NHL
Tuesday, February 14
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Pucking the trends: This week's best NHL bets
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Every week, we update you on who's hot, who's not and situational betting spots in the National Hockey League.
HOT TEAM: Montreal Canadiens
February began with a pair of disheartening losses to New Jersey and Washington in a three-day span, and it seemed like it was all over but the crying in Montreal.
But goaltender Carey Price has refocused the troops, and while still very much a postseason long shot, the Canadiens are alive. And that's all the desperate fans in Montreal can ask for these days.
Price made 32 saves Saturday en route to a 5-0 shutout of Toronto. It was the Canadiens' fourth straight victory and pushed them, somehow, to within seven points of the eighth and final playoff berth in the Eastern Conference.
Price has four shutouts this season, and 16 in his career, but don't discount left wing Max Pacioretty's role in the revival, as well. Heading into Monday's game against Carolina, he has five goals in his last four games, and 23 overall.
COLD TEAM: Minnesota Wild
Remember the great first half that surprising Minnesota orchestrated this season? Well, it's about the only thing keeping the Wild above .500 these days. Saturday's puzzling 3-1 loss to Columbus of all teams -- the second defeat to the lowly Blue Jackets in a span of five days -- was Minnesota's fourth consecutive. And heading into Tuesday's game against Anaheim, the Wild (25-22-8) possess just three points all month.
Minnesota coach Mike Yeo is searching for answers with little luck. After 30 games, this team had the best record in the NHL. And they are 5-15-5 since.
Goal scoring has been a problem, despite Minnesota's depth. It's getting late in the season, and still, nobody has 20 tallies yet. Dany Heatley (18) is the leader, and he's followed by Kyle Brodziak (15), and Cal Clutterbuck (13). Not terrific numbers, and certainly not enough to strike fear into anyone in the Western Conference playoff race.
OVER PLAY: Nashville Predators
You wouldn't expect any team with a goaltender like Pekka Rinne to take residence in over-land for long, so take this with a grain of salt. But for the time being, there's some serious value in Nashville overs.
Saturday's 4-3 loss in a shootout to the Bruins in Boston was the Predators' third straight over and fourth in the last six games. At 23-27-6 over on the season, Nashville still has a ways to go to be a consistent play, but at least there's reason now to keep them on your radar.
All three of those consecutive overs were 4-3 losses, two of them in shootouts. So, maybe, the Predators, still a comfortable No. 5 seed in the Western Conference after Saturday's action, are starting to feel it a little bit as the season heads for home.
UNDER PLAY: Los Angeles Kings
Saturday's 2-1, overtime matinee loss to the Islanders in New York was a microcosm of the Kings' season. A terrific goaltending battle between Jonathan Quick and his opponent, Evgeni Nabokov, not enough Los Angeles goal scoring, and, in the end, a cashed under.
The Kings, who played the Stars in Dallas on Sunday night, are clinging to life in the Western Conference playoff race on the strength of their defense and goaltending, and that's never been more evident than in their over-under totals. Saturday's loss pushed an over-less streak to 12 games. There were eight unders in that run, with four pushes.
Headed into Sunday’s game, the Kings had already produced 32 unders. Only Winnipeg (33) had more. And with home games coming up with week against Phoenix (Thursday), and Calgary (Saturday), perhaps more of the same is in store.
SURVEYING THE SCHEDULE:
** The Flyers, who met Detroit on Sunday, have some time to figure out what's ailing them. They won't play again until Thursday, at home versus Buffalo, and in an eight-day stretch starting on Monday, they will only play two games total.
** It's the opposite story for San Jose, which began a run on Sunday that could define their season. The Sharks, who met the Blues on Sunday in St. Louis, are in the middle of a stretch that spans 10 games in 17 days. There are two sets of back-to-back games in there, and nine of them are away from San Jose.
