by: Monty Andrews
ONE-SIDED RIVALRY
The Winnipeg Jets have shown no mercy on the Arizona Coyotes as they prepare to host the franchise that used to carry their name in a Tuesday night encounter. The Jets (2.0) have won 14 of the previous 18 meetings between the teams since the start of the 2014-15 season, including a 4-2 triumph in their previous showdown on April 7.
The Jets have another trend working in their favor in this one: the home team has prevailed in 10 of the last 13 games between the clubs. The Coyotes enter the week going 4-0 to the Under, having seen just 14 total goals scored in their first four games.
OVER AND ABOVE
Bettors who took the Over on the period totals between the Colorado Avalanche and Pittsburgh Penguins last season might still be counting their winnings. Two of the most dangerous offensive teams in the league face off Wednesday night in Pennsylvania in the first of two regular-season meetings – and fans and bettors alike can only hope this year's games turn out a lot like last year's.
Each team secured a 6-3 home victory against the other, and five of the six periods in those two games featured three or more goals scored. Live betting the Over on a period goal total could be a worthwhile option in this one.
LOADING UP
The odds might be the lowest of any player props you'll encounter this week – but it could pay handsomely to consider a trio of Edmonton Oilers skaters for Wednesday's home encounter with the Philadelphia Flyers. Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and James Neal should all offer terrible payouts on the points prop, with McDavid and Draisaitl entering the week ranked 1-2 in league scoring and Neal having potted seven goals through the first five games.
With the Flyers playing in Calgary the night before and the Oilers enjoying home-ice advantage, all three are terrific plays on either their goal or point props.
NARROW VICTORIES
You have to give it to the New Jersey Devils and New York Rangers: when they square off, things are tense right up to the final minute of play. The Metropolitan Division (and geographical) rivals renew acquaintances Thursday night at Prudential Center in Newark having split their previous eight meetings overall.
Even more incredibly, six of those seven games were decided by a goal while three went to extra time. There are a couple of different directions bettors can go here; either by taking one team or the other to prevail via a one-goal margin, or to pick Yes on the extra-time prop.
GOALIE PROFILE: JONATHAN QUICK, LOS ANGELES KINGS
Could this be the end of Quick as a competent NHL netminder? It sure looks like it through the early stages of the season, with Quick ranking dead last among qualifies netminders in goals-against average (6.43) and save percentage (.793) entering the week.
Don't be surprised to see a lot more of Jack Campbell, who has won both of his starts while boasting much more respectable – though not exactly elite – statistics (3.48 GAA, .885 SV%) Until one of these guys hits his stride, the Over will continue to be a strong play in Kings games, with Los Angeles coming into the week a perfect 5-0 O/U.
INJURY UPDATE: D NIKLAS HJALMARSSON, ARIZONA COYOTES
We have one more reason to like the Jets in Tuesday night's encounter with the visiting Coyotes. Defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson suffered a cracked fibula last weekend and is expected to be lost for up to three months.
It's a devastating injury for the Coyotes, who have been one of the more defensively sound teams in the NHL – having given up just seven goals through their first four games of the season. But while an injury to a key defenseman might improve that team's Over chances the majority of the time, we still like the Coyotes as an Under play given that they've also scored just seven goals in four games entering the week.
HAT TRICK TRENDS
• Home ice wasn't much of an advantage at all last week. Home teams won less than half their games over the previous seven days, converting only 47.7 percent of the time (21-18-5). Things were just as dismal for home favorites, who won outright at a surprisingly low 47.1-percent pace (16-13-5) overall.
• Over bettors who haven't been deterred by all those 6s and 6.5s have been rewarded handsomely so far, with the Over cashing 40 times compared to the Under at 35 conversions entering the new week. Last week saw 24 games end Over the total, with 19 games coming in below the number; extra-time games were actually 5-6 O/U for the week.
• Four teams accustomed to being near the bottom of the league standings in recent years have been the best value bets of the season in the early going. The unbeaten Edmonton Oilers lead the way at +4.95 units overall, with the Buffalo Sabres coming into the week at No. 2 (+3.46). Detroit rounds out the top three (+3.37) with Carolina ranked fourth (+3.22).
ONE-SIDED RIVALRY
The Winnipeg Jets have shown no mercy on the Arizona Coyotes as they prepare to host the franchise that used to carry their name in a Tuesday night encounter. The Jets (2.0) have won 14 of the previous 18 meetings between the teams since the start of the 2014-15 season, including a 4-2 triumph in their previous showdown on April 7.
The Jets have another trend working in their favor in this one: the home team has prevailed in 10 of the last 13 games between the clubs. The Coyotes enter the week going 4-0 to the Under, having seen just 14 total goals scored in their first four games.
OVER AND ABOVE
Bettors who took the Over on the period totals between the Colorado Avalanche and Pittsburgh Penguins last season might still be counting their winnings. Two of the most dangerous offensive teams in the league face off Wednesday night in Pennsylvania in the first of two regular-season meetings – and fans and bettors alike can only hope this year's games turn out a lot like last year's.
Each team secured a 6-3 home victory against the other, and five of the six periods in those two games featured three or more goals scored. Live betting the Over on a period goal total could be a worthwhile option in this one.
LOADING UP
The odds might be the lowest of any player props you'll encounter this week – but it could pay handsomely to consider a trio of Edmonton Oilers skaters for Wednesday's home encounter with the Philadelphia Flyers. Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and James Neal should all offer terrible payouts on the points prop, with McDavid and Draisaitl entering the week ranked 1-2 in league scoring and Neal having potted seven goals through the first five games.
With the Flyers playing in Calgary the night before and the Oilers enjoying home-ice advantage, all three are terrific plays on either their goal or point props.
NARROW VICTORIES
You have to give it to the New Jersey Devils and New York Rangers: when they square off, things are tense right up to the final minute of play. The Metropolitan Division (and geographical) rivals renew acquaintances Thursday night at Prudential Center in Newark having split their previous eight meetings overall.
Even more incredibly, six of those seven games were decided by a goal while three went to extra time. There are a couple of different directions bettors can go here; either by taking one team or the other to prevail via a one-goal margin, or to pick Yes on the extra-time prop.
GOALIE PROFILE: JONATHAN QUICK, LOS ANGELES KINGS
Could this be the end of Quick as a competent NHL netminder? It sure looks like it through the early stages of the season, with Quick ranking dead last among qualifies netminders in goals-against average (6.43) and save percentage (.793) entering the week.
Don't be surprised to see a lot more of Jack Campbell, who has won both of his starts while boasting much more respectable – though not exactly elite – statistics (3.48 GAA, .885 SV%) Until one of these guys hits his stride, the Over will continue to be a strong play in Kings games, with Los Angeles coming into the week a perfect 5-0 O/U.
INJURY UPDATE: D NIKLAS HJALMARSSON, ARIZONA COYOTES
We have one more reason to like the Jets in Tuesday night's encounter with the visiting Coyotes. Defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson suffered a cracked fibula last weekend and is expected to be lost for up to three months.
It's a devastating injury for the Coyotes, who have been one of the more defensively sound teams in the NHL – having given up just seven goals through their first four games of the season. But while an injury to a key defenseman might improve that team's Over chances the majority of the time, we still like the Coyotes as an Under play given that they've also scored just seven goals in four games entering the week.
HAT TRICK TRENDS
• Home ice wasn't much of an advantage at all last week. Home teams won less than half their games over the previous seven days, converting only 47.7 percent of the time (21-18-5). Things were just as dismal for home favorites, who won outright at a surprisingly low 47.1-percent pace (16-13-5) overall.
• Over bettors who haven't been deterred by all those 6s and 6.5s have been rewarded handsomely so far, with the Over cashing 40 times compared to the Under at 35 conversions entering the new week. Last week saw 24 games end Over the total, with 19 games coming in below the number; extra-time games were actually 5-6 O/U for the week.
• Four teams accustomed to being near the bottom of the league standings in recent years have been the best value bets of the season in the early going. The unbeaten Edmonton Oilers lead the way at +4.95 units overall, with the Buffalo Sabres coming into the week at No. 2 (+3.46). Detroit rounds out the top three (+3.37) with Carolina ranked fourth (+3.22).
