Posted on
3/4/2008 5:25:49 PM
NHL Furious Free Picks - Tuesday Night Betting
By Tim Furious
New Jersey Devils (37-23-6) vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (29-28-10)
Tuesday, March 4th --- Air Canada Centre, Toronto --- 7:30pm EST
NHL Betting Line: New Jersey -120
The Blue Leafs are becoming a force to be reckoned with! Ok, just kidding. But hey, at least they’re winning games. They’ve gone 4-1 SU in their past 5 games and have been standing strong in their own building with a 4-2 SU record in the ACC over the past 6 games. And yes, Captain Mats Sundin is leading the charge. The Swedish sensation has 9 points in the past five games.
Brodeur may be the best goal tender in the history of the NHL by the time all is said and done, but things are not going well right now. The Devils have lost three straight and have been outscored 8-2 in the process. They’re proving that a good defense is enough to keep you in games with only 2.4 goals against per game, and the third fewest power play opportunities given with 3.8 per. But this recent scoring drought has to be a concern for their betting faithful.
A bigger concern might be the 4-1 SU record the Leafs have when hosting the Red Devils recently. I don’t like the fact that Toronto’s blue line is made of Swiss cheese, but I love Vesa Toskala in net. New Jersey will probably break out of their scoring funk, but Brodeur I starting to show the typical wear and tear of a goalie who has been playing virtually every game this NHL betting odds season. The Leafs excel at one thing more than losing games, and that’s getting shots on net
NHL Free Picks: Toronto +100
Pittsburgh Penguins (37-23-7) vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (26-32-7)
Tuesday, March 4th --- St. Pete Times Forum, Tampa --- 7:30pm EST
NHL Betting Line: Pittsburgh -120
This is probably a good time to chime in with my thoughts on the Penguins and Marion Hossa. First off, I love Hossa in Pittsburgh sans the knee injury. He’ll be back, and when he is, this team will be an offensive juggernaut. But the problem is their defense. Ryan Whitney, their best defenseman, is an offensive point-man masquerading as a blue liner. And Hall Gill is useless. Just ask Toronto. As good as Ty Conklin is, he’s been a career journeyman and Pittsburgh’s 2.8 goals against is proof of that.
Evgeni Malkin, Sidney Crosby, Marion Hossa, Jordan Staal, Ryan Malone and company are going to pour in the goals. With The Kid on the shelf, they still average 3.0 goals per game behind Evgeni’s superhuman efforts. But their defense concerns me, as does their inability to be effectively physical.
They’re catching the slumping Bolts at a good time. With just one win in their past 7 games, the Lightning look more like a flutter spark than a majestic bolt of Zeus’s wrath. But for whatever reason, Vincent Lecavlier goes bananas when playing the Pens. That’s why the Lightning are 13-1 SU when playing Pittsburgh in their last 14 meetings. He’s third in points with 80 and has 49 of those points when he plays at home. Bet on Vincent and St. Louis to respond to the offensive output of Pittsburgh with a burst of their own tonight.
Tampa rallies off 29.06 shots per game, and while they allow a god awful 3.28 goals against, their offense should be enough to counteract the effects of Evgeni Malkin tonight. The Pens have eight players out with injury, including the aforementioned Whitney who is nursing a sore groin. Without a proper blue-line, it will be difficult for Pittsburgh from stopping the dynamic duo of St.Louis-Lecavlier tonight. Bet on Tampa as the home dog.
NHL Free Picks: Tampa Bay +100
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