Wednesday's Best NHL Bets
By Covers.com
Phoenix Coyotes at Pittsburgh Penguins
Former champions always say that the toughest thing about repeating is that you get every team’s best game. Everyone wants to beat the defending champs.
With that in mind, the Pens are making sure that the rest of the league knows you won’t be able to push them around this season.
Pittsburgh added some grit with the arrival of Mike Rupp and Jay McKee. Both players dropped the gloves in the win over the Islanders on Saturday, which was welcomed by their teammates.
“We want to be tough and bring that physical presence,” team captain Sidney Crosby told the Pittsburgh Tribune Review. “It shows they’re sticking up for guys. It’s important.”
Phoenix lit the lamp six times in its first game against the Kings. Expect a high-scoring affair Wednesday between the Pens and Coyotes.
Pick: Over
Montreal Canadiens at Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver fans were excited about their team’s offseason push to become more of an offensive-minded club. But the results from the first three games have not been encouraging.
The Canucks have been outscored 13-6 over the first week of the new campaign. Monday’s 5-3 setback to Blue Jackets was especially troubling. All-Star goalie Roberto Luongo was pulled after allowing four goals on the last four shots he faced. It was so bad the home fans actually cheered when Luongo was mercifully yanked.
After the game the netminder pointed out to the defensive breakdowns as part of the reason for his early struggles.
“Sometimes we get caught with guys going to the net, all three of them,” Luongo told the Vancouver Province. “It’s just one of those things where, from myself on out, we’re not doing everything we need to be doing with our systems. And it’s costing us goals.”
Vancouver’s winless streak should be snapped tonight. Montreal is still coping from the loss of defenseman Andrei Markov and starting goalie Carey Price is due for a poor performance.
Pick: Canucks
PHOENIX vs. PITTSBURGH
Phoenix is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Phoenix's last 5 games
Pittsburgh is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games when playing Phoenix
Pittsburgh is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games when playing at home against Phoenix
MONTREAL vs. VANCOUVER
Montreal is 2-9 SU in its last 11 games
Montreal is 7-18 SU in its last 25 games on the road
Vancouver is 16-5 SU in its last 21 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Vancouver's last 5 games at home
Hot Teams
-- Penguins won their first two games, 3-2/4-3so. Coyotes beat LA 6-3 in their first game of the season.
-- Canadiens won two of their first three games, losing 4-3 last night in Calgary- all three of their games were decided by a single goal. Canadiens didn't have any power plays in Saddledome last night.
Cold Teams
-- Canucks lost their first three games, 5-3/3-0/5-3.
Series Records
-- Penguins won two of three vs Phoenix, splitting a pair here.
Totals
-- Last two Penguin-Coyote games stayed under the total.
-- Two of three Vancouver games went over the total.
DUNKEL
Phoenix at Pittsburgh
The Penguins look to take advantage of a Phoenix team that is 3-7 in its last 10 road games. Pittsburgh is the pick (-230) according to Dunkel, which has the Penguins favored by 1/2 a goal. Dunkel Pick: Pittsburgh (-230)
Phoenix at Pittsburgh
Dunkel Ratings: Phoenix 12.747; Pittsburgh 13.173
Dunkel Line & Total: Pittsburgh by 1/2; 5
Vegas Line & Total: Pittsburgh (-230); 6
Dunkel Pick: Pittsburgh (-230); Under
Montreal at Vancouver
Dunkel Ratings: Montreal 11.438; Vancouver 11.275
Dunkel Line & Total: Montreal by 1/2; 5
Vegas Line & Total: Vancouver (-180); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Montreal (+170); Under
Phoenix Coyotes vs. Pittsburgh Penguins
The fans at Mellon Arena will be treated to a game between the Phoenix Coyotes and the Pittsburgh Penguins when they take their seats on Wednesday.
Radim Vrbata scored twice and the Coyotes defeated the Kings 6-3 on Saturday, as +120 underdogs. The nine goals sailed OVER the posted over/under (5.5).
Matthew Lombardi, Daniel Winnik, Scottie Upshall, and Robert Lang also scored for the Coyotes.
Sidney Crosby scored once and added an assist and the Penguins defeated the Islanders 4-3 in a shootout on Saturday. The Penguins won the game as -150 favorites, while the combined score went as a PUSH against the posted over/under (6).
Mark Eaton and Ruslan Fedotenko also tallied for the Penguins. Marc-Andre Fleury made 25 saves in the win.
Current streak:
Pittsburgh has won 2 straight games.
Team records:
Phoenix: 1-0-0
Pittsburgh: 2-0-0
Phoenix most recently:
When playing on Wednesday are 2-8
Before playing Chicago are 4-6
After playing Los Angeles are 3-7
After a win are 4-6
Pittsburgh most recently:
When playing on Wednesday are 4-6
Before playing Ottawa are 6-4
After playing NY Islanders are 7-3
After a win are 7-3
A few trends to consider:
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Phoenix's last 5 games
Phoenix is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Phoenix's last 7 games when playing on the road against Pittsburgh
Phoenix is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games when playing Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
Pittsburgh is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Pittsburgh's last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Pittsburgh's last 7 games when playing at home against Phoenix
Next up:
Phoenix at Buffalo, Thursday, October 8
Pittsburgh at Philadelphia, Thursday, October 8
Montreal Canadiens vs. Vancouver Canucks
The Montreal Canadiens and the Vancouver Canucks will both be trying to pick up a win on Wednesday when they battle at General Motors Place.
Scott Gomez, Tomas Plekanec, and Guillaume Latendresse found the back of the net for Montreal in its 4-3 loss to Calgary on Tuesday night.
Calgary won as -160 home favorites, while the teams played OVER the 5.5-goal total listed by sportsbooks.
Willie Mitchell put up a goal and an assist for Vancouver in its 5-3 loss to Columbus on Monday night.
Columbus cashed as +160 road underdogs, while the teams played OVER the 5.5-goal total posted by oddsmakers.
Current streak:
Vancouver has lost 3 straight games.
Team records:
Montreal: 2-1-0
Vancouver: 0-3-0
Montreal most recently:
When playing on Wednesday are 4-6
Before playing Edmonton are 5-5
After playing Calgary are 1-1-1
After a loss are 2-8
Vancouver most recently:
When playing on Wednesday are 7-3
Before playing San Jose are 6-4
After playing Columbus are 4-6
After a loss are 4-6
A few trends to consider:
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Montreal's last 5 games when playing on the road against Vancouver
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Montreal's last 6 games when playing Vancouver
Montreal is 7-18 SU in its last 25 games on the road
Montreal is 2-9 SU in its last 11 games
Vancouver is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Montreal
Vancouver is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Montreal
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Vancouver's last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Vancouver's last 5 games at home
Next up:
Montreal at Edmonton, Saturday, October 10
Vancouver home to Dallas, Sunday, October 11
PHOENIX (1-0-0-0, 2 pts.) at PITTSBURGH (1-0-1-0, 3 pts.)
Top Trends for this game.
PHOENIX is 108-106 ATS (+233.4 Units) in road games first half of the season since 1996.
PHOENIX is 6-1 ATS (+7.3 Units) when playing with 3 or more days rest over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 61-62 ATS (+144.3 Units) in road games after a division game since 1996.
PHOENIX is 72-65 ATS (+148.4 Units) in road games after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game since 1996.
PHOENIX is 101-97 ATS (+216.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the first half of the season since 1996.
Head-to-Head Series History
PHOENIX is 1-1 (+0.0 Units) against the spread versus PITTSBURGH over the last 3 seasons
PITTSBURGH is 1-1-0 straight up against PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
2 of 2 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+2.0 Units)
MONTREAL (2-1-0-0, 4 pts.) at VANCOUVER (0-3-0-0, 0 pts.)
Top Trends for this game.
MONTREAL is 11-19 ATS (-12.3 Units) after allowing 4 goals or more over the last 2 seasons.
MONTREAL is 0-7 ATS (+7.6 Units) in road games after playing 3 consecutive road games over the last 2 seasons.
VANCOUVER is 4-9 ATS (-11.5 Units) in home games after allowing 4 goals or more over the last 2 seasons.
VANCOUVER is 104-136 ATS (-72.4 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1996.
Head-to-Head Series History
MONTREAL is 1-1 (+0.0 Units) against the spread versus VANCOUVER over the last 3 seasons
VANCOUVER is 1-1-0 straight up against MONTREAL over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+1.0 Units)
PHOENIX at PITTSBURGH
PHOENIX: 7-1 SU when playing with 3+ days rest
PITTSBURGH: 45-65 SU when playing with 3+ days rest
MONTREAL at VANCOUVER
MONTREAL: 22-15 SU after a loss by 1 goal in their previous game
VANCOUVER: 0-6 SU at home after allowing 5+ goals