Posted on 3/3/2008 7:31:25 PM

Online Sports Betting - NHL Betting Free Picks

By Tim Furious

Boston Bruins (35-24-6) vs. Washington Capitals (30-28-8)

Monday, March 3rd --- Verizon Center, Washington --- 7:00pm EST

NHL Betting Line: Washington -135

Who in God’s name knew that Boston would be this good down the stretch? Whether it’s at home, or on the road, the Bruins are pounding out wins. Boston is 5-0 SU in its past 5 games and are 6-1 SU when playing on the road in their last seven away from home. They also cruise in to the Verizon Center dangling a 5-0 SU road record against the Caps in their past five meetings.

The new-look Capitals are trying desperately to cling on to the so-called crown of the Southeast Division, which is obviously the worst division in the sport. Their betting backers have been let down as of late, as the Capitals have gone a pathetic 2-5 SU in their past seven home games. And that comes as extremely surprising news with Cristobel Huet in net and Sergei Federov tutoring the young Alexander Ovechkin. The Capitals best the Bruins in scoring with 2.83 goals per game, but have a horrible 3.03 goals against average.

So why are they favored? Because the oddsmakers are banking on the fact that you don’t keep up with hockey enough to know that the goalie Washington has in Huet is actually extremely talented. The savvy bettor might look at the 9-0-0-1 SU record Boston holds over Washington over their past 10 meetings, but the bubble has to burst for Boston some time soon. And I’m willing to bet it’s tonight.

Ovechkin will not go quietly in to the night, and Cristobel Huet is out to prove that he is worth every cent in free agencies that him and his agent are hoping for this summer. The Bruins are tough to bet against at all right now, while Washington is such a risky pick because of their blithering inconsistency. But if you want to make a profit tonight, then side with the favored Capitals as they set out to prove that they are much better than Vegas deems.

NHL Betting Free Picks: Washington -130

Montreal Canadiens (38-21-9) vs. San Jose Sharks (36-21-8)

Well guess who the new king of the castle is out East. That’s right – the Montreal Canadiens. After a speed-bump last week that resulted in a loss to Pittsburgh and a shut-out to Columbus, the Habs have burned off three straight victories to go 3-2 SU in the last five. And they’ve outscored their last three opponents 13-4. If that doesn’t scream “offense” than I don’t know what does.

But San Jose is a tricky team to predict. They never, ever blow teams out of the water. Despite the third best defense in the league with 2.4 goals against, they still only tally 2.6 goals for. They’re a big, physical, grinding team that loves to sit on a one-goal lead and try and frustrate opponents. A five-game winning streak has proved the strategy effective, but there’s something about the Habs that I absolutely love from a betting standpoint.

Montreal has the best power-play in the league with 25.6 percent and are the second highest scoring team in the league. Ottawa is actually first, and considering how they’re playing, Montreal is actually the most touted offense in reality. They are averaging 3.2 goals per game on the season, and that is simply not a good sign for the Sharks who allow teams to hang around in games and give them chances.

The defense in San Jose is undeniable, but so is the momentum that the Habs are taking with the on their West coast swing. To prove they are legitimate contenders, they have to start knocking off the big names out West. And that will start tonight as they edge the Sharks in what promises to be a thrilling night cap. Get on the betting bandwagon of Montreal and lean towards the road dogs tonight.

NHL Betting Free Picks: Montreal +125

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