Posted on
4/15/2008 5:43:30 PM
NHL Free Picks – Montreal, Washington Look To Gain Edge
By Tim Furious
Montreal Canadiens (2-0) vs. Boston Bruins (0-1)
Tuesday, April 15th --- TD Banknorth Garden, Boston --- 7:00pm EST
NHL Betting Line: Montreal -125
Here are some great moneylines for the NHL online betting community. Boston was invariably going to win that game because a) Boston hasn’t had a playoff game in years, and b) there was no way Boston was going to lose 13 games in a row to Montreal. Now that they’ve gotten that vaunted win under their belt, it’s hard to imagine that they will keep the momentum up against Montreal. They left everything on the ice in the last game, and Tim Thomas had perhaps his best career performance ever.
None of that disputes the fact that Boston is 13-1 SU in their last 14 games against Boston, or that Montreal has the number-one ranked offense in the league with 3.20 goals per game. They’re thirsting for blood, desperate to reward the Habs fans with a playoff victory at home in Game 5 and in an obvious position to decimate Boston who may be smiling after they finally won a game. They won’t be happy tonight when Montreal rolls through strong.
Boston’s Tim Thomas has been superb in net for the most part, especially considering that Boston can’t protect him at all. He has a 2.51 goals against average and a 0.917 save percentage on the series, which is great all things considered. He’s kept Boston in games, but the Bruins simply don’t have the firepower to keep up with the most proficient offense in the league.
NHL Betting Picks: Montreal -125 (UNDER)
Washington Capitals (1-0) vs. Philadelphia Flyers (1-0)
Tuesday, April 15th --- Wachovia Center, Philadelphia --- 7:00pm EST
NHL Betting Line: Philadelphia -135
Philadelphia leveled the playing field by boxing in Alexander Ovechkin and rewarding their betting faithful with a 2-0 shutout over the Capitals in Game 2. now that the series is headed back to the city of Brotherly Love, Washington needs to find a way to either get more production out of Backstrom and Semin, or release Ovechkin from the clamps Philly is putting on him.
That may be easier at the Wachovia Center because Philadelphia has the 22nd worst home defense in the league allowing 2.8 goals against. Ovechkin will find a way. And if he doesn’t, it will be up to the other two youngsters to find a way to win. Semin, the more grizzled of the two, has eight shots on goal and is penetrating the Flyers porous defense. Backstrom needs to step up.
Philadelphia’s experience is something to rely on. Obviously, they’re favorites for a reason. And their crowd is absolutely rabid. Daniel Briere has rewarded the Flyers betting faithful by notching three-points. It will be virtually impossible for Washington to shake the nerves from playing in a hostile Philadelphia rink with those fans, so bet on Philly for this game. Just don’t sleep on Washington yet…
NHL Betting Picks: Philadelphia -135 (UNDER)
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