NHL Betting Trends - High Scoring, High Value
by Corey E
NHL betting fans likely haven’t seen a playoff this exciting in their lifetime. Plenty of seven-game series, plenty of superstars such as Alexander Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby, emerging stars like Simeon Varlomov and David Bolland. But more importantly than name value has been the amount of action, and the sheer number of goals being scored.
It’s been quite some time since those betting on hockey have seen a postseason where teams have routinely scored five or more goals in a game. Even against superstar goaltenders such as Roberto Luongo, Evgeni Nabokov and Martin Brodeur, the light has routinely been red behind the net in every game. Despite this, Conference finals.
But why is this sudden wave of scoring taking place? The 2009 NHL betting season has been quite the anomaly. After the first month, goaltenders were on pace to break the all-time record for shutouts in a season. Analysts were questioning whether or not coaches had finally figured out how to administer the neutral zone trap despite a red line no longer existing. Defensive teams such as the Boston Bruins, who are now eliminated, were tearing up the league and dominating their opponents.
Perhaps however, the reasoning behind playoff scoring has more to do with mental determination than simply rule changes and logistics. The lack of a shootout in the postseason seems to have a dramatic effect on a team’s desire to score goals. In the regular season, it is quite obvious that most teams dog it through a tie-game in the third period, waiting for a shootout. But without a cushion to fall upon, those selecting the over on NHL odds have been pleasantly surprised all the way through this “second season.”
With high-octane teams such as the Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings remaining in the Western Conference, it would be downright foolish not to pound the over on NHL lines the rest of the way in the playoffs. The young Hawks are dynamite in their home building, and are always determined to put on a show for the Chicago faithful. On the other side of the bracket, the Pittsburgh Penguins have two of the three best scorers in the league, and their opponents, the Carolina Hurricanes, have a sudden surge of offense themselves.
