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NHL
Monday, February 28
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Pucking the trends: This week's hot and cold NHL bets
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Every week, we update you on who's hot, who's not and situational betting spots in the National Hockey League.
HOT TEAM: Columbus Blue Jackets
Columbus enters Sunday’s tilt vs. Nashville riding a three-game winning streak. The Blue Jackets have won five of six, they have points in all six on that stretch, and are guaranteed at least eight victories this month.
Three of their five wins came at home and as favorites but the club still pulled out a surprising 4-3 win at Chicago against the defending champs.
As play began on Sunday, they were still on the outside looking in, with regards to the playoffs, but they were only three points out of the eighth spot and they had at least one game in hand on the whole conference.
At the forefront of the surge, is All-Star Rick Nash, who’s played like the star the Blue Jackets need on the ice and at the box office. He has five goals in his last six games, helping Columbus score four or more goals in each of its last three contests.
COLD TEAM: Anaheim Ducks
If there’s a hot team in the bottom of the West playoff race, it probably means there’s a cold one, too, and that is true for Anaheim these days.
The Ducks entered Sunday’s game vs. Colorado on a five-game losing streak, and it’s been uglier than it even sounds. Anaheim has allowed 27 goals during that stretch including seven to Washington on Feb. 16, and nine to St. Louis on Feb. 19.
It’s safe to say this team is missing its starting goalie. Jonas Hiller is still out because of vertigo symptoms but Anaheim just recently acquired Dan Ellis from Tampa Bay. Bettors might have to take a wait-and-see approach with Anaheim once Ellis gets between the pipes.
OVER PLAY: Ottawa Senators
OK, so this might be a tough sell after the Senators handcuffed the Flyers, 4-1, on Saturday night, but don’t be fooled by 2.5 hours of hockey. We all know strange things happen on Hockey Night in Canada anyway.
What can’t be undersold is that new-look Ottawa -- with youngsters up from the AHL and a new goalie still finding his way -- seems bound to be an over play for the rest of the season.
Saturday’s win went under by a half but let’s take a look at the numbers. The under snapped a two-game over streak, yes, but Ottawa has still pushed past the total in nine of its last 11 games.
Craig Anderson has been good in net since the trade from Colorado, but remember his defense will be young and shaky the rest of the way.
And let’s see how that defense responds to a tough trifecta this week, to open the month of March: Boston, Atlanta and the Rangers. Think over, folks.
UNDER PLAY: New Jersey Devils
Well, their winning ways finally came to an end, with a 2-1 loss to Tampa Bay on Friday, but the unders just keep on coming for New Jersey.
Johan Hedberg has been tremendous in net and the offense is still slow enough for the Devils to be a consistent under buy the rest of the way. They entered Sunday’s game vs. Florida having gone under in four straight, and were in the midst of a 7-0-2 under run. That’s a quality, consistent stretch for any under player.
In fact, prior to the game vs. the Panthers, the Devils had gone over in a game just once all month.
SURVEYING THE SCHEDULE
** Just what the East-leading Flyers needed, right? Rest. Philadelphia, fresh off four games last week, won’t return to the ice until Thursday night. So, expect some rejuvenated legs, when they play host to the Maple Leafs at the Wells Fargo Center on four days’ rest.
** The Canucks won’t be so lucky. On Tuesday, Vancouver plays host to the Blue Jackets in a game which will start a run of four contests in six days. For a team that is just 4-5 in its last nine, Vancouver might want to get it together in this stretch, in which it’ll also play the Predators, Kings and Ducks.
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Monday, February 28
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pucking the trends: This week's hot and cold NHL bets
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Every week, we update you on who's hot, who's not and situational betting spots in the National Hockey League.
HOT TEAM: Columbus Blue Jackets
Columbus enters Sunday’s tilt vs. Nashville riding a three-game winning streak. The Blue Jackets have won five of six, they have points in all six on that stretch, and are guaranteed at least eight victories this month.
Three of their five wins came at home and as favorites but the club still pulled out a surprising 4-3 win at Chicago against the defending champs.
As play began on Sunday, they were still on the outside looking in, with regards to the playoffs, but they were only three points out of the eighth spot and they had at least one game in hand on the whole conference.
At the forefront of the surge, is All-Star Rick Nash, who’s played like the star the Blue Jackets need on the ice and at the box office. He has five goals in his last six games, helping Columbus score four or more goals in each of its last three contests.
COLD TEAM: Anaheim Ducks
If there’s a hot team in the bottom of the West playoff race, it probably means there’s a cold one, too, and that is true for Anaheim these days.
The Ducks entered Sunday’s game vs. Colorado on a five-game losing streak, and it’s been uglier than it even sounds. Anaheim has allowed 27 goals during that stretch including seven to Washington on Feb. 16, and nine to St. Louis on Feb. 19.
It’s safe to say this team is missing its starting goalie. Jonas Hiller is still out because of vertigo symptoms but Anaheim just recently acquired Dan Ellis from Tampa Bay. Bettors might have to take a wait-and-see approach with Anaheim once Ellis gets between the pipes.
OVER PLAY: Ottawa Senators
OK, so this might be a tough sell after the Senators handcuffed the Flyers, 4-1, on Saturday night, but don’t be fooled by 2.5 hours of hockey. We all know strange things happen on Hockey Night in Canada anyway.
What can’t be undersold is that new-look Ottawa -- with youngsters up from the AHL and a new goalie still finding his way -- seems bound to be an over play for the rest of the season.
Saturday’s win went under by a half but let’s take a look at the numbers. The under snapped a two-game over streak, yes, but Ottawa has still pushed past the total in nine of its last 11 games.
Craig Anderson has been good in net since the trade from Colorado, but remember his defense will be young and shaky the rest of the way.
And let’s see how that defense responds to a tough trifecta this week, to open the month of March: Boston, Atlanta and the Rangers. Think over, folks.
UNDER PLAY: New Jersey Devils
Well, their winning ways finally came to an end, with a 2-1 loss to Tampa Bay on Friday, but the unders just keep on coming for New Jersey.
Johan Hedberg has been tremendous in net and the offense is still slow enough for the Devils to be a consistent under buy the rest of the way. They entered Sunday’s game vs. Florida having gone under in four straight, and were in the midst of a 7-0-2 under run. That’s a quality, consistent stretch for any under player.
In fact, prior to the game vs. the Panthers, the Devils had gone over in a game just once all month.
SURVEYING THE SCHEDULE
** Just what the East-leading Flyers needed, right? Rest. Philadelphia, fresh off four games last week, won’t return to the ice until Thursday night. So, expect some rejuvenated legs, when they play host to the Maple Leafs at the Wells Fargo Center on four days’ rest.
** The Canucks won’t be so lucky. On Tuesday, Vancouver plays host to the Blue Jackets in a game which will start a run of four contests in six days. For a team that is just 4-5 in its last nine, Vancouver might want to get it together in this stretch, in which it’ll also play the Predators, Kings and Ducks.
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