Posted on
3/26/2008 7:31:50 PM
NHL Furious Free Picks 2008 – Wednesday Night Parlay
By Tim Furious
Edmonton Oilers (39-33-5) vs. Minnesota Wild (40-28-9)
Wednesday, March 26th --- Xcel Energy Center, Minnesota --- 8:00pm EST
NHL Betting Line: Minnesota -190
A slumping Wild team returns to the safety of home to take on the Edmonton Oilers, who look like a sexy underdog until you check out the numbers. Minnesota was dismantled on a four-game road trip which saw them win only one game. And the last loss was a 5-3 burner against Edmonton in Oil Country. The Wild are a well balanced team, but are not living up to their potential. They average just 2.7 goals per game, good enough for eleventh offensively overall, while allowing the same amount of goals against.
The Oilers lost their two best scoring threats to season ending injuries, yet they still have the 9th best offense in the league. They find the twine like a knitting grandmother on PCP for 2.9 goals per game, but their defense has been horrendous. It doesn’t help when you overpay two offensively minded defenseman in the off-season (Souray and Pitkanen). But it really doesn’t help when those two idiots can’t even stay healthy.
Minnesota is 3-8 SU in their last 11 games, but are a favorable 9-3 SU in their last 12 games. The total has gone OVER in 5 of Minnesota’s last 5 games because both teams get amnesiac on the defensive end. They’re also a handsome 5-0 SU when playing at home against Edmonton. They’re a bad road team. That’s the simple truth. But on their home ice, they’re a great bet. I know Edmonton has been punching the oddsmakers in the face as of late, and you’re more than welcome to bet on them if you like. But history is on Minnesota’s side in this one and so am I.
NHL Furious Free Picks: Minnesota (OVER)
Vancouver Canucks (38-28-10) vs. Colorado Avalanche (40-31-6)
Wednesday, March 26th --- Pepsi Center, Denver --- 9:00pm EST
NHL Betting Line: -170
Vancouver continues to be a terrible team on the road. Thankfully Colorado hasn’t been much better overall. The Avalanche have gone 1-4 SU in their past five games. They got destroyed 7-5 against Edmonton to cap off a disastrous road trip. But they bounced back nicely to stifle the Flames to a shutout on Monday. Vancouver is on a two-game losing streak, and has gone 8-15 SU in their last 23 road games.
The Canucks are an alligator team. They chip away at the goalie hoping to notch a goal, while Roberto Luongo does everything under the golden sun to prevent pucks from passing him. The Canucks only give up 2.50 goals per game, but a lot of that is due to Roberto. I give him about 50 more games before he completely snaps screaming, “WHY CAN’T YOU GUYS BLOCK A DAMN SHOT?! WHAT ARE YOU DOING OUT THERE ANYWAYS?!” His years in Florida taught him patience. I’ll give him 50 games before he snaps. But that’s it.
The Canucks are probably my least favorite team to bet on when they’re traveling. They’re shaky, and missing a bevy of defenseman. Colorado does a great job of shutting down offensive opportunities for their opposition, while creating chances. That top line of Sakic-Hejduk-Forsberg is looking sharper than a Ginsu knife, and I fully expect Hey Duke to start putting up the vaunted number he did back when Foppa was a line-mate a few years back.
Bet on the Avs in the under. The Canucks are an UNDER team in virtually every game because of their offensive ineptitude and Roberto’s ridiculous efforts between the pipes.
NHL Furious Free Picks: Colorado -170 (UNDER)
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