NHL Hockey Betting for October 21, 2015
Another short card of NHL games for Wednesday. Personally, I’m already tired of the leisurely pace of the early season schedule and can’t wait until the action heats up as the weather gets colder. Having just a few games to work with day after day is terrible not only for sports bettors but for fantasy players as well. In any case, two ‘best bets’ for Wednesday:
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS AT BUFFALO SABRES:
Something of a cross border regional rivalry, tonight’s game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Buffalo Sabres is as interesting of a matchup between 1-4 teams as you’ll ever see. Both teams have shown progress in the short season. Buffalo is 1-4-0 but coming off of back-to-back one goal losses at Florida and Tampa Bay. The defense has shown improvement and the team has only allowed more than three goals once this year. Jack Eichel is playing well though after his stellar performance in the past two games Connor McDavid has clearly taken over as the league’s top rookie. Eichel definitely looked more comfortable more quickly–he comes off as a guy with more natural ‘swagger’ than McDavid. It took McDavid a few games to get his bearings in the NHL but after two goals and two assists in the past two games–along with some spectacular plays that didn’t show up on the scoresheet–he could be gearing up for a serious onslaught.
Toronto is 1-3-1 on the year but for the most part have played well against a brutal early season schedule (losses to Montreal, Detroit, Ottawa and an OT loss to Pittsburgh). In their last three games they’re 1-1-1 with a win over the hapless Columbus Blue Jackets. Power ratings have this one as dead even but I get the feeling that Buffalo is a bit further along than the Leafs. Both teams should be well rested (last played on Saturday night)but at a pick’em price the value looks to be with the home team. The Sabres have a history of beating up on Toronto at home. They’ve won the last four head to head meetings and over the past two decades are 36-11-3 against the Leafs on home ice.
BET BUFFALO SABRES -110 OVER TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS
PHILADELPHIA FLYERS AT BOSTON BRUINS:
Tough game to figure. Flyers are 2-2-1 on the season but have generally played well. The reason they have a -4 goal differential is a 7-1 loss at Florida but their other two losses have been by a single goal. Philly played last night, losing a hard fought game to Dallas in which they held the high scoring Stars to only a single goal. Some interest in taking the underdog price on the Flyers but poor scheduling spot in the second of back to back games facing a rested Bruins side that last played on Saturday night. Boston is winless at home this year but have owned the Flyers at the TD Garden of late winning the last six meetings. That being said, don’t want to lay the price with a mediocre team. Instead, we’ll play this one Over the total. Bruins ‘over’ in every game this year with score totals of 8,6,9,8,8. Boston’s defense is weak and can’t expect the Flyers to have much intensity after their strong showing against the best offensive team in the league last night.
BET PHILADELPHIA FLYERS/BOSTON BRUINS OVER 5