NHL Best Bets for Wednesday: Riding a Favorite and Taking an Over
NHL Best Bets for Wednesday: Riding a Favorite and Taking an Over
Sadly, today's slate is nowhere near the size of yesterday's but there is still money on the board and we are looking to go get ours again. I like action on both games today and cooked up some of my favorite angles on the slate.
Let’s dive in.
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Washington Capitals vs Edmonton Oilers
Click here for Capitals vs Oilers odds
This one should be plenty of fun and I am going with both a play on the total as well as backing a side here. Edmonton has the motivation in this one and I do believe that is what will give them the edge in the end; Washington is on the second day of a back-to-back after a hard-fought victory in Calgary last night.
Washington has picked it up lately and seems to have found their game again after a really rough couple of weeks. They have put up 14 goals in their last three contests but none of them on the back-to-back which tends to get to a team like Washington more than others. This is not a jab at them, they are legitimately the second oldest team in the league and tend to start off slow as is.
I believe a well-rested, highly motivated Edmonton squad will want to exploit that tonight.
Vitek Vaneck was between the pipes for them last night and is in far better form than now number two netminder Ilya Samsonov who should be between the pipes tonight. The last time Ilya Samsonov started against Edmonton was February second.
He spent 5:07 on the ice and gave up three goals on four shots.
Awesome.
Now, do I expect that again? No, probably not but I do know that Samsonov is good to give them up in bunches against good teams, especially those with pace. His defense hung him out to dry on one of those goals in that last meeting but due to the fact that the Oilers are rested and the pace at which they play the game, opportunities they look for and try to create I believe there is a very good chance they are caught slacking and Edmonton will get the jump on multiple breaks tonight.
Mikko Koskinen is in for Edmonton and has played exceptionally well since mid-January and with the offensive support has won quite a few games. For a good chunk of the season, specifically that cold stretch they had from about mid-December to the all-star break, I believed Edmonton needed to make a move to get some help between the pipes but now I am not sure. He is 7-1-2 since January 22 but has conceded at least two in all but one of those contests so I am sure Washington will do their part tonight in helping with the total.
I do not expect a blowout here in this one but Edmonton has dropped three straight and needs this one a lot more than Washington does to get things going again. Give me Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Co. tonight in what should be a close one.
Washington Capitals vs Edmonton Oilers Picks
- Edmonton/Washington o5.5 -153 OR o6 -120 (play any line between -150-155 at o5.5; play over 6 at -120-130, I am happy with both I just like having the hook when it is only 20-30 cents more)
- Edmonton Oilers ML -130 (Bet $130 to win $100)
Montreal Canadiens vs Vancouver Canucks
Click here for Canadiens vs Canucks odds
This team under Martin St. Louis’s reign has been rather electric, win or lose.
He was given a squad with seven wins and they now have fifteen; he is playing the guys he has to their strengths and it is working. Guys like Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki have been playing great under this new “go get them before they get us” mentality and I love it.
Nonetheless, they are no Cinderella story in the making, this is a lost season for them. I have mentioned this before, but they simply just do not possess the talent on the back end right now to fix things this season.
The Habs lead the league with an abysmal 4.00 GAA on the road this season. They have conceded 120 goals on 209 assists. They have conceded 32 on the penalty kill and Vancouver has been clicking on the man advantage the last two weeks, netting seven in their last seven when having the chance.
The guys between the pipes have put together some solid performances but not many. With Samuel Montembeault between the pipes for them tonight I am going to take my chances that this is not one of those lights-out performances; he is 6-11-4 with a 3.66 GAA this season.
Vancouver has really begun to play a lot better in the second half of the season and are a dark horse in the playoff conversation thanks to timely scoring and great play between the pipes.
Thatcher Demko has been excellent and gives them the edge on that level, but the Habs have been able to get after some good teams lately. I do not really love a side in this one because it is a game that I feel either squad can go get but I do expect the pace to be there.
Both of tonight’s games are on TNT and the nationally televised games tend to provide an adrenaline boost to everyone on the ice. Even if Vancouver scores five tonight I do not see them keeping Montreal from getting theirs as well. Vancouver beat the Habs in Montreal earlier in the year, so this is a get back game for them. Montreal won their last clash in Vancouver by a dominating score of 5-1.
The Habs are 4-1 L5 1P o1.5 on the road; Vancouver 4-1 L5 at home and both squads are 6/10 L10 which tells us pace has been picking up for these squads which I do not expect to change.
Montreal has hit the full game over in 7-3 L10 on the road; Vancouver is just 6-4 L10 at home but a lovely 9-1 L10 overall.
I expect the guys up north to put on a show. As always, best of luck to all those who tail!
Vancouver Canucks vs Monteral Canadiens Picks
- Vancouver/Montreal 1P o1.5 -135 (play up to -150) (Bet $135 to win $100)
- Vancouver/Montreal o6 -115 (play up to -135) (Bet $115 to win $100)
Article Author
Born and raised in St. Louis, JT is a young gun in the industry but has already established himself as one of the sharpest. Some refer to him as the "King of the Ice" as a result of his dominance in the NHL, which has been his claim to fame. However, he also excels in other markets including the NFL, MLB, and NCAAF. You can follow JT on Twitter at @RickyBobbyBets.