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NHL
Friday, December 10
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Ice picks: Today's best NHL bets
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Montreal Canadiens at Detroit Red Wings (-151, 5.5)
When the Canadiens traded playoff hero Jaroslav Halak to the St. Louis Blues this offseason, opting to stick with goaltender Carey Price despite Halak’s promising postseason, hockey fans in Montreal were not happy.
However, Price is making believers out of those doubters, allowing just one goal in each of his last three starts and leading the Habs to three straight wins in the process. Price turned away 28 shots in Montreal’s 4-1 win over the Ottawa Senators Tuesday night, improving his record to 17-7-2 with a 1.92 GAA on the year.
"He's played extremely well since the beginning of the season," head coach Jacques Martin told reporters of Price’s play. "He's given us a chance to win every night. He's confident, but I like how he's been even-keel since the beginning. He doesn't get too high with wins or too low with losses. He's really worked at his game and really done a good job with his teammates."
Price is getting past his inconsistent skids that have plagued his time with the Canadiens. In his last appearance against the Red Wings, Price was on the wrong end of a goaltending battle with Detroit’s Jimmy Howard. He turned away 32 of 34 shots but couldn’t come through in the shootout, losing 3-2 on November 21, 2009.
Detroit has struggled to find the back of the net in recent games. It’s scored just two goals in each of its last three outings, going 0-3 in that stretch. Goals will be even harder to come by against a red-hot Price.
Pick: Montreal +139
Tampa Bay Lightning at Edmonton Oilers (+111, 5.5)
Lightning center Steve Stamkos was on a torrid pace to start the season, netting 21 goals in his first 22 games of the schedule. But, what goes up must come down. And when you were as high up as Stamkos was, the way down is a long, long fall.
The third-year star has gone six games without scoring a goal and has recorded just two assists in that span. Tampa Bay has felt Stamkos’ cold streak, going just 2-4 during that six-game stretch.
"You want to contribute, especially when you don't win," Stamkos told the St. Petersburg Times. "It's on my part. I have to work even harder now that the bounces aren't going my way."
The Lightning, who rank ninth in scoring in the NHL, are averaging just one and a half goals over those four losses, including a 4-2 loss to the Calgary Flames Tuesday in which Stamkos registering only four shots.
"People are saying I am," Stamkos said when asked if he thought he was in a slump. "You have to be realistic. You're not going to get a point every game. … The chances are there. I'm working hard every night, so, for me, it's not a slump."
Bettors who have been torched by Stamkos’ lack of production may think otherwise. Edmonton has won the past two meetings with Tampa Bay and is victorious in four of its last five outings.
Pick: Edmonton +111
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Friday, December 10
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ice picks: Today's best NHL bets
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Montreal Canadiens at Detroit Red Wings (-151, 5.5)
When the Canadiens traded playoff hero Jaroslav Halak to the St. Louis Blues this offseason, opting to stick with goaltender Carey Price despite Halak’s promising postseason, hockey fans in Montreal were not happy.
However, Price is making believers out of those doubters, allowing just one goal in each of his last three starts and leading the Habs to three straight wins in the process. Price turned away 28 shots in Montreal’s 4-1 win over the Ottawa Senators Tuesday night, improving his record to 17-7-2 with a 1.92 GAA on the year.
"He's played extremely well since the beginning of the season," head coach Jacques Martin told reporters of Price’s play. "He's given us a chance to win every night. He's confident, but I like how he's been even-keel since the beginning. He doesn't get too high with wins or too low with losses. He's really worked at his game and really done a good job with his teammates."
Price is getting past his inconsistent skids that have plagued his time with the Canadiens. In his last appearance against the Red Wings, Price was on the wrong end of a goaltending battle with Detroit’s Jimmy Howard. He turned away 32 of 34 shots but couldn’t come through in the shootout, losing 3-2 on November 21, 2009.
Detroit has struggled to find the back of the net in recent games. It’s scored just two goals in each of its last three outings, going 0-3 in that stretch. Goals will be even harder to come by against a red-hot Price.
Pick: Montreal +139
Tampa Bay Lightning at Edmonton Oilers (+111, 5.5)
Lightning center Steve Stamkos was on a torrid pace to start the season, netting 21 goals in his first 22 games of the schedule. But, what goes up must come down. And when you were as high up as Stamkos was, the way down is a long, long fall.
The third-year star has gone six games without scoring a goal and has recorded just two assists in that span. Tampa Bay has felt Stamkos’ cold streak, going just 2-4 during that six-game stretch.
"You want to contribute, especially when you don't win," Stamkos told the St. Petersburg Times. "It's on my part. I have to work even harder now that the bounces aren't going my way."
The Lightning, who rank ninth in scoring in the NHL, are averaging just one and a half goals over those four losses, including a 4-2 loss to the Calgary Flames Tuesday in which Stamkos registering only four shots.
"People are saying I am," Stamkos said when asked if he thought he was in a slump. "You have to be realistic. You're not going to get a point every game. … The chances are there. I'm working hard every night, so, for me, it's not a slump."
Bettors who have been torched by Stamkos’ lack of production may think otherwise. Edmonton has won the past two meetings with Tampa Bay and is victorious in four of its last five outings.
Pick: Edmonton +111
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