NHL DUNKEL
Today's NHL Picks
Edmonton at Chicago
The Oilers are coming off an 8-1 win over Colorado last night and face a Chicago team that is just 3-6 in March. Edmonton is the underdog pick (+170) according to Dunkel, which has the Oilers favored by 1. Dunkel Pick: Edmonton (+170). Here are all of today's picks.
FRIDAY, MARCH 20
Time Posted: 8:30 a.m. EST
Game 51-52: NY Islanders at Carolina
Dunkel Ratings: NY Islanders 11.488; Carolina 12.153
Dunkel Line & Total: Carolina by 1; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Carolina (-250); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Carolina (-250); Over
Game 53-54: Minnesota at New Jersey
Dunkel Ratings: Minnesota 10.603; New Jersey 11.860
Dunkel Line & Total: New Jersey by 1; 4 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: New Jersey (-210); 5
Dunkel Pick: New Jersey (-210); Under
Game 55-56: Los Angeles at Pittsburgh
Dunkel Ratings: Los Angeles 11.144; Pittsburgh 12.724
Dunkel Line & Total: Pittsburgh by 1 1/2; 6 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Pittsburgh (-290); 6
Dunkel Pick: Pittsburgh (-290); Over
Game 57-58: Philadelphia at Buffalo
Dunkel Ratings: Philadelphia 11.695; Buffalo 11.302
Dunkel Line & Total: Philadelphia by 1/2; 6 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Buffalo (-110); 6
Dunkel Pick: Philadelphia (-110); Over
Game 59-60: Detroit at Atlanta
Dunkel Ratings: Detroit 12.001; Atlanta 12.241
Dunkel Line & Total: Atlanta by 1/2; 6 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A
Game 61-62: Edmonton at Chicago
Dunkel Ratings: Edmonton 11.811; Chicago 10.714
Dunkel Line & Total: Edmonton by 1; 5
Vegas Line & Total: Chicago (-200); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Edmonton (+170); Under
Game 63-64: St. Louis at Calgary
Dunkel Ratings: St. Louis 10.923; Calgary 10.793
Dunkel Line & Total: St. Louis by 1/2; 5
Vegas Line & Total: Calgary (-215); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: St. Louis (+180); Under
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Ice picks: Friday's best NHL bets
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Los Angeles Kings at Pittsburgh Penguins (-265, 6)
No team in the Eastern Conference is hotter than the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Pens have won eight of their last 10 games and their two losses were via the shootout.
Evgeni Malkin had five points in a 6-2 win over the Atlanta Thrashers Tuesday and becomes the first player to top the 100-point barrier this season. Malkin had been struggling with a cold but now he’s healthy and impressing teammates left and right.
"Good players like that, it's going to happen," defenseman Sergei Gonchar told reporters. "He was sick, and it was tough for him to play, but now he's feeling better, and you can see it on the board."
Chris Kunitz is proving to be the league’s best deadline-day acquisition. In 10 games with Pittsburgh Kunitz has seven goals and six assists. Kunitz has improved the power play which is 5-for-15 in their last two outings.
This is the second game in a six-game road swing for the Kings, who opened up the long haul in Boston Thursday. Los Angeles is on the road for 10 of its final 13 games of the season. After making a mid-season push, Dustin Brown and Co. have cooled and the playoffs are once again an afterthought.
The Kings are on the second half of back-to-back games and will be facing a red-hot Penguins team that has scored twelve goals in their last two games. The money line win is a safe play but betting the puck line will really pay off.
Pick: Pittsburgh -1.5
Edmonton Oilers at Chicago Blackhawks (-185, 5.5)
The young Chicago Blackhawks are suffering some late-season growing pains, having dropped six of seven games and four in a row.
The Hawks return home to host the Oilers Friday night after dropping both games on a back-to-back trip in New Jersey and Colorado. The Hawks are getting chances in recent games, averaging over 34 shots a game in their last five.
It may be time to recall Antti Niemi from the American Hockey League as both Nikolai Khabibulin and Cristobal Huet are struggling. Goaltending wasn’t a problem at the other end of the ice in the Hawks' last outing. Martin Brodeur picked up record setting win 552 against the Hawks Tuesday.
"It was definitely on our minds that we didn't want to be the team that gave up that win," Hawks captain Jonathan Toews admitted to reporters. "At the same time, you have to respect and give credit Martin Brodeur. To us, on this side of things, it's not about that. We came out again and gave up a couple of goals early.”
This is another good spot bet as the Oilers are coming off a game in Colorado Thursday night. Heading into the Mile High City, the Oilers had lost three in a row in overtime prior to beating the Blues in a shootout Tuesday.
Head to head this season the Hawks have owned the Oilers winning all three games and outscoring the Oil 15 to three.
Pick: Chicago
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