in NHL Articles

You really have to pay attention to the NHL this season, as there have been several trends and key elements to watch out for in recent weeks. Injuries and lineup changes have helped bettors really increase their bankroll significantly as of late.

On the radio show, we talked about the Ottawa Senators going into their Wednesday game against Washington, saying they are a bad bet because of Daniel Alfredsson being sidelined with a leg injury. As their captain and offensive leader, he is a key part of their attack and special teams. Without him, the Sens lost 6-2 in D.C.

Meanwhile, many believed Edmonton was in trouble after losing their top two players to injury in Ales Hemsky and Ryan Smyth. So what happens? They go 2-0 without them. How can this be explained? Simple. In their first game with Vancouver, Edmonton knocked out two key Canucks players in the first period en route to a 4-0 win. In the second game, the Oilers hosted their nemesis from last June’s Stanley Cup Final in the form of the Carolina Hurricanes. It was a grudge match, a game taken personally and so they were especially fired up for it and won 3-1.

Our Oiler advice?

Edmonton is still a very tough home team. However, feel free to go against them on their next couple of road games, as playing without their top stars will catch up to them.  

Under in the Stars

After being benched for a week and seeing his backup become the star-of-the-week, Dallas goaltender Marty Turco rebounded with two solid performances, but they were both losses. Not to be deterred, the Stars netminder then posted back-to-back shutouts, signaling his return to form. With Dallas struggling offensively and Turco going well in goal, don’t be shy about betting on their unders- even if the total is only 5 or 5.5 goals.

Avalanche of losses?

Colorado is not playing great hockey right now. Their goaltender is shaky, the goal-scoring has dried up and they are taking too many bad penalties. This is a team that will suffer through some growing pains this season. Simply put, it’s okay to start betting against them versus top teams on a regular basis.

We’re not Wild on them

Early in the season, the three things you could count on in life were death, taxes and the Wild winning at home. However, with losses in two of their last three home contests, and with that one win being in a shootout, Minnesota is not the same dominant team you saw in October and most of November. They are playing without their top two scorers and have not been able to muster enough offense to win games at the same rate. For the next few games, if the odds are to your liking, go against the Wild.

Bruins are mauling

Boston really proved something to bettors last Saturday, as they beat the Canadiens in Montreal, something that has not been accomplished with any regularity in recent years. This proved that Boston’s resurgence was no fluke. Indeed, the Bruins may still be getting dog prices against good teams and maybe even some average teams when on the road. Take advantage of their hot streak while you can.

Tune in weekdays at 3:20pm EST for your NHL betting segment on BetUS.com Radio.