASHINGTON (-1.5, +135) is the STRONGEST PLAY. Look for LF Alex Ovechkin to snap a 5-game scoreless streak in his quest for 700 career goals – he has 698 – in front of a raucous home crowd as the Caps return from a three-game road trip. The Canadiens (+1.5, -162) will be skating into an ambush here.

Over/Under (O/U)

A slight lean to the OVER 5.5 (-154). The Over is 4-1-1 in the last six head-to-head matchups, while the Capitals are 6-0-1 Over in their last seven vs. Eastern Conference teams.

Every $1.54 bet on the Over profits $1 if there are 6 or more goals scored.

Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Johnny’s 2019-20 NHL strongest plays: 10-5.

Strongest plays (all sports) since Dec. 1: 24-10.

Follow @JohnnyParlay11 and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Philadelphia Flyers at Columbus Blue Jackets odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Thursday’s Philadelphia Flyers at Columbus Blue Jackets sports betting odds and lines, with NHL betting picks, tips and best bets.

The Columbus Blue Jackets (30-19-12) host the Philadelphia Flyers (33-20-7) Thursday at Nationwide Arena as the two Metropolitan Division rivals meet for the second half of their home-and-home. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. ET. We analyze the Flyers-Blue Jackets sports betting odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips and picks around this matchup.

Flyers at Blue Jackets: Projected starting goalies

Brian Elliott vs. Elvis Merzlikins

Elliott is 14-7-4 with a 2.90 goals against average (GAA), an .898 save percentage and two shutouts this season. He lost his last start, allowing four goals on 24 shots in a 5-3 loss at the New York Islanders Feb. 11. He’s 2-2 with a 2.69 GAA with an .881 SV% in four February starts.

Merzlikins is 0-3-2 across his last five games, and he gave up four goals on 12 shots in the meeting with the Flyers Tuesday. He is 12-9-6 on the season with a .924 SV% and 2.29 GAA.

Place a sports bet on this hockey action or other games at BetMGM.

Flyers at Blue Jackets: Odds, picks and betting tips

Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list.
Odds last updated at 2:05 p.m. ET.

Prediction

Flyers 4, Blue Jackets 3

Moneyline (ML)

The FLYERS (+105) ran the Jackets (-125) out of town Tuesday with a 5-1 victory at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. The win gave the Flyers a 3-0 edge in the head-to-head season series as the two sides head into their final meeting of 2019-20.

The Jackets are 18-11-3 at home for the season, while the Flyers are just 13-15-3 on the road, but Philly has climbed into a Metro Division playoff spot, and Columbus has dropped six straight to slip from the wild-card picture. Back the visitors with the added incentive of a plus-money return.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Flyers to win in regulation, overtime or a shootout returns a profit of $10.50.

Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

PASS on the spread, as we like the visitors to win outright with far more profitable odds. The Flyers are getting odds of just -278 to cover a spread of +1.5 and either lose by just 1 goal or win outright. Philly is 35-25 against the spread overall but just 15-16 on the road, while Columbus is 33-28 ATS overall and 14-18 at home.

Two of the Flyers’ three victories over the Jackets this season came by multi-goal margins. The alternate puck line of Flyers -1.5 (+280) offers value, but I’ll stick with the ML play.

Over/Under (O/U)

Two of the three head-to-head meetings have topped Thursday’s goal projection of 5.5. Back the OVER 5.5 (-106). The Flyers likely won’t replicate the 5 goals they scored Tuesday, but I like the Blue Jackets offense to be a little more involved on home ice.

Esten’s NHL betting record: 242-231

Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @EstenMcLaren and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Arizona Coyotes at St. Louis Blues odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Thursday’s Arizona Coyotes at St. Louis Blues sports betting odds and lines, with NHL betting picks, tips and best bets.

The St. Louis Blues (33-17-10) host the Arizona Coyotes (30-25-8) Thursday at Enterprise Center for an 8 p.m. ET puck drop, as they try to hold off the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche for the top spot in the Central Division. The Stars beat the Coyotes 3-2 Wednesday. We analyze the Coyotes-Blues sports betting odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips and picks around this matchup.

Coyotes at Blues: Projected starting goalies

Antti Raanta vs. Jordan Binnington

Raanta took the night off Wednesday but is expected to return to the net Thursday. He has won back-to-back games over the New York Islanders and Washington Capitals, while allowing just two goals on 66 shots. He has a .919 save percentage and 2.70 goals against average on the season.

Binnington stopped all 17 shots he faced Tuesday in a win over the New Jersey Devils at Enterprise Center. It snapped a 0-2-2 skid over his last four starts. He is 25-11-7 on the season with a .910 SV% and 2.66 GAA.

Place a sports bet on this hockey action or other games at BetMGM.

Coyotes at Blues: Odds, picks and betting tips

Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list.
Odds last updated at 1:25 p.m. ET.

Prediction

Blues 4, Coyotes 2

Moneyline (ML)

The BLUES (-189) are getting better odds than they should while facing a Coyotes (+155) team on the second half of a back-to-back. St. Louis is 19-6-5 on home ice and Arizona is just 15-14-4 on the road.

Both teams have struggled of late, with the Blues owning a 3-5-2 record across their last 10 games and the Coyotes going 4-4-2 over the same span. Arizona leads the season series 2-0, but the two teams haven’t met since Dec. 31, and Blues backup Jake Allen was between the pipes.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Blues to win in regulation, overtime or a shootout returns a profit of $5.30.

Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

Increase your profit margin by backing the BLUES (-1.5, +145) to win by 2 or more goals. St. Louis is just 29-31 against the spread overall and 13-17 at home, while Arizona is 35-28 ATS overall and 20-13 on the road, but the second half of the back-to-back for the visitors turns this one dramatically in favor of the Blues. Look for the defending cup champions to pull back in front in the suddenly-crowded Central Division.

Over/Under (O/U)

Take the OVER 5.5 (+105) at plus-money as the play most conducive to our other two picks above. Both teams have favored the Under of late, but we’re backing the Blues to win by at least 2 goals, and a 4-2 victory will cash all three bets.

Esten’s NHL betting record: 242-231

Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @EstenMcLaren and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Tampa Bay Lightning at Vegas Golden Knights odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Thursday’s Tampa Bay Lightning at Vegas Golden Knights sports betting odds and lines, with NHL betting picks, tips and best bets.

The Tampa Bay Lightning (40-15-5) visit the Vegas Golden Knights (31-22-8) Thursday at T-Mobile Arena for a 10 p.m. ET puck drop. We analyze the Lightning-Golden Knights sports betting odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips and picks around this matchup.

Lightning at Golden Knights: Projected starting goalies

Andrei Vasilevskiy vs. Marc-Andre Fleury

Vasilevskiy gave up three goals on 33 shots Saturday against the Philadelphia Flyers, but he still earned his eighth straight win. He is 32-9-3 on the season with a .921 save percentage and 2.42 goals against average.

Fleury is 23-14-5 on the season with a .906 SV% and 2.78 GAA. He has been best on the road, however, as his home numbers slip to a .900 SV% and 2.96 GAA. He’s still 15-8-3 on home ice, as he receives better goal support at T-Mobile.

Place a sports bet on this hockey action or other games at BetMGM.

Lightning at Golden Knights: Odds, picks and betting tips

Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list.
Odds last updated at 10 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Golden Knights 3, Lightning 2

Moneyline (ML)

The Lightning (-121) ride an 11-game win streak into Sin City to take on a GOLDEN KNIGHTS (+100) team entering Thursday on a three-game win streak. The home team has been off since a 3-2 win over the Washington Capitals Monday. The visitors last beat the Colorado Avalanche 4-3 in overtime Monday.

Vegas is 17-10-4 on home ice and Tampa Bay is 20-8-3 on the road. The Lightning earned a 4-2 victory at Amalie Arena in Tampa Tuesday, Feb. 4, in the season’s first head-to-head meeting between the cross-conference opponents. Back the hosts at even-money to square up the season series ahead of a potential head-to-head meeting in the Stanley Cup Final.

Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

PASS on the spread (+1.5, -278) for the Golden Knights and stick with the outright pick on the moneyline. A $10 ATS bet returns a profit of just $3.60 compared to the $10 profit on a moneyline wager.

Vegas is just 9-22 ATS at home, but that record is mostly indicative of the Golden Knights being favored and failing to win by two or more goals. Tampa Bay is just 13-18 ATS on the road.

Over/Under (O/U)

Take the UNDER 5.5 (+125) in what should be a playoff-type game at the T-Mobile Arena. Both goalies are in good form, and the Lightning are just 3-5-2 against the O/U across their last 10 games, while the Golden Knights are 4-5-1 across the same span.

Esten’s NHL betting record: 242-231

Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @EstenMcLaren and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Arizona Coyotes at Dallas Stars odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Wednesday’s Arizona Coyotes at Dallas Stars sports betting odds and lines, with NHL betting picks, tips and best bets.

The Arizona Coyotes (30-24-8) visit the Dallas Stars (34-19-6) Wednesday at American Airlines Center for an 8:30 p.m. ET puck drop. We analyze the Coyotes-Stars sports betting odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips and picks around this matchup.

Coyotes at Stars: Projected starting goalies

Antti Raanta vs. Ben Bishop

Raanta is coming off back-to-back home wins over the New York Islanders and Washington Capitals, allowing just a single goal in each game. The 30-year-old is 13-13-3 on the season with a .919 save percentage and 2.70 goals against average.

Bishop beat the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs in back-to-back road games last week, stopping 58 of 63 total shots on goal. He is 20-12-4 through 38 starts and a relief appearance with a .924 SV% and 2.38 GAA.

Place a sports bet on this hockey action or other games at BetMGM.

Coyotes at Stars: Odds, picks and betting tips

Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list.
Odds last updated at 9:30 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Stars 5, Coyotes 2

Moneyline (ML)

The STARS (-167) are the team to back while on home ice. They took a 4-3 overtime loss on the road against the lowly Ottawa Senators Sunday, but had won their previous four games. They’re 6-2-2 across their last 10 games to close the gap on the division-leading St. Louis Blues in the Central Division. The Stars are 17-9-2 on home ice for the season.

The ‘Yotes (+140) have won two straight games over the Capitals (3-1) and Islanders (2-1), but they’re just 4-3-3 across their last 10 games and have slipped to fifth in the Pacific Division. They’re also just 15-13-4 on the road for the season and not worth backing Wednesday. The Stars won the season’s first head-to-head meeting 4-2 Dec. 29.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Stars to win in regulation, overtime or a shootout returns a profit of $5.99.

Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

Double down on the STARS (-1.5, +170) and back the hosts to win by at least 2 goals. The Coyotes are 34-28 against the spread overall and 19-13 on the road, while the Stars are 31-28 ATS overall and 13-15 at home. The ‘Yotes are just 9-8-4 since the last head-to-head meeting and seven of those losses were by 2 or more goals.

Over/Under (O/U)

With the standard line set at just 4.5 goals, we’ll go to the alternate line of 5.5 in regular time and back the OVER (+135). The Coyotes are 2-8 against the Over/Under across their last 10 games and the Stars are 5-5. The season’s first meeting saw a total of 6 goals and the Stars’ last two overtime games played to totals of 7 goals.

Esten’s NHL betting record: 239-228

Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @EstenMcLaren and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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New York Islanders at Colorado Avalanche odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Wednesday’s New York Islanders at Colorado Avalanche sports betting odds and lines, with NHL matchup analysis, picks and tips.

The New York Islanders (33-19-6) visit the Colorado Avalanche (33-18-7) Wednesday at Pepsi Center for a 10 p.m. ET puck drop. We analyze the Islanders-Avalanche odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips and picks around this matchup.

Both teams are on three-game skids after losing Monday. The Islanders fell at the Arizona Coyotes 2-1, while the Avs dropped a 4-3 overtime decision at home to the hot Tampa Bay Lightning – who won their 11th in a row.

Islanders at Avalanche: Projected starting goalies

Semyon Varlamov vs. Pavel Francouz

Varlamov is 17-11-4 with a 2.53 goals against average (GAA) and .918 save percentage. He lost his last two starts despite playing well; he allowed only 2 goals on 32 shots Monday, and he stopped 42 of 43 shots in a 1-0 loss at the Vegas Golden Knights Saturday. Varlamov, who played eight seasons for the Avs before signing with the Islanders as a free agent this past offseason, shut out his former team 1-0 Jan. 6, stopping all 32 shots.

Francouz is 13-5-3 with a 2.51 GAA and a .922 SV%. He allowed 4 goals on 27 shots in Monday’s OT defeat after winning his last two starts. He took the loss in the first head-to-head meeting with the Isles, allowing just a third-period Anders Lee goal on 33 shots.

Place a sports bet on this hockey action or other games at BetMGM.

Islanders at Avalanche: Key injuries

Islanders

  • C Casey Cizikas (leg) out
  • RW Cal Clutterbuck (wrist) out
  • D Adam Pelech (Achilles) out for season

Avalanche

  • G Philipp Grubauer (groin) out
  • LW Matt Calvert (lower body) out
  • RW Mikko Rantanen (collarbone) out
  • C Nazem Kadri (ankle) out
  • C Colin Wilson (lower body) out

Islanders at Avalanche: Odds, picks and betting tips

Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access them at USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated at 9:20 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Islanders 2, Avalanche 1

Moneyline (ML)

There’s value in backing Varlamov’s ISLANDERS (+135) considering he shut out the Avalanche (-167) last month. Plus, the Islanders won five of their last six games against the Avs. The Isles are 1-4 in their last 5 road games, 1-7 in their last 8 games as an underdog, and 1-6 in their last 7 as a road dog, so, beware. I’m keeping this to a small-unit play.

Puck Line/Against the Spread (PL/ATS)

AVOID. Colorado (-1.5, +165) is an impressive 33-25 vs. the PL overall, but just 15-14 at home. New York (+1.5, -200) is not worth the risk. Every $2 wagered on the Islanders PL will profit $1 if they win, or lose by a single goal.

Over/Under (O/U)

The UNDER 5.5 (-106) is the STRONGEST PLAY. Before the Avs’ Monday OT game, they played 6 Unders in a row – all 5 goals or less. The Islanders are on a 3-game Under streak. Look for both goalies to have solid games, just like the last time they faced off. The Avs are the highest-scoring team in the league (3.55 goals per game), but the Under is 5-1 in the last 6 head-to-head meetings in Colorado.

Every $1.06 wagered on the Under will profit $1 if the two teams combine for 5 or fewer goals.

Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com. 

Johnny’s 2019-20 NHL strongest plays: 9-5.

Strongest plays (all sports) since Dec. 1: 23-10.

Follow @JohnnyParlay11 and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Boston Bruins at Edmonton Oilers odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Wednesday’s Boston Bruins at Edmonton Oilers sports betting odds and lines, with NHL betting picks, tips and best bets.

The Edmonton Oilers (32-21-6) host the Boston Bruins (37-11-12) Wednesday at Rogers Place for an 8:30 p.m. ET puck drop. We analyze the Bruins-Oilers sports betting odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips and picks around this matchup.

Bruins at Oilers: Projected starting goalies

Tuukka Rask vs. Mike Smith

Rask has gone 4-1-0 across his last five outings with a total of just six goals allowed. He is 22-5-6 on the season with a .931 save percentage and 2.08 goals against average.

Smith is also 4-1-0 across his last five games but with a total of 13 goals allowed. He is 16-10-4 with a .904 SV% and 2.93 GAA through 30 starts and two relief appearances.

Place a sports bet on this hockey action or other games at BetMGM.

Bruins at Oilers: Odds, picks and betting tips

Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list.
Odds last updated at 9:30 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Oilers 3, Bruins 2

Moneyline (ML)

The Bruins (-189) enter Wednesday on a three-game winning streak, having last beaten the New York Rangers 3-1 Sunday. The OILERS (+155) have won two straight on the road and return to home ice having taken over the top spot in the Pacific Division, even without C Connor McDavid (quad). Edmonton is 15-9-4 at Rogers Place, while Boston is 16-9-3 on the road.

The Bruins are the better overall team with a plus-53 goal differential to the Oilers’ plus-7, but the value on the home side is too great to pass up. The Oilers earned a 4-1 victory in Boston Jan. 4 with Smith stopping 35 of 36 shots. Back the home side.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Oilers to win in regulation, overtime or a shootout returns a profit of $15.50.

Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

Grab some extra insurance on the hosts and back the OILERS (+1.5, -154) to either lose by one goal or win outright. The Bruins are 29-31 against the spread overall and 14-14 on the road, while the Oilers are 32-27 ATS overall but just 10-18 at home.

The poor ATS record for the Oilers at home is a result of them generally being favored. Liking them to win outright as home underdogs, their straight-up home record is more meaningful in this case. They’ve lost by 2 or more goals in just one of their last eight home games.

Over/Under (O/U)

Back the UNDER 5.5 (+110). Both goalies have been in great form entering Wednesday and both teams have had two full days of rest. The Bruins have hit the Over just twice in their last eight games. The Oilers are 5-4-1 against the O/U across the same span.

Esten’s NHL betting record: 239-228

Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @EstenMcLaren and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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New Jersey Devils at St. Louis Blues odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Tuesday’s New Jersey Devils at St. Louis Blues sports betting odds and lines, with NHL betting picks, tips and best bets.

The St. Louis Blues (32-17-10) host the New Jersey Devils (22-26-10) Tuesday for an 8 p.m. ET puck drop at Enterprise Center. The defending Stanley Cup champions enter the day on a five-game losing skid. We analyze the Devils-Blues sports betting odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips and picks around this matchup.

Devils at Blues: Projected starting goalies

MacKenzie Blackwood vs. Jordan Binnington

Blackwood has been credited with the win in each of his last four starts with a total of just four goals allowed. The 23-year-old is 19-12-7 on the season with a .913 save percentage and 2.79 goals against average.

Binnington has gone 0-2-2 across his last four outings while allowing a total of 14 goals. He is 24-11-7 through 42 starts with a .909 SV% and 2.72 GAA.

Place a sports bet on this hockey action or other games at BetMGM.

Devils at Blues: Odds, picks and betting tips

Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list.
Odds last updated at 11:20 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Blues 4, Devils 3

Moneyline (ML)

While the Blues (-278) have been awful of late, they’re still the better team in every way, especially with the Devils (+220) having already fully embraced their role of trade-deadline seller. St. Louis remains atop the Central Division and is 18-6-5 on home ice for the season. New Jersey remains last in the Metropolitan Division despite an adequate 5-2-3 record over its last 10 games. The Devils are just 12-16-0 on the road for the season.

There’s good value on the Devils with a $10 bet returning a profit of $22, but it’s difficult to see the Blues losing this game while at home. They’ll snap their slide, but there’s no value with a $10 bet at -278 odds returning a profit of just $3.60.

Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

The better play Tuesday is to back the DEVILS (+1.5, -121) to lose by just one goal or win outright. The same $10 bet would return a profit of $8.26 and negates a large amount of the risk.

The Devils are 28-30 against the spread overall and 12-16 on the road, while the Blues are 28-31 ATS overall and just 12-17 on home ice. St. Louis hasn’t beaten a team by two or more goals since dropping the Carolina Hurricanes 6-3, on Feb. 4.

Over/Under (O/U)

Back the OVER 5.5 (-150), albeit at an unattractive number. The Devils are 6-4 against the O/U across their last 10 games, the Blues are 5-2-2 against the projected goal totals over the same span. There’s better value on the alternate line of Over 6.5 (regular time) at +135, but we’re better off accepting the lower risk.

Esten’s NHL betting record: 235-224

Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @EstenMcLaren and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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