NHL Betting - Atlanta Thrashers at Ottawa Senators

Saturday, October 10 – Scotiabank Place, Ottawa

Atlanta is a surprising 2-0 this season coming into their game against the Senators. The team finished last season on a 12-6 run, so maybe there is something hidden down there in Georgia that everyone has overlooked. Credit to the Thrashers for giving significant minutes to their young players, like last summer’s No. 4 overall pick Evander Kane. The move is clearly paying off, as the Thrashers are winning and showing the kind of enthusiasm that hasn’t been seen from them in a long time.

The Ottawa Senators are coming off an OT win against the New York Islanders. Matt Carkner and Peter Regin, neither big goal scorers, both scored for the Sens, which is an important achievement considering last year. Last season, the Sens were done in by a lack of secondary scoring, something that cannot happen again if they want to make it back to the postseason. Pascal Leclaire had his second consecutive solid start for the Sens, making 23 saves in the win.

What The Thrashers Have To Do To Win:

Atlanta isn’t burdened with expectations and play in a market where hockey is the 5th or 6th most popular sport. It is because of that they are able to play their young guys more frequently and not subject them to the criticism that comes with on-the-job NHL training. Kane, Rich Peverley and Zach Bogosian can all expect to be significant players on this Atlanta squad, and they all bring a youthful energy that the Thrashers need in order to become a relevant and successful team.

Atlanta hasn’t been using its special teams all that often, so it is hard to gauge where they stand. The team has only played in 11 special team situations so far this season, but have looked good while doing so. The Sens power play is poor so far this season, so inexperience with a man down shouldn’t harm the Thrashers, should the game come down to that.

What The Senators Have To Do To Win:

The Sens seem to have finally found a goalie in Pascal Leclaire. Goalie inconsistency has plagued Ottawa since the start of the decade and Leclaire has more raw talent than any other net minder to wear a Senators jersey. In order for Ottawa to be successful the team needs Leclaire to be that guy they’ve always needed.

Ottawa also needs to get better on the power play in order to be successful. The Sens are 0-for-9 with the extra man this season, worst in the NHL. This is where Jason Spezza needs to step up. Spezza is probably the most polarizing person for Senators fans, where feelings about the player range from extreme love to extreme hate. But he undeniably has great hockey tools and is a great passer, something that is needed on an elite power play. He needs to step up with the man advantage.

Outlook & Pick

The Thrashers are young and energetic, but the Senators are looking more and more like the team that made the playoffs two seasons ago. The Senators young stars are making some noise, and Leclaire is giving them important stability in the net. Both teams have reasons to celebrate so far this season, but the Sens at this point are a little too talented for the young Thrashers to handle.

Pick: Ottawa Senators