Tag: NHL lines

Montreal Canadiens at Buffalo Sabres odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Thursday’s Montreal Canadiens at Buffalo Sabres sports betting odds, with NHL matchup analysis, picks and best bets.

The Buffalo Sabres (22-21-7) are trying to bounce back from back-to-back losses as they host the Montreal Canadiens (22-22-7) at KeyBank Center for a 7 p.m. ET puck drop. We analyze the Canadiens-Sabres odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips around this matchup.

Canadiens at Sabres: Projected starting goalies

Carey Price vs. Carter Hutton 

Price lost his last start against the Washington Capitals, 4-2, after winning his previous four games. The loss sent Price to 20-17-4 on the season with a .909 save percentage and a 2.85 goals against average.

Hutton draws Thursday’s start with Linus Ullmark out with injury. He has lost his past 11 starts, allowing an average of 4.27 goals per game in those appearances. Hutton is 6-7-4 with a .892 SV% and 3.31 GAA.

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

Canadiens at Sabres: 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 3 p.m. ET.

Prediction

Canadiens 4, Sabres 3

Moneyline (ML)

Despite the Canadiens and Sabres nearly identical records—they are tied at 51 points and both 10 points behind the second wild-card seed—Montreal (-121) is rightfully a slight favorite and the Canadiens are the right side here. The biggest discrepancy between the two clubs is in the Corsi (percentage of total shot attempts) rankings: Montreal ranks third in Corsi for percentage and Buffalo is 21st.

The Habs are a much better road team compared to home. They are 12-9-3, while scoring 3.38 goals and allowing 3.04 goals per game on the road. The favorite has fared better in recent Canadiens-Sabres games; the team favored is 7-1 in the last eight meetings. Plus, the Canadiens are facing the much weaker Sabres goalie in this matchup. Hutton ranks 64th in GAA, 65th in save % and 58th in quality start percentage.

BET CANADIENS (-121) on the moneyline. New to sports betting? Bet $121 on the Canadiens to earn $100 if they win outright.

Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

Let’s PASS on the puck line in Canadiens-Sabres because of how even these two teams are. We already mentioned their records but another interesting tidbit is eight of their last 10 meetings have been decided by a single goal, including five games going to overtime or a shootout.

Over/Under (O/U)

Since both goalies are having seasons to forget and the Over is 4-1 in the last five meetings, I’d TAKE OVER 5.5 (-125). We already discussed Hutton’s issues but Price has been one of the worst regular starters in the NHL. Price ranks 31st in goals against average, 37th in SV%, and has allowed more goals than any other goalie in the NHL.

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

Follow @Geoffery_Clark 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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St. Louis Blues at Calgary Flames odds, picks and best bets

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

The St. Louis Blues (30-12-8) and Calgary Flames (26-19-5) will tangle at Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET. We analyze the Blues-Flames odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips around this matchup.

Blues at Flames: Projected starting goalies

Jordan Binnington vs. Dave Rittich

Binnington has notched a 2.58 goals against average and .912 save percentage through 35 games. Running mate Jake Allen started Monday night’s game. Binnington has struggled on the road (.898 SV%) and has been woeful (.865 SV%) in six starts this month. He has had two good outings against the Flames this season, including a 40-save shutout Nov. 21.

Rittich owns a 2.77 GAA and .913 SV% across 36 games. The 27-year-old was running hot and cold over his last five starts heading into the all-star break. He has faced St. Louis twice this season, allowing a total of eight goals. Three of those were power-play tallies.

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

Blues at Flames: 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 10:10 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Calgary 4, St. Louis 3

Moneyline (ML)

The Blues will look to avoid a fourth straight setback in a Saddledome contest that continues a four-game road trip through western Canada (and St. Louis is 0-5 over its last five road tilts). St. Louis has allowed the seventh-fewest goals per game this season (2.68), but it has allowed the seventh-most in January (3.33).

Analytics point to some Calgary value in assessing both defenses. A win Tuesday night would mark four straight at home for the Flames. And then there is the goaltending layoff. Over his last four starts with more than three days of rest, Binnington owns a .863 SV%. In his last three turns under the same condition, Rittich has logged a .930 mark. BET CALGARY (-115).

Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

The Blues are 13-12 against the puck line on the road; the Flames are 6-17 against the spread at home. The lean remains on Calgary, but the Flames haven’t won by two or more goals in the month of January. The St. Louis side (+1.5, -294) is too costly. PASS.

Over/Under (O/U)

The Over is 6-4 in the last 10 games for both St. Louis and Calgary. Take the OVER 6.5 (+185).

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

Follow @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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St. Louis Blues at Vancouver Canucks odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Monday’s St. Louis Blues at Vancouver Canucks sports betting odds and lines, with NHL matchup analysis, picks and best bets.

The St. Louis Blues (30-11-8) go north of the border Monday to play the Vancouver Canucks (27-18-4) at 10 p.m. ET at the Rogers Arena. It’s their first game of a four-game road trip through Western Canada. We analyze the Blues-Canucks odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips around this matchup.

Blues at Canucks: Projected starting goalies

Jake Allen vs. Thatcher Demko

Allen gets the nod in the first game back from the all-star break. He is 8-3-3 through 14 starts and 17 relief appearances while backing up Jordan Binnington. Allen has a .927 save percentage and a 2.22 goals against average.

Demko, 24, will make his 16th start of the season. He is 9-5-1 while backing up starter Jacob Markstrom, and he has a .904 SV% and 3.06 GAA. He stopped 17 of 18 shots in a win over the San Jose Sharks in his last start before the all-star break.

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

Blues at Canucks: 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 4:50 p.m. ET.

Prediction

Canucks 3, Blues 1

Moneyline (ML)

The Blues and Canucks lead the Central and Pacific divisions, respectively. You expect motivation will be through the roof since the Canucks dropped their first meeting at home with the defending Stanley Cup champion Blues, losing 2-1 in overtime Nov. 5.  The Blues lost four straight on the road prior to the all-star break and the Canucks were on an eight-game home winning streak. Also, Vancouver has played well against Western Conference competition lately, going 8-1 in their last nine in-conference matchups.

BETTING the CANUCKS (+100) on the moneyline is too good to pass up for a team who’s 16-5-3 at home this season. New to sports betting? Bet $100 on the Canucks to win to earn a profit of $100.

Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

We are staying away from the puck line and the alternate puck line because the last three tilts between the two division leaders have been decided by shootout or overtime. Also, we are on the Canucks to win this game—nixing a Blues puck line bet—and their 27-22 puck line record isn’t good enough to justify the Canucks’ (+1.5, -286) price point. STICK WITH THE MONEYLINE BET in Blues-Canucks.

Over/Under (O/U)

BetMGM has effectively priced us out of the regular 4.5 total so we are looking to the alternate line of 5.5 as the play in this game. BET UNDER 5.5 (-110) because the Under is 19-7-5 in the last 31 head-to-head meetings in Vancouver and 32-15-9 in the last 56 meetings overall.

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

Follow @Geoffery_Clark 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 Ottawa Senators odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Monday’s New Jersey Devils at Ottawa Senators sports betting odds and lines, with NHL betting picks, tips and best bets.

The New Jersey Devils (17-24-7) visit the Ottawa Senators (17-23-8) for a 7:30 p.m. ET tilt at Canadian Tire Centre in Canada’s capital city. We analyze the Devils-Senators odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips around this matchup.

Devils at Senators: Projected starting goalies

MacKenzie Blackwood vs. Marcus Hogberg

Blackwood has started 31 games for the Devils, and he’s recorded a 2.96 goals against average and .905 save percentage. The 23-year-old has been solid away from home, posting a .914 SV% on the road.

Hogberg has gotten more time than veteran Craig Anderson of late. He’s likely to get the nod in this contest between two Eastern Conference foes coming off all-star week. In 11 games this season, the 25-year-old netminder owns a 2.91 GAA and .907 SV%. He was sharp going into the Sens’ bye week, posting a 2.17 GAA and .928 SV over his last four starts.

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

Devils at Senators: 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 11:55 p.m. ET.

Prediction

New Jersey 3, Ottawa 2

Moneyline (ML)

The Sens went into the break 1-5-4 over their previous 10 games, and most of those were at home. The Devils were 2-5-1 over eight games immediately preceding the bye week. That stretch followed a nice 6-2-1 run for New Jersey, and the better stretch came against a more difficult run of opponents.

Road teams have fared quite well the first game back after this break the last couple of years. Take the DEVILS (+110).

Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

New Jersey (+1.5, -238) is 10-15 against the puck line on the road. At home, Ottawa (-1.5, +190) is 15-9 against the number. The Senators yield 2.92 goals per game at home as opposed to 3.79 on the road.

With no value here, AVOID the puck line in favor of the moneyline wager.

Over/Under (O/U)

Both the Devils and Senators lean slightly toward the Over in their season results. They went into the break ranked 30th and 31st, respectively, in goals allowed. Like Blackwood, Hogberg is a potential play candidate based on some expected regression in a low save percentage on the penalty kill. Underlying numbers for both New Jersey and Ottawa show some expected gains and mainly in the area of preventing goals.

Get in on some UNDER 5.5 (+125) action and hold back more for a possible jump to +130.

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

Follow @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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Anaheim Ducks at San Jose Sharks odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Monday’s Anaheim Ducks at San Jose Sharks sports betting odds and lines, with NHL matchup analysis, picks and tips.

The Anaheim Ducks (19-24-5) and San Jose Sharks (21-25-4) square off at the SAP Center at 10:30 p.m. ET. We analyze the Ducks-Sharks sports betting odds and lines, with NHL matchup analysis, picks and betting tips.

Ducks at Sharks: Projected starting goalies

John Gibson vs. Aaron Dell

Gibson has posted a 14-19-3 record with a 2.96 goals against average and .906 save percentage with one shutout overall this season. It’s been a mixed bag for Gibson against the Sharks, as he allowed just one goal on 36 shots in a 3-1 win back Oct. 5 at home, and he allowed five goals on 35 shots in his most recent meeting with San Jose, also at ‘The Pond’, Nov. 14.

Dell has managed an 8-9-2 record with a 2.90 GAA and .909 SV%. Head coach Bob Boughner confirmed Sunday that Dell will tend the twine. He allowed three goals on 33 shots in his only appearance this season against the Ducks Oct. 5, while yielding four goals on just 21 shots in an overtime loss in Anaheim last March 22. His only win in three career starts vs. ANA came Jan. 21, 2018 in SoCal.

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

Ducks at Sharks: 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 8:30 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Sharks 4, Ducks 2

Moneyline (ML)

The SHARKS (-150) are worth a roll of the dice against their Golden State brethren from down south. The Ducks (+125) are 3-9 in their past 12 meetings with the Sharks, while going just 5-13 in their past 18 Bay Area skates. The favorite is also 4-1 in the previous five battles in this series.

Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

The SHARKS (-1.5, +180) are a decent small-unit play at this price, as you can nearly double up. It’s anything but a guarantee, as both of these clubs are subpar, and the goaltending edge might go in Anaheim’s favor. However, the offensive edge definitely goes to San Jose.

Over/Under (O/U)

OVER 5.5 (-115) bettors might need an empty-net goal late in the game to cash. The over is my lean, but I don’t feel very strongly about it at all. The best bet is to AVOID.

Want some action on this matchup? 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 Minnesota Wild odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Wednesday’s Detroit Red Wings at Minnesota Wild sports betting odds, with NHL matchup analysis and picks.

The Detroit Red Wings (12-34-4) head to the Xcel Energy Center to play the Minnesota Wild (22-21-6) at 8:00 p.m. ET. We analyze the Red Wings-Wild odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips around this matchup.

Red Wings at Wild: Projected starting goalies

Jimmy Howard vs. Devan Dubnyk

Howard has been downright terrible lately going 0-13-2 in this last 15 starts and has given up four or more goals in seven of them. His record is 2-18-2 with a .883 save percentage and 4.11 goals against average on the year.

Dubynk has struggled in his own right recently losing four of his last five starts, including 7-3 shellacking in his last start to the Pittsburgh Penguins Jan. 14. Dubynk hasn’t been much better this season either; he is 8-12-2 with a .892 save percentage and a 3.35 GAA on the year.

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

Red Wings at Wild: 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 2:30 p.m. ET.

Prediction

Wild 5, Red Wings 3

Moneyline (ML)

Let’s PASS ON THE MONEYLINE in the Red Wings-Wild game since Detroit has been a betting sinkhole this season and taking a bad Minnesota team at -278 is just too much to swallow. I’d love to wager on the Red Wings because the Wild aren’t very good, but aside from being awful, it’s a tough spot for the Red Wings. Detroit is playing its fourth game in six days, and that’s an issue. The Red Wings are 0-6 in their last six in the fourth game of a 4-in-6 situation.

Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

On one hand I like the Wild to win on home ice, but on the other hand the Wild -2.5 (+170) is too big of a puck line to get my action. However, I am very comfy BETTING WILD -1.5 (-110) on the alternate spread instead. The Wild have a better record against the spread than the Red Wings:  Minnesota is 25-24 ATS compared to Detroit’s 20-30 ATS record. Also, the home team is 6-2 in the last eight meetings and the Red Wings have allowed the most empty net goals (13) in the NHL.

Over/Under (O/U)

If anything the -139 makes me feel stronger about the Over since it’s BetMGM’s way of trying to make the Over too pricey because it’s a lock. The Red Wings have allowed the most goals in the NHL, and the Wild have allowed the fourth-most goals. The Over is 10-3 in Red Wings games when the total is 5.5.

HAMMER OVER 5.5 (-139) despite the juice being on the fringe of tolerable.

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

Follow @Geoffery_Clark 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 New York Rangers odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Tuesday’s New York Islanders at New York Rangers sports betting odds, with NHL matchup analysis and picks.

The New York Islanders (28-15-5) visit the New York Rangers (23-20-4) at Madison Square Garden for a 7 p.m. ET puck drop Tuesday. We analyze the Islanders-Rangers odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips around this matchup.

Islanders at Rangers: Projected starting goalies

Thomas Greiss vs. Alexandar Georgiev

The Islanders are sending out backup Greiss to fill-in for a struggling Semyon Varlamov. Greiss has a 13-7-1 overall record but has a better save percentage and goals against average than Varlamov at .923 and 2.45, respectively.

Georgiev was brilliant in the last Islanders-Rangers game, stopping 38 of 40 shots in a 3-2 Rangers’ victory Jan. 16. The win moved Georgiev to 12-9-1 on the season with a .913 SV% and 3.06 GAA.

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

Islanders at Rangers: 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 1:40 p.m. ET.

Prediction

Rangers 5, Islanders 2

Moneyline (ML)

Let’s bet the more rested RANGERS (-110) on the MONEYLINE. The Islanders are playing their third game in four nights, one of which included a 3-2 loss to these very Rangers Jan. 16. The Rangers are 2-0 thus far in the season series and have won four of their last five games against the Islanders. Georgiev has won two straight over the Isles, stopping 60 of 64 shots on goal.

New to sports betting? Bet $110 to earn a profit of $100 if the Rangers win outright.

Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

The Rangers are an elite team against the spread with a 31-16 ATS record, and the Islanders are a poor ATS team with a 22-26 record. Also, the Rangers play better as a favorite—they have a plus-0.78 goal differential as a favorite versus a minus-0.11 goal differential as a dog. Keeping that in mind, the Rangers are 19-5 overall when following a loss, and they have won by two or more goals in each of their last five home victories over the Islanders. Since we’re on the Rangers to win outright a puck line bet on the Rangers could maximize our return on investment.

SPRINKLE a smaller wager on RANGERS -1.5 (+240) on the puck line.

Over/Under (O/U)

PASS on the projected goal total of 5.5.

I lean Over (-133) because the Over is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings in the Garden and the Rangers are third in the NHL in total goals per game. The Over is just too much vig, and the Islanders rank 28th in total goals per game. Their combined Over/Under record is 43-49.

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

Follow @Geoffery_Clark 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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Florida Panthers at Chicago Blackhawks odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Tuesday’s Florida Panthers at Chicago Blackhawks sports betting odds and lines, with NHL betting picks, tips and best bets.

The Florida Panthers (27-16-5) visit the Chicago Blackhawks (24-20-6) Tuesday at United Center. Puck drop is set for shortly after 8:30 p.m. ET. We analyze the Panthers-Blackhawks odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips around this matchup.

Panthers at Blackhawks: Projected starting goalies

Sergei Bobrovsky vs. Robin Lehner

Bobrovsky has registered a 3.25 goals against average and .897 save percentage behind a Florida team ranked 25th in the league in goals allowed (3.27 per game) and 22nd in shots allowed (32.0). The former Columbus Blue Jackets netminder has struggled mightily away from home with a 3.65 GAA and .873 SV%.

Lehner owns a 2.81 GAA and .924 SV% this season. He’s making his second straight start for Chicago. Both Corey Crawford and Lehner have performed well in Chicago’s recent surge (5-0, outscoring the opposition 22-9 since Jan. 11).

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

Panthers at Blackhawks: 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 1 p.m. ET.

Prediction

Florida 4, Chicago 3

Moneyline (ML)

The Blackhawks are 7-1 over their last eight home games against the Panthers. The Panthers are playing the second game of a back-to-back, in which Florida won its fifth consecutive game, defeating the Minnesota Wild 5-4 Monday. The Panthers are 6-3 (plus-4 units) in the second half of back-to-backs.

The favorite is 12-3 over the last 15 meetings between the Panthers and ‘Hawks. Both teams have some goal-scoring not fully supported by analytic indicators. That especially applies to the Blackhawks’ win streak (five games). Florida’s defensive numbers are also a good measure worse than expected. Back the PANTHERS (+100) as an even-money dog.

Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

Florida is 13-8 against the puck line when on the road. At home, Chicago is an even 13-13 versus the number.

AVOID the puck line Tuesday. There just isn’t enough value on either side: Panthers +1.5 (-278), Blackhawks -1.5 (+220).

Over/Under (O/U)

The Over/Under here has some extra juice on the Under (-154) for a line of 6.5 (Over: +125). PASS.

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

Follow @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 Colorado Avalanche odds, picks and best bets

Analyzing Monday’s Detroit Red Wings at Colorado Avalanche matchup, with NHL betting odds, picks and best bets

The Detroit Red Wings (12-33-4) and Colorado Avalanche (27-15-6) square off at Pepsi Center Monday at 3 p.m. ET. We analyze the Red Wings-Avalanche sports betting odds and lines, with NHL matchup analysis, picks and betting tips.

Red Wings at Avalanche: Projected starting goalies

Calvin Pickard vs. Philipp Grubauer

It’s likely Pickard gets the starting nod against his former organization. He can’t be much worse than Jimmy Howard, who is 2-17-2 with a 4.06 goals-against average and .883 save percentage across 21 starts. Or can he? Pickard has struggled, too, going 0-2-0 with a 5.46 GAA and .797 save percentage in his one start and three showings to date.

Grubauer has managed a 14-10-4 record, 2.82 GAA and .910 save percentage overall, so whether it’s Pickard or Howard in between the pipes for the visitors, the home side has a clear-cut advantage at goaltender.

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

Red Wings 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 6:15 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Avalanche 6, Red Wings 3

Moneyline (ML)

The Avalanche (-334) are heavily favored, and there is no way to justify risking more than three times your return, even if it’s a near certainty that the home side will win this matinee battle.

Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

The AVALANCHE (-1.5, -125) will cost you a little juice even on the puck line. The Red Wings (+1.5, +105) have had a case of the Mondays, going 2-9 in their past 11 appearances on the first day of the week, and they’re just 13-38 across the past 51 road games.

For the Avs, they also aren’t too fond of Mondays, going 1-4 in the past five appearances. However, they’re 7-2 in the past nine against teams with a winning percentage of .400 or under. They’re also 4-0 in the past four against the Wings.

Over/Under (O/U)

The OVER 6.5 (+125) is plus-money, and it won’t take much for this to inch across the line. The Red Wings goaltending situation is a mess, and Colorado has the potential to nearly take care of the over all by themselves.

Want some action on this matchup? 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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New York Islanders at Carolina Hurricanes odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Sunday’s New York Islanders at Carolina Hurricanes sports betting odds, with NHL matchup analysis, picks and best bets.

The Carolina Hurricanes (27-18-3) host the New York Islanders (28-15-4) at PNC Arena for a 5 p.m. ET puck drop. We analyze the Islanders-Hurricanes odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips around this matchup.

Islanders at Hurricanes: Projected starting goalies

Thomas Greiss vs. James Reimer 

The Islanders are sending out backup netminder Greiss who has won back-to-back games, including an impressive 34-save effort in an 8-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings Tuesday. The win moved Greiss to 13-7-0 on the year with a .921 save percentage and 2.54 goals against average.

Between the other pipes is Hurricanes No. 2 Reimer, who is sporting a 10-6-1 record with a .919 SV% and 2.56 GAA. Reimer has been good lately—winning two of his last three starts—but dropped his last game 2-1 in overtime against the Anaheim Ducks.

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

Islanders at Hurricanes: 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 1 p.m. ET.

Prediction

Islanders 3, Hurricanes 1

Moneyline (ML)

Let’s live a little on this glorious Sunday and BET ISLANDERS (+150). Sure, the Hurricanes have owned the Islanders recently; Carolina has won six straight against the Islanders, including last year’s second-round playoff series, but they can’t beat the Islanders forever, right? The Islanders are 6-1 in their last seven Sunday games and the Hurricanes have struggled in the Metropolitan Division lately—they are 2-11 in their last 13 vs. Metropolitan opponents.

The ISLANDERS (+150) are offering just too much value for a team who has to be ultra motivated for revenge.

Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

Neither team’s puck line record inspires confidence in a wager; the Islanders are 21-26 against the spread and the Hurricanes are 21-27. The dog has held an edge in the Islanders-Hurricanes recent history. The underdog is 10-4 in the last 14 meetings so there is prudence in an Islanders +1.5 (-189) bet. Also, New York is 11-11 ATS on the road and Carolina is just 11-13 ATS at home. Between the Hurricanes’ recent success versus the Islanders and the heavy vig attached to the New York side, I recommend a PASS on the puck line.

Over/Under (O/U)

The UNDER 5.5 (-121) is the only play that makes sense here. The Islanders-Hurricanes combined Over/Under record is 41-52, both are below average in total goals scored per game (Hurricanes rank 23rd and Islanders rank 26th) and both backups have a lower GAA than the regular starting goalies. BetMGM knows the Under is the better side hence the -121 pricepoint.

New to sports betting? Bet $121 on Under 5.5 total goals in the Islanders-Hurricanes game to earn a profit of $100.

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

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