Posted on
1/21/2008 7:36:32 PM
NHL Betting 2008 – Week 17 Monday Edition
By Tim Furious
Minnesota Wild (26-18-3) vs. Vancouver Canucks (25-18-5)
Monday, January 21st --- General Motors Place, Vancouver --- 10:00pm EST
Opening NHL Money Line: Vancouver -145
The Wild are 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing Vancouver, but won the last tilt in a 2-1 victory. Despite the fact that Vancouver only allows 2.40 goals against, in large part due to the outstanding goal tending of Roberto Luongo. But even Luongo hasn’t been enough to carry a weak offense that is suffering a three-game losing streak. The Canucks are only 1-5 SU in their last 6 games.
Minnesota has a been playing well under their potential for the entire first-half of the season. With a healthy crop of stars, including Marion Gaborik and Pavol Demitra, the Wild are averaging 2.77 goals per game. That’s good enough for only 18th in the league.
But the funny thing about divisional hockey is how much different the style of play can be. Minnesota and Vancouver are extremely familiar with each other, having to throw down the gloves on multiple occasions throughout the long and tenuous NHL season. Minnesota always play Vancouver with a different style, using their powerful forward to overwhelm the underwhelming defensive blue-line in Vancouver.
The Wild are catching Vancouver at the right time. Stuck in a four game losing funk, the Canucks are struggling to play the solid defense required to properly protect Roberto Luongo. Minnesota and Vancouver usually play tight games, and the Wild are known for coming on strong in the second half of the season. Bet on the Wild to upset the Canucks on the road, and begin to turn around their 7-10 SU record as underdogs.
NHL Betting Free Picks: Minnesota +125
Washington Capitals (21-21-5) vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (27-17-3)
Monday, January 21st --- Mellon Arena, Pittsburgh --- 7:00pm EST
Opening NHL Money Line: Pittsburgh -135
Is Vegas asleep? I know that everyone is getting geared up for Superbowl XXII, but do they really think that Alexander Ovechkin isn’t going to use this opportunity to shine heading in to the All-Star break? The Capitals may be 1-7 SU against the Penguins, but Ovechkin is known to gear up against the Penguins. He only has one goal in two games against the Pens, but this 59-point man can certainly steal the spotlight from Sidney Crosby, with the young Penguin nursing a high ankle sprain.
Pittsburgh is trying to find its rhythm without Crosby, having gone 3-2 SU in their last five while exchanging wins and losses in a yo-yo fashion. They blanked Montreal on Saturday night in a 2-0 victory, but they will have trouble keeping Alexander Semin and Ovechkin out of their net. Evgeni Malkin is beginning to come on strongly, but he will be facing big Tom Poti on the blue line for the Caps. Poti will give Malkin a headache all night as he crashes with him against the boards.
The Capitals are cruising on a three-game winning streak, having defeated Ottawa, Edmonton and Florida last week. They score 2.91 goals per game and are 17.73% on the power play. With Crosby out, and Vegas seemingly too lazy to move the line, take the easy money on Washington as underdogs where they 13-16 as dogs. Not bad for a team that allows 3.13 goals per game.
Tonight, you can’t go wrong with Ovechkin, especially considering how he revs up the engine against big name teams when he knows everyone will be watching. There will be nothing more satisfying for Ovi tonight then by smacking around the Pens while Crosby watches helpless on the sidelines.
NHL Betting Free Picks: Washington +115
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