Monday’s Best NHL Bets
Buffalo Sabres at Boston Bruins (-135, 5)
The Sabres avoided elimination thanks to a 4-1 win on home ice, but Monday’s game in Boston will be an even tougher test. The away side has lost all but one of the games in this series.
The Bruins dodged a bullet when the NHL ruled Zdeno Chara would not be suspended for Game 6. The defending Norris Trophy winner was given an instigator penalty late in Game 5 after retaliating from a slash.
“To be honest with you, I wasn’t even worried,” Bruins coach Claude Julien told the Boston Herald. “I couldn’t see (a suspension) happening. . . . It just didn’t make any sense. The guy got slashed on the back of the leg with a two-hander. He turned around with his glove still on and takes a pop - and then three guys jump on him.”
While Chara’s availability is certain, center Marc Savard is still iffy. The Bruins’ best offensive player was lost earlier in the year after suffering a nasty concussion. Savard skated on Saturday and is just awaiting medical clearance to rejoin his teammates.
“Of course, every player wants to play,” Savard told reporters after the skate. “I’m excited. The adrenaline is pumping. (Yesterday) was another good day. We’ll see what happens with the trainers and coaches.”
Sounds like things are stacked against Ryan Miller and the Sabres from extending the series.
Pick: Bruins
Washington Capitals at Montreal Canadiens (+165, 6)
The Habs are proving to be a much tougher test for the Presidents’ Trophy winners than most NHL bettors were anticipating.
The great equalizer for Montreal has been its special teams. The Caps, who owned the league’s best power play during the regular season, have scored just one goal in 24 power plays so far this series. The Habs, on the other hand, are 4-for-22 with the man advantage.
That’s a good way to frustrate Alexander Ovechkin & Co.
"I mean [the Canadiens] skate. I watch the games. I watch them closely," Caps forward Scott Walker told the Washington Examiner. "They skate. They play hard. But are we playing hard?”
It all boils down to goaltending for the Habs. The Caps are always going to put a lot of pucks on net, but if Jaroslav Halak can play at the same level he did in Game 5, Montreal has a good shot of pushing the series to a Game 7 in Washington.
Pick: Under
Buffalo Sabres vs. Boston Bruins
The division rival Buffalo Sabres and Boston Bruins are set to renew hostilities on Monday when they meet at TD Garden.
Ryan Miller made 34 saves and the Sabres defeated the Bruins 4-1 in Game 5 on Friday and now trail the best-of-seven Eastern Conference quarter-final 3-2. The Sabres won the game as -160 favorites, while the five goals went as a PUSH against the posted over/under (5) set by sportsbooks.
Adam Mair, Jason Pominville, Mike Grier, and Tyler Ennis scored for the Sabres. Johnny Boychuk tallied on the power play for the Bruins, who were +140 underdogs.
Team records:
Buffalo: 45-27-10
Boston: 39-30-13
Buffalo most recently:
When playing on Monday are 4-6
Before playing Colorado are 7-3
After playing Boston are 4-6
After a win are 5-5
Boston most recently:
When playing on Monday are 4-6
Before playing Ottawa are 3-7
After playing Buffalo are 8-2
After a loss are 8-2
A few trends to consider:
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Buffalo's last 6 games on the road
Buffalo is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
Buffalo is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing Boston
Buffalo is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Boston
Boston is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home
Boston is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Buffalo
Boston is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games
Boston is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Buffalo
Next up:
Boston at Buffalo, Wednesday, April 28
Washington Capitals vs. Montreal Canadiens
The Washington Capitals and the Montreal Canadiens will both be trying to pick up a win on Monday when they battle at Bell Centre.
Jaroslav Halak came back in a must-win Game 5 and stopped 37 shots as the Canadiens defeated the Capitals 2-1 on Friday, avoiding elimination in the Eastern Conference quarter-final series. The Candiens won that game as +300 underdogs, and the three goals went UNDER the posted over/under (6).
Michael Cammalleri and Travis Moen tallied for the Canadiens. Alex Ovechkin replied for the Capitals.
Team records:
Washington: 54-15-13
Montreal: 39-33-10
Washington most recently:
When playing on Monday are 8-2
Before playing Calgary are 4-6
After playing Montreal are 5-5
After a loss are 6-4
Montreal most recently:
When playing on Monday are 8-2
Before playing Washington are 4-6
After playing Washington are 2-8
After a win are 6-4
A few trends to consider:
Washington is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Washington's last 5 games when playing on the road against Montreal
Washington is 8-3 SU in its last 11 games
Washington is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Montreal
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Montreal's last 5 games when playing at home against Washington
Montreal is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Washington
Montreal is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games
Montreal is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games at home
Next up:
Montreal at Washington, Wednesday, April 28
Chicago Blackhawks vs. Nashville Predators
The Chicago Blackhawks and the Nashville Predators will both be trying to pick up a win on Monday when they battle at Bridgestone Arena.
The Blackhawks overcame a penalty and one-goal deficit to force overtime and eventually win 5-4 over the Predators at the United Center Saturday.
Chicago won as a -245 home favorite while the final score played OVER the 5-goal total.
Marian Hossa scored the overtime winner for the Blackhawks, adding an assist in the win. Patrick Kane scored a shorthanded goal with just 14 seconds left in the game to force the additional period. Tomas Kopecky, Andrew Ladd and Niklas Hjalmarsson also added goals for Chicago.
Martin Erat netted two goals for the Predators while Joel Ward and David Legwand also found the back of the net. Goaltender Pekka Rinne stopped 27 of 32 shots in the loss.
Team records:
Chicago: 52-22-8
Nashville: 47-29-6
Chicago most recently:
When playing on Monday are 6-4
Before playing Edmonton are 5-5
After playing Nashville are 7-3
After a win are 6-4
Nashville most recently:
When playing on Monday are 6-4
Before playing Minnesota are 8-2
After playing Chicago are 4-6
After a loss are 8-2
A few trends to consider:
Chicago is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Chicago is 9-3 SU in its last 12 games
Chicago is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing Nashville
Chicago is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Nashville
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Nashville's last 6 games at home
Nashville is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Chicago
Nashville is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing Chicago
Next up:
Nashville at Chicago, Wednesday, April 28
BUFFALO (47-30-0-10, 104 pts.) at BOSTON (42-32-0-13, 97 pts.)
Top Trends for this game.
BUFFALO is 11-17 ATS (-11.9 Units) after a division game this season.
BOSTON is 39-17 ATS (+19.3 Units) after a division game over the last 2 seasons.
BUFFALO is 208-147 ATS (+33.7 Units) vs. division opponents since 1996.
BOSTON is 42-45 ATS (-18.5 Units) in all games this season.
BOSTON is 8-14 ATS (-15.7 Units) in home games second half of the season this season.
Head-to-Head Series History
BOSTON is 13-12 (+0.9 Units) against the spread versus BUFFALO over the last 3 seasons
BOSTON is 13-12-0 straight up against BUFFALO over the last 3 seasons
15 of 22 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+6.8 Units)
WASHINGTON (57-17-0-13, 127 pts.) at MONTREAL (41-35-0-11, 93 pts.)
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 23-6 ATS (+15.8 Units) revenging a home loss versus opponent over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 49-18 ATS (+24.1 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 143-147 ATS (+316.8 Units) in road games second half of the season since 1996.
Head-to-Head Series History
MONTREAL is 7-10 (+0.3 Units) against the spread versus WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
WASHINGTON is 10-7-0 straight up against MONTREAL over the last 3 seasons
9 of 15 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+2.2 Units)
CHICAGO (55-24-0-8, 118 pts.) at NASHVILLE (49-31-0-7, 105 pts.)
Top Trends for this game.
NASHVILLE is 48-38 ATS (+48.0 Units) in all games this season.
NASHVILLE is 27-13 ATS (+12.2 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent this season.
NASHVILLE is 22-21 ATS (+0.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
NASHVILLE is 48-44 ATS (+108.5 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
NASHVILLE is 28-25 ATS (+54.1 Units) vs. division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
NASHVILLE is 17-11 ATS (+30.2 Units) after a division game this season.
CHICAGO is 52-25 ATS (+18.3 Units) after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO is 247-284 ATS (+605.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record since 1996.
Head-to-Head Series History
CHICAGO is 15-10 (+0.0 Units) against the spread versus NASHVILLE over the last 3 seasons
CHICAGO is 15-10-0 straight up against NASHVILLE over the last 3 seasons
13 of 22 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+2.7 Units)
BUFFALO vs. BOSTON
Buffalo is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Boston
Buffalo is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing Boston
Boston is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Buffalo
Boston is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Buffalo
WASHINGTON vs. MONTREAL
Washington is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Montreal
Washington is 8-3 SU in its last 11 games
Montreal is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games
Montreal is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Washington
CHICAGO vs. NASHVILLE
Chicago is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Nashville
Chicago is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing Nashville
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Nashville's last 6 games at home
Nashville is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing Chicago
Eastern Conference Playoffs
First Round, Game Six (Boston Leads, 3-2)
BUFFALO at BOSTON
BUFFALO: 15-5 SU off a division win by 2+ goals
BOSTON: 6-12 SU at home off a road game
Eastern Conference Playoffs
First Round, Game Six (Washington Leads, 3-2)
WASHINGTON at MONTREAL
WASHINGTON: 28-8 SU off an Under
MONTREAL: 18-30 SU at home off a road win by 1 goal
Western Conference Playoffs
First Round, Game Six (Chicago Leads, 3-2)
(TC) CHICAGO at NASHVILLE
CHICAGO: 7-1 Over away off a home win scoring 4+ goals
NASHVILLE: 7-1 SU off BB division losses