SPORTS WAGERS
N.Y. Islanders +136 over NEW JERSEY
Al Montoya must be in net for the Islanders for this bet to stand. New Jersey went on a huge run, one of the best in NHL history, but it was a case of too little, too late and the reality of missing the playoffs has this group in a funk. The Devils have now dropped three in a row and have managed to score just one goal in that span. Even when they were winning, they were rarely scoring more than twice a game yet finding ways to hold opposition to a goal or less. Not only are they laboring miserably offensively but the Devils return home from a four-game trip here to face an Islanders team that is quite adept at scoring goals. The Islanders have dropped three straight to these Devils but the last two were in OT and that’s when the Devils were on their tear. The Islanders are coming off a misleading 4-1 loss to the Flyers with Rick DiPietro in net. The Flyers managed a measly 22 shots on net, were badly outplayed but won 4-1. These Long Islanders remain an undervalued team and until we see a reason for not taking back juicy odds in games that have them poorly priced, we’ll gladly step in. Play: N.Y. Islanders +136 (Risking 2 units).
N.Y. Rangers +109 over BUFFALO
Sabres are coming off a determined effort last night in Toronto but fell short in a 4-3 loss. As the season draws to a close, those last two wins that the Sabres need to clinch a playoff spot become the hardest to come by and even more so after a loss. The ninth-placed Canes won last night and now sit just three points behind Buffalo for the final post-season spot. With Carolina hosting Montreal tonight, there’s plenty of pressure on the Sabres. Buffalo appeared tight last night in a game of equal or greater importance. The Rangers are just two points ahead of the Sabres, so they’re not out of the woods quite yet either. However, New York is playing great hockey with six wins in seven games and eight wins in their last 10. The Blue Shirts are as healthy as they’ve been all season, Henrik Lundqvist is at the top of his game again and the Rangers are playing as well as anyone. This is probably the Sabres most crucial game of the year and that puts a lot of pressure on a young defense against the relentless forechecking of the Rangers. Play: N.Y. Rangers +109 (Risking 2 units).
CAROLINA -½ +120 over Montreal
The Habs broke an ugly scoring slump last night with three goals. However, one of those goals was into an empty net and the other two came 11 seconds apart and both were uglier than the scoring slump they were in. Now Montreal and its absentee offense will face one of the league’s top goaltenders in Cam Ward. Both teams played last night with the Hurricanes winning in Washington and a win like that combined with a Sabres loss has to have this host inspired and amped up. The joint will be rocking tonight, as a playoff appearance seems much more achievable than it was before last night’s results. The Canes have lost all three games to the Habs this season and that, too, adds to the ‘Canes appeal. Player for player, the Hurricanes are the superior team and they’re also in better form. While we are usually reluctant to spot the Habs a half puck, this one warrants it, as Montreal offense continues to labor horribly and they will face a team playing with a greater sense of urgency. Play: Carolina -½ +120 (Risking 2 units).