NHL vs. Super Bowl Props
By Judd Hall
There is no shortage of prop bets for someone to take advantage of when it comes to the Super Bowl. We can wager on everything from the how long it will take Carrie Underwood to sing the National Anthem to what color the Gatorade will be when the newly minted champs drench their head coach.
For those of you looking for a more intellectual approach to your prop wagering for the big game, then look at the cross-sport options. Sportsbook.com has more than enough bets on the board having to do with the Super Bowl and the NBA and NHL.
On the ice, Sportsbook.com has seven plays between football’s top battle and the two games in the NHL on Sunday. Let’s take a look at a few of these “who will have more” wagers.
Capitals-Penguins Goals or Colts-Saints Touchdowns?
The first thing we should do is give kudos to the NHL for putting a game that is actually worth watching on Super Sunday. Pittsburgh and the Capitals have developed one of the better rivalries going in the league right now. And these two clubs have had fun lighting the lamp this season. Washington leads the NHL in scoring with 214 goals so far, while the Penguins are fifth with 173. These two clubs have scored at least seven goals together in 10 of their last 12 meetings.
The Saints and Colts both scored 34 passing touchdowns during the regular season. Also, New Orleans has pushed through 21 scores on the ground. Most every expert is expecting this game to be the highest scoring in history. According to Sportsbook.com, 75 percent of the bettor’s cash has posted on the ‘over.’ Even our Editorial Department has the final score at 32-31, so you have to figure that is going to be eight touchdowns.
This is a tough call, but I’m going to go with the Colts and Saints for this wager for a plus-115.
Bruins’ Shots on Goal or Colts’ Points?
Boston hasn’t looked anywhere like the club that had 116 points a year ago. Of course, that happens when you lose guys like Phil Kessel via trade or Marc Savard for injuries during the season. Even with those setbacks, the B’s have been remarkably consistent at firing at opposing netminders. Last year, the Bruins were averaging 30.3 shots on goal. In 2009-10, they are 30.5 SOG.
Indianapolis has averaged 20.6 points per game over the regular season and 25 PPG in the playoffs. While that would not persuade anyone to play on the Colts here, the fact that they’re facing New Orleans’ secondary here will.
The deciding factor for me on this play is the fact that Boston is taking on the Canadiens. Montreal is allowing opponents to take 33 SOGs on Carey Price and Jaroslav Halak this season. The Habs just let Vancouver take 47 shots on Halak last Tuesday. I think we’re going to see the B’s do much of the same and cover the +1 ½ (-115) margin.
Sidney Crosby Points or Drew Brees Interceptions?
Even though he helped the Penguins win the Stanley Cup last season, it seems like the goal scoring switch was turned on for Sidney Crosby this year. Crosby had 33 goal for all of the 2008-09 campaign. This season, he’s already lit the lamp 37 times to lead the league.
Drew Brees has been exceptionally accurate during this season, having thrown 11 picks during the regular season. And he has yet to toss an interception in the postseason. The only thing you can say against Brees is that he has more picks (5) than touchdowns (4) in his three career games against the Colts.
Maybe it’s just me, but I don’t see Brees making a lot of mistakes against the Colts’ defense this weekend. That means we’ll play on Crosby having more points (-115) than the Saints’ signal caller giving the ball away through the air.
vegasinsider.com
Game Of The Day: Penguins at Capitals
By JON KUIPERIJ
Sunday promises to be super for hockey fans as well.
Six hours before the Colts and Saints collide in the Super Bowl, NHL superstars Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin cross paths as Pittsburgh visits Washington in NBC's Game of the Week.
As if that matchup isn't spicy enough already, the Penguins are the defending Stanley Cup champions while the Capitals are the hottest team in the league.
Streaking
Washington has won 13 games in a row, the longest winning streak in the NHL since the Devils won 13 straight in 2001.
The Caps have also been doing it in dominant fashion. Nine of those 13 wins have been decided by two or more goals.
“It’s difficult to stay at a pace when every team you’re playing is coming at you in waves because they’re the ones who want to end it,” said Capitals head coach Bruce Boudreau.
Coincidentally enough, Pittsburgh owns the NHL record for most consecutive victories. The Pens won 17 straight in the 1992-93 season.
"I don't know, but I've got to believe that even if they say we're not a big rival of theirs, they want to beat us on Sunday in our building," Boudreau said.
Snow blows
Saturday's snowstorm on the East Coast created some travel headaches for the Penguins. Washington is one of several eastern cities getting pelted by snow and virtually all air traffic into the region has been stopped.
As of Saturday afternoon, Pittsburgh team officials were still trying to determine the best way to get to Washington for Sunday's early-afternoon start. Reports from Saturday evening stated the team was flying into Newark, N.J., and then taking a four-hour bus ride into the nation's capital. This itinerary would put the Penguins in their hotel late Saturday night with a 12:08 p.m. (ET) start time.
If the Pens have too much trouble getting into Washington, the game could be postponed.
Forever rivals
Like two brothers fighting for their mother's affection, Crosby and Ovechkin don't seem to like each other very much.
Crosby was openly critical of Ovechkin's goal celebrations last year and Ovechkin didn't hesitate to respond.
"What can I say about him?" Ovechkin said. "He's a good player, but he talks too much."
The two snipers took center stage in a memorable seven-game series between the Caps and Penguins in last year's Eastern Conference semifinals. Sid the Kid and Alexander the Great both recorded hat tricks in Game 2 of that series.
The players, who faced each other at the World Junior Hockey Championships as teens, will go up against each other once again at the Olympics later this month.
Ovechkin leads the NHL in scoring with 39 goals and 82 points while Crosby ranks third in goals (37) and points (72).
Goalies beware
Washington has scored the most goals in the league, while Pittsburgh ranks fifth in offense. And there aren’t many reasons to expect a defensive battle Sunday.
Fourteen of the last 17 meetings between the teams in Washington have gone over the total and 21 of the last 26 overall.
The over is 9-1 in Washington's last 10 Sunday games, 10-4-3 in the Capitals' last 17 contests and 12-5-1 in Pittsburgh's last 18 games without a days rest.
Recent results
Washington has won the only regular-season meeting between the teams this year, doubling up the Pens 6-3 last month.
The Caps' win was a small measure of revenge for their seven-game loss to Pittsburgh in last year's playoffs.
Washington won three of the four regular-season showdowns with the Pens last year.
The road team has won the last four meetings in the series, and Pittsburgh is 7-3 in its last 10 trips to Washington.
Sunday's Best NHL Bet
Boston Bruins at Montreal Canadiens (-115, 5)
These classic foes met just three days ago, with the Habs taking a 3-2 shootout victory over the Bruins in Beantown. This series shifts to Montreal Sunday, where the Canadiens are hoping Jaroslav Halak continues his solid play between the pipes.
Halak is Montreal’s go-to-guy – right now – coming out on top of the goaltending duel with teammate Carey Price. He’s allowed just 10 total goals in his last six starts since a disastrous outing in mid-January against the New York Rangers in which he allowed six goals.
Against the Bruins Thursday, he stopped 45 shots for the second straight game, giving up just two goals. The Habs skaters mustered only 25 shots on goal and got a game-winner from Brian Gionta in the shootout.
"As long as we win, it doesn't matter how many shots they have and we have," Halak told reporters. "It would be nice to get more shots on net, but we have to find our game."
Thanks to Halak’s steady play and a lackluster Montreal attack, the Canadiens have posted a 1-5-1 over/under record in the past seven games with the lone push coming against a 5-goal total Thursday.
Pick: Under
PITTSBURGH (35-21-0-1, 71 pts.) at WASHINGTON (40-13-0-5, 85 pts.)
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 40-18 ATS (+19.5 Units) in all games this season.
WASHINGTON is 16-2 ATS (+12.0 Units) second half of the season this season.
WASHINGTON is 43-18 ATS (+18.1 Units) after a win by 2 goals or more over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 61-42 ATS (-8.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 92-57 ATS (+16.5 Units) second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 34-19 ATS (+12.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 8-8-0 straight up against PITTSBURGH over the last 3 seasons
12 of 15 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+8.5 Units)
BOSTON (23-22-0-10, 56 pts.) at MONTREAL (27-25-0-6, 60 pts.)
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 23-32 ATS (-18.3 Units) in all games this season.
BOSTON is 3-13 ATS (-11.3 Units) second half of the season this season.
BOSTON is 10-16 ATS (-10.1 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent this season.
BOSTON is 12-17 ATS (-13.4 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
BOSTON is 0-6 ATS (-8.4 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season this season.
MONTREAL is 26-39 ATS (-16.7 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
MONTREAL is 16-12 (+2.6 Units) against the spread versus BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
MONTREAL is 16-12-0 straight up against BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
15 of 24 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+5.7 Units)
PITTSBURGH vs. WASHINGTON
Pittsburgh is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Pittsburgh is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
Washington is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing Pittsburgh
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Washington's last 5 games when playing Pittsburgh
BOSTON vs. MONTREAL
Boston is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
Boston is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Montreal is 3-9 SU in its last 12 games when playing Boston
Montreal is 17-6 SU in its last 23 games when playing at home against Boston
PITTSBURGH at WASHINGTON
PITTSBURGH: 36-16 SU when playing 5 or less games in 14 days
WASHINGTON: 1-5 SU when playing their 8th game in 14 days
BOSTON at MONTREAL
BOSTON: 3-14 SU second half of the season
MONTREAL: 3-0 SU in February
Hot Teams
-- Washington won its last 13 games; win here gives them NHL's longest winning streak in the last ten years. Penguins won eight of their last eleven games.
-- Montreal won last three games, scoring 11 goals.
Cold Teams
-- Bruins lost last ten games, losing three of last four in shootouts.
Totals
-- Six of last nine Penguin games went over the total.
-- Under is 6-1-1 in last eight Boston games.
Playing second of back-to-back nights
-- Penguins are 4-2 on road if they played the day/night before.
-- Bruins are 3-6 if they played the day/night before.
Series Records
-- Road team won last four Pittsburgh-Washington games.
-- Canadiens are 3-0 vs Boston this year, allowing four goals.