Weekly NHL betting cheat sheet and odds: Oilers dominant Under bets?
Covers.com is the biggest and best source for sports betting information, providing unrivaled and original content sports bettors cannot live without.
Our Covers NHL cheat sheet breaks down the best NHL betting notes so you can handicap the week like a pro, including the Edmonton Oilers who are a surprising Under team thus far in 2016-17.
Getting Low in Edmonton
You might think that a Edmonton Oilers-Arizona Coyotes matchup would yield a solid goal total given both teams' propensity to play wide-open hockey - but that simply hasn't been the case as the Pacific Division rivals prepare to meet for a fifth time this season Tuesday night at Rogers Place. The teams have split the first four meetings, with each game going Under - though that won't come as much of a surprise to savvy bettors, considering that both Arizona (19-27-7 O/U) and Edmonton (20-32-4 O/U) have been solid Under plays so far this season. The Oilers have been a particularly solid option at home, going 7-18-1 O/U to date.
No King of the Island
New York Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist hasn't been his usual dominant self, and that has been especially true when facing the rival Islanders. The two teams do battle for the third time this season Thursday night at Barclays Center - and it will be interesting to see what transpires after the teams played to the Over in each of their first two meetings. Lundqvist was in goal for both games, and surrendered seven goals on just 60 shots while going 1-1.
Predators Facing Wild Task
Only ten teams have turned a profit against the spread entering this week's action - and no team has been better at rewarding bettors than the Minnesota Wild, who tangle with the Central Division-leading Nashville Predators in a Saturday night showdown. The Wild have earned a whopping $2,677 - nearly $800 more than the second place Montreal Canadiens - on the strength of a 34-21 ATS mark and 37-12-6 overall record. The Predators rank sixth among teams that have taken a loss so far this season, losing 246 units. Minnesota has won two of three meetings between the teams so far.
Injury Updates
- The Dallas Stars are still without veteran center Jason Spezza, who is out indefinitely with an upper-body injury suffered in a Feb. 2 loss to the Winnipeg Jets. The Stars are 1-4 in their first five games without Spezza, including a brutal third period collapse Sunday against the Predators.
- The Anaheim Ducks have struggled without defenseman Sami Vatanen, who has missed four games with a lower-body injury and has no timetable for a return to action. Anaheim is just 1-2-1 without him, allowing 14 goals over that span.
Player Notes
- It has been a surprisingly lean stretch for Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby, who has been held without a point in back-to-back games. The Penguins are 5-5-2 SU and 7-5 O/U in games in which Crosby doesn't record a point this season.
- Sabres forward Jack Eichel is on a roll, coming off a three-assist game in a 3-1 win over the rival Maple Leafs over the weekend. Big nights from Eichel mean big things for Buffalo, which is 10-0-0 this season when Eichel records multiple points.
- Eastern Conference teams continue to fear defenseman Brent Burns, who scored twice Sunday as the San Jose Sharks cruised past the New Jersey Devils 4-1. Burns has 11 goals and 18 assists in 26 games against East foes in 2016-17.
Stanley Cup Futures
- Forget prior playoff stumbles: oddsmakers believe the Washington Capitals are the team to beat this season, installing them as a +450 favorite to take home the Stanley Cup. The Capitals enter the week with the best record in the NHL at 39-11-6.
- Not only are the Edmonton Oilers not looking at a prominent seat at this summer's NHL Draft table - they're actually in great shape to make the playoffs. The Oilers are featured as +2,000 longshots to capture the sixth Stanley Cup in franchise history.
- Those who made a preseason bet on the Dallas Stars are probably wishing they had pocketed that money instead. The Stars, who continue to struggle on defense and in net, are now +5,000 to claim the NHL championship.
Over/Under Trends
- The Sharks just keep on pushing, hitting the total three times in their last six games - including Sunday's triumph over New Jersey. San Jose has pushed a league-high 18 times on the season, with 11 of those coming on the road.
- The Wild are giving Under bettors fits, playing to the Over seven times in their previous eight games. That surge has pushed Minnesota to 28-19-8 O/U for the season, with nearly identical marks at home (14-9-3) and on the road (14-10-5).