NHL Hockey Betting: Best Bets for November 11, 2015

Just two NHL games on tap for Wednesday night. Here’s our analysis of both:

MONTREAL CANADIENS AT PITTSBURGH PENGUINS:

Definitely the ‘game of the night’ as the Montreal Canadiens take their NHL best record into the Consul Energy Center to take on the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Habs have picked up right where they left off after their season starting win streak ended–they’re now 13-2-1 and leading the Atlantic Division by 10 points over Ottawa and Detroit. They’ve continued to win even without all world goaltender Carey Price in the lineup–Price is dealing with a lower body injury. Montreal has had the luxury of giving Price plenty of time to recover thanks to the stellar play of rookie Mike Condon. The 25 year old Massachusetts native with a Princeton degree has gone 6-0-1 while posting a 1.57 goals against average and a 0.940 save percentage. Price is expected to be out for another week but with Condon playing so well they might give him even more rest.

Pittsburgh started the season losing their first three games but have rebounded nicely and enter this contest winning 9 of their last 11. They got some good injury news earlier today as forward Pascal Dupuis has been cleared to return to action after missing a couple of games for precautionary reasons. Dupuis has a history of blood clots and that’s not something you want to mess around with but all tests have come back negative.

This game comes down to the team’s relative offensive strength. They both have top ranked defenses but the Canadians also have the best goals per game average in the NHL. The Penguins are #26. Habs win.

BET MONTREAL CANADIENS +120 OVER PITTSBURGH PENGUINS

EDMONTON OILERS AT ANAHEIM DUCKS:

The Anaheim Ducks may have ‘turned the corner’ after their brutal start to the season. They’ve won four of their last five games after opening the season with only one victory in their first nine. That being said, it’s hard to tell whether this team is looking to get back into the playoff hunt or into rebuilding mode. Patrick Marleau wants to be traded and there’s still not a lot of love for coach Bruce Boudreau despite his impressive run during last season’s playoffs. That won’t matter tonight as they should have enough to get past the Connor McDavid-less Edmonton Oilers.

BET ANAHEIM DUCKS -170 OVER EDMONTON OILERS

About the Author: Jim Murphy

For more than 25 years, Jim Murphy has written extensively on sports betting as well as handicapping theory and practice. Jim Murphy has been quoted in media from the Wall Street Journal to REASON Magazine. Murphy worked as a radio and podcasting host broadcasting to an international audience that depended on his expertise and advice. Murphy is an odds making consultant for sports and 'non-sport novelty bets' focused on the entertainment business, politics, technology, financial markets and more.