Posted on 2/21/2008 4:09:15 PM

NHL Betting - Furious Free Picks 2

By Tim Furious

Pittsburgh Penguins (34-21-5) vs. Montreal Canadiens (33-19-9)

Thursday, February 21st --- Bell Centre, Montreal --- 7:30pm EST

NHL Betting Line: Montreal -160

I was fortunate enough to be sitting right besides the visitors bench when the Rangers were unable to stop Alexei Kovalev and Michael Ryder in a thrilling 6-5 comeback victory for the Canadiens. It was easily the best hockey game I’ve ever had the pleasure of seeing live. Plus I got to sit next to Jaromir Jagr for pretty much the entire second period, which my buddy Lujo wasn’t thrilled to hear about over the phone considering he was sitting on the side of the road with a broken down Mustang.

But the point here is that Montreal feels –and looks – invincible at home. Even down by a huge margin in the third period, the fans never gave up hope in this band of upstarts. Goal after goal after goal, the crowd was like a pack of rabid dogs surrounded by hemophiliacs. Pittsburgh has easily been one of the best teams in the new calendar year, with 2.95 goals per game and only 2.68 goals against, but Montreal at home is a tough team to bet against.

The Canadiens are 6-2 SU in their past eight home games and are 16-7-1 SU when playing Pittsburgh over their last 24 meetings. Pittsburgh got a shutout victory the last time these two met, but Montreal has a whirlwind of momentum behind them after that rousing victory over the Rangers. They will reward their betting investors tonight with another huge momentum building triumph over the Penguins, who have gone 2-4 SU in their past 6 road games and enter a building that is becoming more and more difficult to win for road teams.

NHL Free Pick: Montreal -160

Vancouver Canucks (30-22-8) vs. Nashville Predators (32-23-7)

Thursday, February 21st --- Sommet Center, Nashville --- 8:00pm EST

NHL Betting Line: Nashville -125

The Predators continue to stalk their prey while averaging a solid 2.92 goals per game. With a 4-2 SU record over their past 6 games, they are climbing the rankings in the Western Conference and a victory over a struggling Canucks team on the road is enough to get their thirst for blood at its peak. Nashville is 7-2 SU in their past 9 games at home.

Nashville’s special teams has been outstanding. Their penalty kill allows only 0.6 goals per game on 85.8 percent. Vancouver can usually only score when it has the man advantage, and puts itself in to trouble far more than it should. The Nucks have rectified their recent losing ways by also going 4-2 SU in their past 6, but that still doesn’t change the fact that they are 3-8 SU in their last 11 road games.

The loss of Lukas Krajcek means that an already thin blue-line for Vancouver will have trouble keeping up with the ferocious speed of Nashville’s pressure tactics. They move the puck incredibly well and distribute the puck evenly, never counting on just one main man. That’ll prove difficult for even Roberto Luongo to match as Nashville strikes with Vancouver’s paltry third and fourth lines on the ice.

Bet on Nashville to win this game at home and dent Vancouver’s playoff chances even further, while cementing theirs in the process. Vancouver is a pretty good team at home, but on the road they are one of the worst. No reason to get behind them here with your betting dollars.

NHL Free Pick: Nashville -125

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