NHL Picks: How to Bet the Battle of New York?
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The NHL has three games on the schedule for Wednesday night. It is the middle of the week, so usually, this is one of the calmer nights. This gives us a chance to breathe a bit.
This will be short and sweet so let's roll to get your ready for your NHL betting.
New York Rangers at New York Islanders
The hockey gods have smiled upon us. It is not a clean matchup, but the Rangers played last night at home against the Colorado Avalanche. Everyone will look at the 3-2 score and think it was not that demanding. That would be their first mistake.
Now, the huge question is, who starts for the Rangers tonight on Long Island? It looks like Jaroslav Halak. Starting an older goaltender with a team yielding quite a few shot attempts does not bode well. Even the New York Islanders should be able to jump on that.
Could the Islanders score a few goals on Halak? That is very possible. Most pundits know Halak was a former Islander, and this team knows their former goalies well. Also, Halak is 37 now. The reflexes could be faster. The Islanders possess some speed players and need to take advantage of that tonight. There is one other fun wrinkle to consider.
The Islanders are moving Oliver Wahlstrom up to the top line. Placing him with two passers (especially one like Mathew Barzal) only helps his cause. Despite playing just 13 minutes a night, Wahlstrom averages 3.6 shots per game. He will get fed the puck a good deal and has three goals already. His shot prop is still at +120 for 2.5 shots. Hammer that over.
Expect the game to be intense; yes, this battle is on TNT, so more eyes will be on the game. The Islanders’ moneyline (-120) and perhaps even the Over is in play. At 6.0 goals, see where the number comes in later if it moves beyond -110. Even then, small bets on the Over in the ¼ unit range are prudent at best.
Tampa Bay Lightning at Anaheim Ducks
The Ducks have only played one home game in 2022-23. Meanwhile, the Lightning is playing on the back end of a back-to-back. They played a young but slightly slower Los Angeles Kings team on Tuesday night.
One thing is still clear. Tampa misses the presence of Ryan McDonagh. Yes, it is even worse to be without Erik Cernak. However, McDonagh was a steady guide in their playoff runs.
Tampa Bay expects to start Brian Elliott, while Anaheim projects John Gibson in goal. Elliott stopped 32 of 35 shots in a win, but Tampa Bay is giving up a lot of shots on the back end of back-to-backs. Their defense is not the same. Trevor Zegras, Mason McTavish, and Troy Terry can motor up the ice.
There are some enticing options to take little bites at tonight. One is the Over of 6.5 goals which is Even at this time. If this moves into the minus err negative too much, then pass. Anaheim in regulation is crazy at +200 but at least worth a look. Again, think ¼ to ½ unit bets here.
Some Picks And More To Chew On
- Anaheim and Tampa Bay Over 6.5 goals - +100
- Anaheim in regulation - +200
- Oliver Wahlstrom Over 2.5 shots - +120
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.
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