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Pucking the trends: This week's best NHL bets
Every week, we update you on who's hot, who's not and situational betting spots in the National Hockey League.
For the week of Nov. 18 - Nov. 24.
Hot team
Montreal Canadiens (3-0 SU)
Saturday's 3-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins capped off a great week for the Canadiens. The Habs beat three strong teams this past week, including a 6-2 demolition of the Minnesota Wild. Goalie Carey Price has been excellent all season, posting a 2.05 GAA and .935 save percentage. If Montreal can find its goalscoring touch, which it may have done this week, teams atop the East better watch out. Road games in Buffalo and Washington start the week, before a Hockey Night in Canada showdown at home versus the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Cold team
Tampa Bay Lightning (0-3 SU)
The Lightning won their first two games without Steven Stamkos, but have dropped four-straight games since. Predictably, the team has struggled to light the lamp without their sniper. They managed just three goals in their three losses this week so an exceptional start to the campaign feels like a distant memory. It should be a tough week as the Lightning have games against a pair of hot teams (New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers) before a date with Sidney Crosby and Penguins Friday.
Best Over play
New York Islanders (3-0 O/U)
It hasn't been a particularly good stretch for Isles goalie Kevin Poulin. New York has dropped five of seven with Poulin between the pipes and gave up 14 goals in three games this past week. With an offense that boasts the severely-underrated John Tavares and sniper Thomas Vanek, scoring isn't a problem. But if they can't find consistency in net, Isles games will be in the cross hairs for Over bettors. Home games against the slumping Winnipeg Jets and Detroit Red Wings could see the trend continue this week.
Best Under play
New York Rangers (0-2-1 O/U)
It doesn't matter who is in net for the Broadway Blueshirts, Cam Talbot and Henrik Lundqvist are putting up sensational numbers. The team is 0-4-2 O/U in their last six games and Talbot has posted a pair of shutouts in that stretch. The Rangers are still struggling to score goals, ranking 28th in the league with 2.1 per game, so low-scoring lines are expected. The Rangers have a busy week with three games on the road (at Tampa Bay, at the Florida Panthers and at the Boston Bruins) before a home game against John Tortorella and the Vancouver Canucks Saturday.
Surveying the schedule
All of a sudden, the young Edmonton Oilers are hot and scoring goals for the fun of it. The Oilers hung a seven-spot on the dismal Columbus Blue Jackets and four apiece against the Calgary Flames and Florida Panthers this past week. They've won three-straight games and could be the source of value this week with a home game against the Chicago Blackhawks and a date in Nashville against the Predators before a rematch against the Jackets Friday.
Every week, we update you on who's hot, who's not and situational betting spots in the National Hockey League.
For the week of Nov. 18 - Nov. 24.
Hot team
Montreal Canadiens (3-0 SU)
Saturday's 3-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins capped off a great week for the Canadiens. The Habs beat three strong teams this past week, including a 6-2 demolition of the Minnesota Wild. Goalie Carey Price has been excellent all season, posting a 2.05 GAA and .935 save percentage. If Montreal can find its goalscoring touch, which it may have done this week, teams atop the East better watch out. Road games in Buffalo and Washington start the week, before a Hockey Night in Canada showdown at home versus the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Cold team
Tampa Bay Lightning (0-3 SU)
The Lightning won their first two games without Steven Stamkos, but have dropped four-straight games since. Predictably, the team has struggled to light the lamp without their sniper. They managed just three goals in their three losses this week so an exceptional start to the campaign feels like a distant memory. It should be a tough week as the Lightning have games against a pair of hot teams (New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers) before a date with Sidney Crosby and Penguins Friday.
Best Over play
New York Islanders (3-0 O/U)
It hasn't been a particularly good stretch for Isles goalie Kevin Poulin. New York has dropped five of seven with Poulin between the pipes and gave up 14 goals in three games this past week. With an offense that boasts the severely-underrated John Tavares and sniper Thomas Vanek, scoring isn't a problem. But if they can't find consistency in net, Isles games will be in the cross hairs for Over bettors. Home games against the slumping Winnipeg Jets and Detroit Red Wings could see the trend continue this week.
Best Under play
New York Rangers (0-2-1 O/U)
It doesn't matter who is in net for the Broadway Blueshirts, Cam Talbot and Henrik Lundqvist are putting up sensational numbers. The team is 0-4-2 O/U in their last six games and Talbot has posted a pair of shutouts in that stretch. The Rangers are still struggling to score goals, ranking 28th in the league with 2.1 per game, so low-scoring lines are expected. The Rangers have a busy week with three games on the road (at Tampa Bay, at the Florida Panthers and at the Boston Bruins) before a home game against John Tortorella and the Vancouver Canucks Saturday.
Surveying the schedule
All of a sudden, the young Edmonton Oilers are hot and scoring goals for the fun of it. The Oilers hung a seven-spot on the dismal Columbus Blue Jackets and four apiece against the Calgary Flames and Florida Panthers this past week. They've won three-straight games and could be the source of value this week with a home game against the Chicago Blackhawks and a date in Nashville against the Predators before a rematch against the Jackets Friday.