NHL Hockey Best Bets for March 5, 2016
Busy day in the NHL with eleven games on the board. Here are our best bets:
NASHVILLE PREDATORS AT COLORADO AVALANCHE:
When the Nashville Predators are playing well they’re a nasty matchup for any team. Opponents don’t get many shots against them (right now they’re #2 for fewest shots on goal per game against) and when opponents do get a shot they have to deal with goaltender Pekka Rinne who is also back in good form. At their best, the Predators play defensive oriented hockey but they can get it done on offense as well–they’re a top ten ‘shots on goal’ for team averaging more than 30 shots per game. They’re also the #12 goal scoring team in the league averaging 2.66 goals per game.
Nashville got off to a disappointing start this season but over the past month they’ve been nasty. They haven’t lost in regulation since February 9 and are currently on a 7-0-4 run in their past eleven games. They’ve currently got a solid hold on the top wild card spot in the West and are starting to reel in the ‘lead pack’ teams in the Central Division. If the Preds keep playing like this–and the Blackhawks and Stars continue to struggle–it won’t be long before it’s a four way battle in the Central.
Colorado is the first team out of a wild card spot–they’re technically tied with Minnesota but the Wild have the tiebreaker. The Avalanche are a hard team to figure out and not in a good way. They’ve been very inconsistent this season and goaltending has been a mess. 23 year old Calvin Pickard has taken over the starting job–he’s at least been consistent though has shown moments of brilliance. Reto Berra is back with the San Antonio Rampage of the AHL and the mercurial Semyon Varlamov is now the backup though he’s been injured and benched at various points in the season. Avs GM Joe Sakic has said that Pickard will stay with the team for the rest of the year though Varlamov will get a shot to regain his starting job. Don’t be surprised if Pickard is the goalie of the future–he’s younger and makes $5.2 million per year less.
Now that the Predators are back in form they’re just hard to beat. They’re everything that the Avalanche aren’t–consistent, disciplined, focused. Colorado has talent–particularly up front–but we don’t have much confidence in the #22 scoring defense in the league winning in a horrible tactical matchup for them.
BET NASHVILLE PREDATORS -140 OVER COLORADO AVALANCHE
ANAHEIM DUCKS AT LOS ANGELES KINGS:
This looks to be the strongest play on the board. Remember when the Anaheim Ducks started the season 1-9-1 and everyone wanted to see coach Bruce Boudreau thrown under the bus? Now, not so much–the Ducks have won ten straight and can take over sole possession of first place in the Pacific Division with a regulation victory here. They’ve already won two of three against the Kings this season. Both teams have nasty defenses and good goaltending but the Ducks have better special teams with the #2 penalty kill and #3 power play in the league. We’re getting the better team in better form as a good sized underdog.
BET ANAHEIM DUCKS +130 OVER LOS ANGELES KINGS