NHL betting news, trends, odds and predictions for Friday December 22, 2017 from various handicappers and websites
NHL Betting Cheat Sheet and Odds: Ovie and the Caps try to avoid "Vegas flu"
Dec 21, 2017 |
By: Monty Andrews
NHL Betting Cheat Sheet and Odds: Ovie and the Caps try to avoid "Vegas flu"
Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals make their first-ever trip to Sin City as they face the red-hot Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday evening.
Photo By - USA Today Sports
The Habs take a holiday trip to Alberta, an original six matinee on Saturday, and Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals make their first trip to Sin City. We break down all of the betting angles you'll need to know for this weekend's action on the ice with our NHL Cheat Sheet. **video
A Western Canada Christmas
The Montreal Canadiens will play two games in two nights prior to their Christmas Break - and both will take place in snowy Alberta, as they take on the Calgary Flames on Friday night and the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday. Canadiens fans and bettors should get used to seeing them away from the Bell Centre, as they continue a seven-game road trip that extends through the end of the year. The Habs have seen much higher-scoring games away from Montreal, going 9-5-1 O/U on the road compared to 7-11-1 at home. The Canadiens split their Alberta doubleheader a season ago, losing 5-0 to Calgary before beating Edmonton 4-1.
Original Six Matinee
The Detroit Red Wings and Boston Bruins will head into their holiday break a little earlier than the rest of the league as they face off in a Saturday matinee at TD Garden. This Original Six matchup has been somewhat one sided in recent history, with the Bruins having won three consecutive meetings and five of the previous six. That dominant stretch includes a 3-2 overtime decision over Detroit in their previous encounter back on Dec. 14. The Red Wings have been a strong over play on the road, exceeding the total in four of their previous five games away from Detroit. And three of the past four meetings between the teams have gone over.
Ovi's Vegas Vacation
Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals make their first-ever trip to Sin City as they face the red-hot Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday evening. The Capitals are one of the hottest teams in the NHL at the moment, having won eight of their past nine games while going over the total in eight of their previous 11 contests. But they'll be in tough against a Vegas team that is looking to become the first expansion franchise to reach the Stanley Cup final in Year 1. The Golden Knights are an NHL-best 14-2-1 at home and have one of the top offenses in the league, entering Friday ranked third overall in average goals per game (3.5).
Injury Updates
* Don't expect Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews to be back in the lineup Saturday against the host New York Rangers. Matthews continues to nurse an upper-body injury - and the Maple Leafs are scuffling without him, going 2-4-0 SU in his absence.
* Bruins forward David Krejci missed his third straight game Thursday with an upper-body ailment, and it isn't known when he will return to action. Krejci has five goals and nine assists in 18 games; Boston is 5-3-1 SU and 8-1 O/U when Krejci records a point.
* The Montreal Canadiens have shut down defenseman Shea Weber indefinitely after he suffered a foot injury in a Dec. 16 loss to Ottawa. It's a major blow for a Canadiens team that leads the NHL with 557 blocked shots; Weber is third on the team with 59.
Player News
* The New York Islanders are getting major production from their first line of Anders Lee, John Tavares and Josh Bailey, who have combined for 39 points in 10 December games. The Isles sit at +650 on Bet365 to win the Metropolitan Division.
* It has been a much less productive month for Vancouver Canucks forward Sam Gagner, who has the worst plus-minus rating of any forward this month (minus-10) while recording one goal in nine games. His minus-19 season rating is worst on the Canucks.
* Over bettors have been rejoicing whenever New York Islanders netminder Thomas Greiss is between the pipes. The Isles have gone above the total in 11 straight games in which Greiss has appeared, and in 14 of his last 15 outings.
Stanley Cup Futures
* Is it time to take the Golden Knights seriously? Oddsmakers apparently think so - they've moved the expansion darlings to +1,800 on Bet365 to earn an improbable Stanley Cup victory. Vegas is installed at +250 to win the Pacific, behind only the Kings (+160).
* The Toronto Maple Leafs remain Canada's best hope of ending a 35-year national Stanley Cup drought, even while stumbling in Matthews' absence. The Leafs are +950 to win the championship; Winnipeg is the next closest Canadian team at +1,700.
* The Philadelphia Flyers have seen their Stanley Cup odds improve - at least slightly - following a stretch of seven wins in eight games. But they're still among the longest of longshots at this point, listed at +3,000 to win their first title since 1975.
Totals Trends
* The Vancouver Canucks are the hottest over play in the league right now, boasting a six-game streak heading into Thursday night's encounter with San Jose. Vancouver enters that game having allowed four or more goals in six of its last seven outings.
* The goal lights at KeyBank Center probably won't need new filaments for a while. The Sabres continue to be one of the strongest under plays at home this season, going below the total in 11 of their first 16 games in Buffalo.
Friday’s NHL
Philly won four of its last five games with Buffalo; they’re 3-2 in last five games here. Three of last four series games played here stayed under the total. Flyers won seven of their last eight games overall, three in row on road; under is 4-1-1 in their last six games. Buffalo lost five of its last six games overall, four of their last five at home. Five of their last six games stayed under total.
Minnesota won eight of its last ten games with Florida; they’re 3-2 in last five visits to South Beach. Under is 4-2-2 in last eight series games. Minnesota won five of its last seven games overall, three of last four on road. Four of their last five games stayed under total. Florida lost seven of last ten games overall, four of last five at home. Four of their last five games stayed under total.
Home side won last five Washington-Arizona games; Wizards lost three of last four games played here. Five of last six series games stayed under. Washington won four in row, eight of last nine games; they’re 3-1 in last four road games. Over is 8-3 in their last eleven games. Arizona lost its last seven games, outscored 24-9; Coyotes lost four of last five home games. Under is 18-4 in their last 22 games.
Flames won three of their last four games with Montreal; under is 5-3-1 in last nine series games. Canadiens lost three of last five games in the Saddledome. Montreal lost four of last six games; they’re 2-3 in last five road games. Over is 5-3 in their last eight games. Calgary won its last two games 6-1/2-1; they’re 2-4 in their last six home games. Under is 6-2 in their last eight games.
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