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NHL
Monday, April 18
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Ice picks: Monday's best NHL bets
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Pittsburgh Penguins at Tampa Bay Lightning (-130, 5)
After a pair of tilts in Pittsburgh, the Lightning return home on Monday and head coach Guy Boucher is clearly excited about it.
“I can't wait for our fans to welcome us,” Boucher told the St. Petersburg Times. “I'm hoping they have all the energy and enthusiasm in the world, because it does give you energy. It does give you hope.”
As if Game 2 had not already Tampa Bay enough hope? The visitors annihilated Pittsburgh 5-1, evening the opening-round series at one apiece. While Tampa’s offense stole headlines with three first-period goals, net-minder Dwayne Roloson continued his fine form.
Roloson saved 35 of 36 shots, and even though the Penguins scored three times in Game 1, he fought off 37 of 39 attempts (the last goal was an empty-netter). Roloson has allowed no more than two goals in six of his last seven outings.
Meanwhile, perhaps the laundry list of absences is catching up the Penguins. Evgeni Malkin (knee) is gone for the year, Sidney Crosby (concussion) and Dustin Jeffrey (knee) are still out indefinitely, and Matt Cooke is suspended for this series.
Pick: Lightning
Detroit Red Wings at Phoenix Coyotes (-120, 5.5)
The Coyotes find themselves trailing 2-0 after a pair of contests in Detroit, but they certainly looked better on Saturday than they did on Wednesday.
A big reason for that was Phoenix’s power play. The visitors had six chances (a total of 17 minutes) and did not convert a single time in Game 1. Three days later, though, the Coyotes converted three of seven man advantages in a 4-3 loss.
“We got some pucks to the net, and we were able to find some of the pucks around the front,” head coach Dave Tippett told AzCentral.com. “I thought our intent around the net was much better tonight. The 5 on 3, we had some more poise that we were missing in the first game.”
Detroit leads this season’s head-to-head series 4-2, but no contest has been decided by more than two goals. Twice their battles ended in overtime, one went to a shootout, and obviously Saturday’s showdown was a one-goal thriller.
Pick: Coyotes
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Monday, April 18
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ice picks: Monday's best NHL bets
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pittsburgh Penguins at Tampa Bay Lightning (-130, 5)
After a pair of tilts in Pittsburgh, the Lightning return home on Monday and head coach Guy Boucher is clearly excited about it.
“I can't wait for our fans to welcome us,” Boucher told the St. Petersburg Times. “I'm hoping they have all the energy and enthusiasm in the world, because it does give you energy. It does give you hope.”
As if Game 2 had not already Tampa Bay enough hope? The visitors annihilated Pittsburgh 5-1, evening the opening-round series at one apiece. While Tampa’s offense stole headlines with three first-period goals, net-minder Dwayne Roloson continued his fine form.
Roloson saved 35 of 36 shots, and even though the Penguins scored three times in Game 1, he fought off 37 of 39 attempts (the last goal was an empty-netter). Roloson has allowed no more than two goals in six of his last seven outings.
Meanwhile, perhaps the laundry list of absences is catching up the Penguins. Evgeni Malkin (knee) is gone for the year, Sidney Crosby (concussion) and Dustin Jeffrey (knee) are still out indefinitely, and Matt Cooke is suspended for this series.
Pick: Lightning
Detroit Red Wings at Phoenix Coyotes (-120, 5.5)
The Coyotes find themselves trailing 2-0 after a pair of contests in Detroit, but they certainly looked better on Saturday than they did on Wednesday.
A big reason for that was Phoenix’s power play. The visitors had six chances (a total of 17 minutes) and did not convert a single time in Game 1. Three days later, though, the Coyotes converted three of seven man advantages in a 4-3 loss.
“We got some pucks to the net, and we were able to find some of the pucks around the front,” head coach Dave Tippett told AzCentral.com. “I thought our intent around the net was much better tonight. The 5 on 3, we had some more poise that we were missing in the first game.”
Detroit leads this season’s head-to-head series 4-2, but no contest has been decided by more than two goals. Twice their battles ended in overtime, one went to a shootout, and obviously Saturday’s showdown was a one-goal thriller.
Pick: Coyotes
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