Betting news, trends, odds and predictions from various handicappers and websites for Saturday 2/9/19
NHL – TRENDS OF THE DAY
After just one game in the NHL on Friday night, the league kicks into full gear on Saturday as there are 14 games scheduled. This starts with a great Eastern Conference battle between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Tampa Bay Lightning. In other great action, the Toronto Maple Leafs take on the Montreal Canadiens and the Columbus Blue Jackets battle the Vegas Golden Knights.
Featured Game
Pittsburgh Penguins(+140) vs.Tampa Bay Lightning(-180)
The Pittsburgh Penguins are tied for third in the Metropolitan Division with 63 points (28-19-7), while the Tampa Bay Lightning lead the Central Division with the best record in the NHL at 39-11-4 (82 points). Pittsburgh is 13-9-5 on the road this season and are 3-6-1 in their last 10 games. The Lightning are 20-5-2 at home and are 5-3-2 in their last 10 games.
Goaltending Matchup:
Matt Murray will be in goal for Pittsburgh. He is 15-9-1 this season with a 2.97 goals against average and a .909 save percentage. Murray has lost his last two starts and has lost four of his last six. He has allowed three goals in each of his last two starts and has given up 24 total goals in his last seven starts.
The Tampa Bay Lightning will start Andrei Vasilevskiy. Vasilevskiy is 21-7-4 this season with a 2.39 goals against average and a .927 save percentage. The Lightning goalie has lost his last two starts as well and has also lost four of his last six starts. He has given up just three total goals in his last two starts, despite suffering losses in each of those games.
Hot Trends:
The Pittsburgh Penguins are…
2-5 in their last seven games.
9-4 in their last 13 games against Eastern Conference teams.
1-4 in their last five games against teams with a winning record.
The Tampa Bay Lightning are…
38-14 in their last 52 games.
40-12 in their last 52 games against Eastern Conference teams.
55-24 in their last 79 games against teams with a winning record.
Stat Pack:
Penguins:
Goals For:3.4
Goals Against:3.1
Power-Play:23.7%
Penalty Killing:81.9%
Lightning:
Goals For:3.8
Goals Against:2.8
Power-Play:29.0%
Penalty Killing:84.6%
Prediction
Tampa Bay has been the most dominant team in the National Hockey League this season, but the Penguins have not been impressed. Over the last 10 meetings between these two teams, the Penguins are 7-3. The home team has won six of the last seven meetings however. It is hard to bet against Tampa Bay, and we won’t here either.
The total has gone over in 15 of the last 22 meetings in Tampa Bay and has gone over in 33 of the last 51 meetings. These are two of the highest scoring teams in the NHL and neither team has a goalie who is playing well right now. The Tampa Bay Lightning win, 5-3.
Two Games to Watch
Toronto Maple Leafs (-120) vs. Montreal Canadiens (+100)
This is a contest with a lot on the line. The Toronto Maple Leafs enter this game in second in the Atlantic Division with 69 points (33-17-3) with the Montreal Canadiens one point behind in the standings (31-18-6). Toronto is 16-6-2 on the road this season and are 5-4-1 in their last 10 games. Montreal is 17-10-3 at home and are 8-1-1 in their last 10 games. Both teams have won three straight games entering the contest.
Why Toronto Wins:
Maple Leafs are 11-0 in their last 11 games when playing on two days rest.
Maple Leafs are 4-1 in their last five games.
Canadiens are 1-4 in their last five games on a Saturday.
Maple Leafs have won the last five meetings.
Frederik Andersen has won two straight.
Why Montreal Wins:
Canadiens are 8-2 in their last 10 games.
Canadiens are 4-1 in their last five games at home.
Maple Leafs are 2-5 in their last seven games following a victory.
Canadiens are 8-2 in last 10 meetings in Montreal.
Carey Price has won seven straight, allowing 10 goals in that span.
What About the Total?
Go under6.5, because…
Total has gone under in three of the last five meetings in Montreal.
Total has gone under in two of the last four meetings.
Carey Price has given up 10 goals in his last seven starts.
Columbus Blue Jackets (+140) vs. Vegas Golden Knights (-160)
The Columbus Blue Jackets are in third in the Metropolitan Division with 63 points (30-20-3). They are 16-9-1 on the road this season and are 5-5-0 in their last 10 games. The Vegas Golden Knights are in third in the Pacific Division with 66 points. Vegas is 16-6-3 at home and are 4-6-0 in their last 10. Both teams have won their last two games.
Why Columbus Wins:
Sergei Bobrovsky has won two straight games.
Why Vegas Wins:
Golden Knights are 51-23 in their last 74 games at home.
Blue Jackets are 2-5 in their last seven games.
Blue Jackets are 3-8 in their last 11 games against teams with a winning record.
Marc-Andre Fleury has won two straight games.
What About the Total?
Go under 6.0, because…
Both goaltenders have averaged 2.5 goals allowed over their last two starts.
Columbus has gone under in seven of their last nine against teams with a winning record.
Vegas has gone under in five of their last eight at home.