Columbus vs. New Jersey
We are on a Jack Hughes snide right now. The Devils have lost three of their past four games with Hughes tallying a total of two points (2A) in those games. That will need to change for the Devils to compete at the level I expected them to in the preseason. The lines on this game are way too high in my opinion. The game total of 6.5 is -155 and the Devils team total is 4. These two met on 12/16 in Columbus with the Devils winning 6-3. Jack Hughes had a hat trick in that game. After a two week stretch of Columbus scoring three or more goals in six of seven games, their offense leveled out before the break scoring three combined against Washington and Toronto. The Devils have struggled at home this season going 7-8-2 but Columbus is even worse on the road going 4-8-3. Pregame I want to rebound on Jack Hughes to get on the board. As per the rest of the game, I expect the Devils to win and Columbus to be held to two goals. I will parlay the Devils ML with another game for small, and look to hit the Devils team total live.
Washington vs. Rangers
The Rangers are coming off a 4-0 shutout loss to the Caps and Peter Laviolette’s former team earlier this month. The last time the Caps won 4-0, the following meeting between the two had nine goals. This game for me comes down to Igor Shesterkin. His numbers against the Caps are average going 6-4 with a 2.92 GAA. Igor could give up 2 tonight, or he could give up 4. Darcy Keumper is 8-3 with a 2.65 GAA. The trends in this matchup say to expect a high scoring game tonight, but the numbers in net say the opposite. The books are expecting this to be low scoring as well. The total opens at 5.5 and is only -125. With a line that low to get 5.5 I think it’s worth going against the stats and playing the trends. Coming off the Christmas break could open the game up and leave both defenses and net minders vulnerable.
Florida vs. Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay has not been the same team they were their three consecutive cup years and Florida has been just as unreliable. This is a matchup I don’t plan on playing due to my inability to read each team this year. There hasn’t been enough consistency between the two for me to take a stab here.
Ottawa vs. Toronto
This is a matchup we have been playing the over on. We are 2-0 this season with playing the over 6.5. Martin Jones is starting for the Leafs and has gone 4-1 with a 2.79 GAA and has been playing like a revived netminder since going to Seattle. Being that Jones is in net and Ottawa is 3-8 on the road, I would prefer not to play the total of 6.5 pregame. Ottawa has scored 6 goals in their last two visits to Toronto but I am not as confident in Ottawa tonight. I will screen this game for live and hope to hit an in game total on the Leafs expecting them to have the lead at the end of the game.
Boston vs. Buffalo
The last time I wrote up the Bruins matchups with the Sabres they were 18-1-1. They’re 18-2-1 now in their last 21 meetings. This should be a complete rebound game for the Bruins who are coming out of the break on a four game losing streak. Devon Levi had a rebound game against the Bruins after giving up five goals on 18 shots less than a month before that. Putting up the 31 save 1 goal performance again against the Bruins will not be likely. I’m having a very hard time understanding how Boston is only -155 on the ML tonight and their team total is only 3. The Bruins have scored three or more in 11 of their last 14 against the Bruins so I am buying all in to this tonight.
Pittsburgh vs. Islanders
Sidney Crosby has eight points in his last six games before the break, and has a total of 132 points in 82 games played. Playing Sidney Crosby goals and points against the Isles is a narrative we play and will be playing tonight. As far as the matchup tonight, there is a lot of history and bad blood between these two teams, and the Islanders have taken full control of it winning 8 of the last 10 matchups as well as the last two playoff series. The Isles are sitting in second place in the Metro Division but I don’t feel that’s saying much. The Rangers and Blue Jackets are the only teams in here living up to their expectations. The Isles are missing three of their top starting defenseman and have given up three or more goals in four of their last five. Personally, you can play the over 5.5 here and I might once I narrow down our targets tonight, but Crosby goals and points are my main attraction here.
Detroit vs. Minnesota
Minnesota is 8-3 under John Hynes and get a good matchup at home against Detroit. Minnesota is 7-3 in their last 10 against Detroit but have lost two of the last three. Mats Zucccarello went down with an injury December 20th but they won their two matchups against Montreal and Boston without him. Being that Minnesota has been a thorn in our side and James Reimer is a thorn in my side, I prefer to avoid this matchup. I would play Minnesota here if you need a lean with Hynes being 6-0 at home with the Wild.
