NHL betting trends, odds and predictions for Tuesday, October 10th, 2017 from various handicappers and websites
NHL Knowledge
Rangers won three of last four games with St Louis, which lost 5-0/6-3 in last two visits to Manhattan. Under is 2-0-1 in last three series games. Blues are off to a 3-0 start, with road wins in SO/OT- over is 2-1 in their games. New York lost two of its first three games (over 2-1), splitting pair at home.
Home side won last four Columbus-Carolina games; Blue Jackets lost 5-3/2-1ot in last two visits to Raleigh. Last three series games stayed under. Columbus split their first two games (over 1-1), losing 5-1 at Chicago in their only road game. Hurricanes beat Minnesota 5-4 in OT in its only game so far.
Chicago won its last seven games with Montreal, winning last three visits here by a combined margin of 11-3. Over is 3-1-1 in last five series games. Blackhawks won two of first three games (over 3-0), losing first road game in OT at Toronto Monday. Canadiens went 1-2 on their opening road trip (over 1-1-1)- they scored four goals in the three games.
Flyers won four of their last five games with Nashville; they won 6-3/4-2 in last two visits to Music City. Over is 3-1-1 in last five series games played here. Philly won two of its first three games, all on road (under 2-1). Predators lost 4-3/4-0 in their first two games (over 1-1), both on road.
Detroit is 7-3 in its last ten games with the Dallas Stars; Red Wings won four of last five visits to Texas. Under is 3-1 in last four series games. Red Wings won their first two games 4-2/2-1ot (over 1-1). Dallas lost 4-2/2-1 in their first two games (over 1-1), losing in OT to Las Vegas in their only home game.
Ottawa won four of last five games with Vancouver, but they lost two of last three visits here; home side won five of last six series games. Under is 3-1 in last four. Senators lost their first two games, both at home, both in SO (over 1-1). Canucks beat Edmonton 3-2 in their home opener Saturday, their only game so far.
Las Vegas plays its first-ever home game after winning its first two games on road, both by 2-1 scores. Knights won 2-1 in Arizona in OT Saturday. Coyotes are 0-2 with two one-goal losses (over 1-1); they lost 5-4 at Anaheim in their only road game.
Armadillosports.com
NHL Picks and Betting Tips
By Parker Michaels
Bangthebook.com
It’s another busy night with seven games highlighted by a special night in Vegas with the Golden Knights home opener. Let’s get right into things.
ST. LOUIS BLUES @ NY RANGERS
Projected Goaltenders
St. Louis – Carter Hutton (confirmed)
NY Rangers – Henrik Lundqvist/Ondrej Pavelec (unknown)
Injury Report
St. Louis – Steen (out), Fabbri (out), Berglund (out), Bouwmeester (out)
NY Rangers – no significant injuries
You have to give the Blues credit for coming out and winning their first three games while being shorthanded a few key regulars. Mike Yeo turned their season around last year and he has them playing a good aggressive system. The defense continues to jump up in the play to create offense but that’s still leaving them vulnerable on the backend. For now, Jake Allen has looked great and made the big save when needed. There’s a couple of big concerns with the Blues, however, in that they are taking too many penalties and that’s going to catch up to them soon, maybe here tonight. They’re also fading late in games, allowing teams back into all three games they’ve played. Tarasenko sure looks great though with an early three goals.
The Rangers were about to hit the panic button until Henrik Lundqvist saved the day with a 34-save shutout Sunday night versus Montreal. Head coach Vigneault went with seven defensemen and only 11 forwards and benched 18-year old Filip Chytil who didn’t look ready for the NHL in his debut and is likely headed back to Europe. Defenseman Brendan Smith was also benched after his meltdown in Toronto the previous game. New York won the game but they still gave up a lot of quality scoring chances and that’s still a cause for concern moving forward.
No line yet on this game but I suspect it will open around my range. Carter Hutton will make his first start for St. Louis. Lundqvist is likely to start for New York but Pavelec was originally scheduled to start on Sunday so there’s a chance Vigneault still wants to get him an early start. We’ll see what happens in the morning skate and go from there.
COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS @ CAROLINA HURRICANES
Projected Goaltenders
Columbus – Sergei Bobrovsky (confirmed)
Carolina – Scott Darling (confirmed)
Injury Report
Columbus – Jenner (out)
Carolina – Stempniak (out), van Riemsdyk (doubtful)
Josh Anderson will make his Columbus season debut after a one game conditioning stint in the AHL (where he fired seven shots on goal). Nick Foligno is going to jump up to center the first line tonight, swapping places with Dubinsky. Other than that, not much going on here.
This will be an early season benchmark game for Carolina as Columbus is one of those teams who Carolina is hoping to jump in the standings this year to secure a playoff spot.
Trevor van Riemsdyk is doubtful tonight after missing Monday’s practice with a lower-body issue.
This opener is a little short so we’re going to play Carolina tonight at -124.
CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS @ MONTREAL CANADIENS
Projected Goaltenders
Chicago – Corey Crawford (confirmed)
Montreal – Carey Price (probable)
Injury Report
Chicago – Hossa (out), Schmaltz (out)
Montreal – Schlemko (out)
It’s the home opener for the Montreal Canadiens which is always a special moment for the storied franchise. The Hawks are coming into town on a back-to-back after getting worked in Toronto last night.
Chicago looked great to start the game but the Leafs depth grinded them down with continuous pressure throughout the game. The absence of center Nick Schmaltz looked noticeable last night as Kane’s line was completely ineffective and dare I say, Patty Kane looked invisible. Schmaltz will also miss tonight’s game.
As per the norm in the Montreal media, a level of panic has already set in with the alarm bells sounding. It’s the same preseason narratives with “the defense isn’t as good as last year” and “they still can’t score”. Blah, blah, blah.
The offense has had trouble finishing (if you discard the two disallowed goals the other night) but it’s certainly not for a lack of creating offense. They’ve averaged 37.6 shots on goal over three games and generated 27 scoring chances alone against the Rangers.
Jonathan Drouin is off to a slow start and while I still think that’s a mistake having him at center, he’s too talented to go through an extended slump so look for him to get on the scoresheet soon. One bright spot has been the third line of Charles Hudon and Artturi Lehkonen who have been dominating possession and centerman Thomas Plekanec looks revitalized this year between the two youngsters.
Crawford will get the start in his hometown and he’s always loved playing here. Price is expected to get the nod for the Canadiens.
No line yet but this one might open a bit short, in which case we’ll probably look at the Canadiens or nothing here. I’ll update on Twitter.
PHILADELPHIA FLYERS @ NASHVILLE PREDATORS
Projected Goaltenders
Philadelphia – Michal Neuvirth (confirmed)
Nashville – Pekka Rinne (probable)
Injury Report
Philadelphia – no significant injuries
Nashville – Ellis (out), Fiala (probable), Josi (probable)
It’s the home opener for the Western Conference champions and as such they will hold a pre-game ceremony with the banner raising. The Preds are coming off being shutout and that has usually meant a strong bounce back in the next game as they are 9-4-2 under coach Laviolette after being goose-egged.
Nashville’s offense is off to a very slow start as they’ve only generated 28 total scoring chances through their first two games which is tied for the lowest in the league (for teams with minimum two games played). Nick Bonino has looked out of sorts which was a concern of mine in the season preview. He’s still without a point and only has two shots on net. It’s still very early and there’s an adjustment period moving to a new team but it’s still something to keep an eye on for Nashville.
Defensively, the team has really missed Ryan Ellis to solidify that strong top-four. Josi, Ekholm and Subban have been excellent but the bottom three of Irwin, Weber and Bitetto have looked downright terrible with terrible possession numbers and Alexei Emelin was so ineffective in the opener he was a healthy scratch last game.
It might be time for prospect Sam Girard to get into a game (he can’t do any worse). Girard rotated with the defense in Monday’s practice but that was likely because Josi was absent. Coach said it was just a maintenance day but seems pretty early in the season for one of those. You never know early in the season and he’s probably fine for tonight but I listed him in the injury report to keep an eye on as he’d be a huge absence. Kevin Fiala fully practiced yesterday and is likely to return tonight. He’d be a nice boost to the offense.
For the Flyers, this will be the final game in a season opening four game road trip. Philadelphia is off to an impressive start as they’ve shown a balanced attack with a surprisingly deep lineup. The fourth line, in particular, of Taylor Leier, Scott Laughton and Michael Raffl have been flat out dominating. It’s a huge upgrade over last year’s rotation of Bellemare and VandeVelde, eh Flyers fans?
Michal Neuvirth looked good in his first game and he’s getting the start here tonight. I would have played Philly here off the opener of -157 but it was hit early and now sits at -146. It’s Philly or nothing here so we’ll keep an eye on it and see if it goes back up.
DETROIT RED WINGS @ DALLAS STARS
Projected Goaltenders
Detroit – Jimmy Howard (confirmed)
Dallas – Ben Bishop (probable)
Injury Report
Detroit – Kronwall (out)
Dallas – Hamhuis (questionable), Hanzal (probable)
Detroit at Dallas will feature a 2-0 team versus a 0-2 team. If you thought that 2-0 team would be the Dallas Star you aren’t alone. It’s been a tough start with losses to Vegas and St. Louis but there shouldn’t be any reason to panic here. The team has actually looked quite good through the majority of their two games, leading 2-1 against Vegas into the third period before Ben Bishop took a puck to the mask and was forced to leave and not allowed to re-enter (concussion protocol). The team kinda fell into a lapse then and Kari Lehtonen gave up a couple tough ones. Then the Stars fell behind 3-0 early to the Blues before proceeding to mostly dominate the final 40 minutes, eventually losing 4-2.
The Stars actually lead the NHL in shots per game at an eye-popping 43.0 per game and also lead the lead in fewest shots against at just 25.5 per game. Don’t worry about the Stars, they’ll be fine.
Martin Hanzal is expected to return and getting banged up Saturday night but Dan Hamhuis is dealing with a groin issue and is expected to be a game-time decision. We’ll see if they confirm one way or another during the morning skate but he has little impact to the line as it is.
Detroit is off to a surprising 2-0 start and they can thank Jimmy Howard because honestly they haven’t really looked too impressive. Howard has stopped 74 of 77 shots for an early .961 save percentage. The fact they’ve given up 38.5 shots per game probably tells you how good the defense has been.
Look for Dallas to get into the win column here tonight but based on the current line there’s no value to us.
OTTAWA SENATORS @ VANCOUVER CANUCKS
Projected Goaltenders
Ottawa – Craig Anderson (confirmed)
Vancouver – Jacob Markstrom/Anders Nilsson (unknown)
Injury Report
Ottawa – MacArthur (out), Karlsson (out), Oduya (out), Harpur (out), Hoffman (questionable)
Vancouver – no significant injuries
The Ottawa Senators begin a three game western Canada road trip tonight and they’ll do so without the services of Erik Karlsson (and Johnny Oduya) as neither made the trip. It’s possible they could still jump on a plane and meet the team later today but that usually never happens so don’t get your hopes up, Senators fans. Ben Harpur was called up and proceeded to injury himself in Saturday’s game and has been placed on IR. So, the highly anticipated debut of prospect Thomas Chabot will happen tonight (and Christian Jaros, also called up). If you read my season preview for Ottawa you know the hype around Chabot. He could be a game-changer for the Senators blueline.
Mike Hoffman missed Monday’s practice due to the flu and is questionable tonight. We’ll get an update on his condition at the morning skate and his availability will likely influence our decision on betting this game. If he’s in, there might be some value on Ottawa. I say might because right now it’s sitting at my threshold of 8 cents under the cut-off. We’ll see if this one moves at all and when we know about Hoffman I’ll update on Twitter.
Vancouver looked impressive in their debut win over Edmonton. One thing to note from that game is the lower ice-time for the Sedins. Henrik only played 13:30 (and only 7:49 at even-strength) while Daniel played 14:02 (7:55 even strength). They talked after the game about how they are comfortable playing a lesser role this year and allowing the younger guys to take on increased responsibility. It might have been a different story if Vancouver had been trailing at any point but it’s something to keep an eye on moving forward. Increased ice-time for the Horvat and Gagner lines could be beneficial for them. Now if only they would allow Brock Boeser to play more.
ARIZONA COYOTES @ VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS
Projected Goaltenders
Arizona – Antti Raanta (confirmed)
Vegas – Marc-Andre Fleury (probable)
Injury Report
Arizona – Chychrun (out)
Vegas – Shipachyov (doubtful), Theodore (doubtful)
The final game of the night is a difficult one to discuss and I’m not completely sure about the ethical way to proceed. It’s the home opener for the Golden Knights and it’s going to be an extremely emotional game for the home side as they honor the victims of the mass murder tragedy that befell Las Vegas ten days ago. Some people will think we shouldn’t be discussing betting on such a game and that’s where my ethical side comes into play. While I can see where those people are coming from, I think we should do just as the fans who will be attending the game tonight. Pay our respects pre-game, then enjoy the game on the ice. It’s all part of the healing process.
As for the Golden Knights themselves, this team is mired in heavy distraction right now. On top of the tragic events, GM George McPhee has had to answer questions about why Vadim Shipachyov isn’t on the roster. There’s rumors that Shipachyov is prepared to return to Russia and everything. What a mess. He’s under contract and not allowed to leave so it’s really a moot point (unless he pulls a Kovalchuk). Shipachyov is actually in Vegas right now as he never did report to the Chicago Wolves in the AHL. Vegas still has a mess of defensemen on their roster to sort out but whenever they are able to work something out, Shipachyov will already be in town ready to play.
In terms of the game, it’s going to be a heightened emotional state unlike other pregame ceremonies we’re accustomed too. The pre-game festivities planned for the home opener have been put on hold and will now be done before Friday night’s game. There will be a different special pre-game ceremony tonight where the team will honor the victims and first responders. The Vegas players themselves will actually be taking part on ice in the ceremony with fans. The team has said tonight will be about the city and not the game and they’ll get back to the team on Friday. It should be an incredible tribute.
From the Arizona view, Antti Raanta looked outstanding in his Coyotes debut last game, making 42 saves despite the team blowing another third period lead. Arizona has looked really good through 40 minutes in both of their games but the inexperience has shown in the third with blown leads resulting in two losses. It’s something they’ll get used to and get better at, just as the young Maple Leafs have.
The current line is giving us some value so Arizona at -102 is going to be our second bet for tonight.