NHL Picks: Avalanche at Devils Worth Watching Tonight
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The NHL has a half dozen games on this Friday night slate. It is almost the weekend, so usually, this night features plenty of chaos. This gives us a chance to tinker on a smaller scale.
Friday’s edition features a bit extra, so let's get you ready for your NHL betting with today's games, then we'll look back at what went right and wrong last night.
Colorado Avalanche at New Jersey Devils
The last time we laid eyes on a high-shooting team like the Devils was when we looked at a Florida game. This is different, however. OK, our approach is anyway. New Jersey has fired 36 shots on goal in every game this season. Can they do it at home tonight against the Colorado Avalanche? That might be challenging.
There are some nuggets of wisdom here. Colorado’s penalty kill is starting to bounce back. It is still not too good at 66.7%. However, that is an improvement from the 50% it was a week ago. New Jersey’s power play, at 15%, does generate a lot of chances. The dam broke in their Tuesday 6-2 victory in Detroit.
Expect fun! New Jersey has to play fast. Otherwise, its defense and goaltending will cause issues. Again, the best defense is a good offense. See Colorado for a masterclass on that.
With Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt, Nico Hischier, and a solid group of young talent, the Devils can skate up and down the ice with almost any team. It comes down to converting on scoring chances. This is still a team that rides the waves. That makes it a challenge to bet.
Colorado, at least, gives the bettor a chance to know what they are getting into. The Over at 6.5 goals was teetering to 7.0. Those -125 numbers are inching more to -130 in some places. Look out and follow where the money goes. Vitek Vanecek expects to start in New Jersey. Alexandar Georgiev is projected to start for Colorado. Keep an eye on this.
Anaheim Ducks at Vegas Golden Knights
Here is that sneaky 6 p.m. ET start. Sports bettors may get caught napping here. However, Anaheim is now the worst team in the NHL, and it is easy to see why. Defensively, the Ducks are getting cratered in their zone. John Gibson has seen this for several years now. The difference is that the younger players hopefully learn later in the season. In the meantime, the lesson now is goals allowed.
Anaheim’s -16 goal differential is one of the worst in the league and the 32 goals allowed is one of the three worst in terms of goals per game yielded. For Vegas, Logan Thompson comes in sporting a 2.03 goals-against-average. The Golden Knights struggled at home too often last year but seemed to have somewhat rectified that problem (aside from the Colorado game).
There are some excellent risks to take in this contest. We advise betting a bit smaller than usual to set up for the weekend games. Keep an eye on the Vegas Puckline to see where it may end up. It is about Even at the moment.
Back To Back Dilemmas
What does one do here? Boston, Vancouver, and Winnipeg are on the back end of back-to-backs on Friday. These are teams that won on Thursday and helped us profit. Does an American sports bettor lean on them again?
Columbus is attractive because it gives up a lot of goals, like Anaheim. Pittsburgh struggled in its two games in Alberta (Edmonton and especially Calgary). However, Vancouver, even in victory, was an adventure. Plus, J.T. Miller was in pain at the end of the game after blocking a shot. Finally, Winnipeg is playing in Arizona, which may be a game to study. Why? Arizona will be playing in its new arena. There are lots of unknowns.
When one gets down to it, the Over might be a play again on Friday night. Consider that all three late games quickly went to the Over. Six of the final seven games on the Thursday night slate did the same.
Some Picks And More To Chew On
- Vegas Puckline at -110 (Only if at -110 or better)
- Nathan MacKinnon and Valeri Nichushkin shot prop and anytime goal - Check number
- Carolina Puckline at +135. Check Team Over 3.5 goals also.
- Arizona moneyline at +145
- Vancouver and Pittsburgh Over 6.5 goals at -120. Pass if it moves up to 7.0.
Good luck, and once again, thanks for reading! We will have a few more plays on social media as conditions warrant.
All odds today come from BetMGM.
What Went Wrong Last Night
It had to be Florida. It had over 50 shots on goal and 20+ scoring chances.
What more could you ask for? Oh. One more goal. It was small solace in what should have been a solid plus-money parlay bet.
What Went Right Last Night
There were a lot of good things about Thursday night. Nashville bounced back and scored six times. Thank God Thomas Greiss is still in the NHL. There was that Minnesota and Ottawa Over two goal prop that connected once more. Los Angeles again with the team, and game Overs was a success. The Kings, by the way, have allowed 4+ goals in five straight games. Los Angeles is the gift that keeps on giving.
Thanks to Montreal for nailing the Moneyline in regulation and period cover too. That should have kept our American sports bettors happy too. Oh yes, there was Edmonton and Chicago, those 11 goals, and Leon Draisaitl scoring on his birthday.
Again, follow us on social media for some weekend picks and much more. The goal is to educate and learn a few things ourselves.
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