At the 2012 NHL trade deadline on Monday, neither Boston or Ottawa were busy, although the Senators made a move to improve their goaltending. They may need more than that if they’re going to defeat Boston on Tuesday as the Bruins have had the Senators’ number over the past couple years.
Senators Bruins Odds – Tuesday, 7:00 PM ET
The Senators bounced back from a home loss against the Bruins with a 5-2 win over the visiting New York Islanders, and 5dimes players would have watched Ottawa put up a balanced effort as they got goals from Milan Michalek, Jason Spezza, Jim O’Brien, Chris Neil and Kyle Turris, while Robin Lehner made 28 stops for the Senators, who were outshot 30-24. The Senators solidified their goalie situation by picking up Ben Bishop from St. Louis, and it was necessary as Craig Anderson will be out for a while due to a hand injury and with the combination of Lehner and Bishop in goal, it should be enough for the Senators to stay in the good graces of those that work with price per head bookie software. However, they have to figure out a way to solve the Bruins, whom they faced once more after Tuesday.
Boston’s last game was a 5-3 win over the Senators in Ottawa on Saturday, powered by a pair of goals by Patrice Bergeron, while Brad Marchand, Carter Camper and David Krejci added singles for the Bruins, who also got a 27-save performance from Tim Thomas. The Bruins have been up and down, especially since the All-Star break, but they were an option in March Madness spreads, they would be North Carolina: when they put the hammer down and flex their muscles, they’ll incredibly tough to beat. But they have to find some consistency as they head down the stretch.
Boston will definitely be the wagering favorites at home in this contest as they’ve won eight in a row against the Senators overall, and you get the feeling that captain Zdeno Chara really gets his team fired up to face the Senators, his former team. Chara had two assists on Saturday night and now has six points in three meetings with the Senators this season, and the Senators have to slow down the big man on the blue line. The Senators are a surprisingly good road team, but the Bruins are a bad matchup for them and we don’t expect that to change much on Tuesday night at TD Banknorth Garden. The last four meetings have gone over the posted total, so there could be more than a few goals scored here. Go with Boston in your online betting picks.
Monday, February 27, 2012
Monday, February 20, 2012
NHL Betting – Illusion The Biggest Problem Facing The Maple Leafs This Season
The Toronto Maple Leafs could be on the verge of returning to the NHL playoffs for the first time since 2004, a drought that extends back to before the NHL lockout year and the changes that came with it for arguably the most intense hockey market. While on the surface it appears to be a good thing to Maple Leafs’ fans that their team could be heading back to the postseason, this run will be that much more harmful to the franchise in terms of its long-term outlook, as it continues to avoid its biggest problem, which is the fact that they are not on the right track to being a legitimate contender.
Fighting among the eight teams that are currently holding down a playoff spot in the Eastern conference has provided fans in Toronto with the illusion that they are progressing towards their ultimate goal, which is to bring the Stanley Cup home for the first time since 1967. However, while the mediocre season that the Maple Leafs’ have given their fans may be good enough to make the playoffs in a relatively weak conference, it won’t get them any closer to the big prize. Toronto has managed to tread water in the eighth spot for the past couple of weeks while the Washington Capitals, Montreal Canadiens, Buffalo Sabres, and Tampa Bay Lightning each continue to struggle, but the reality is that if the pay head bookies established future lines for which of those franchises would win the cup next the odds are that the Maple Leafs would be at the bottom of the list.
The Canadiens and Capitals both underwent major coaching changes this season in pursuit of a new direction, and while Washington is now much closer to overtaking Toronto for eighth in the conference with a solid core that still includes Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom, the Canadiens aren’t very far away even with injuries to captain Brian Gionta and defenseman Andrei Markov handicapping their lineup. The Lightning could very well be ahead of the Maple Leafs at this point if they had better goaltending, while Buffalo also has a solid young core with Thomas Vanek, Tyler Myers, and Ryan Miller and is still favored in most of its games according to the sites listed with the sportsbook reviews.
For Toronto, a sports betting option that has provided sub-.500 results over the course of its past 10 games, there is no solid foundation on which the team is built beyond leading scorer Phil Kessel. The team’s top center Mikhail Grabovski has been talked about in trade rumors as he is set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year, while popular opinion varies on captain Dion Phaneuf, who has been exposed several times already this year. James Reimer has not been able to step up and perform with the consistency required of a No. 1 goaltender, and their really is no plan B in place should he fail with Jonas Gustavsson set to move on by the end of the year. The Maple Leafs may still be holding down one of the top eight spots in a weak conference, but that has only influenced the team’s biggest problem, which is the illusion that they are that much closer to being a true contender than perennial pretender.
Fighting among the eight teams that are currently holding down a playoff spot in the Eastern conference has provided fans in Toronto with the illusion that they are progressing towards their ultimate goal, which is to bring the Stanley Cup home for the first time since 1967. However, while the mediocre season that the Maple Leafs’ have given their fans may be good enough to make the playoffs in a relatively weak conference, it won’t get them any closer to the big prize. Toronto has managed to tread water in the eighth spot for the past couple of weeks while the Washington Capitals, Montreal Canadiens, Buffalo Sabres, and Tampa Bay Lightning each continue to struggle, but the reality is that if the pay head bookies established future lines for which of those franchises would win the cup next the odds are that the Maple Leafs would be at the bottom of the list.
The Canadiens and Capitals both underwent major coaching changes this season in pursuit of a new direction, and while Washington is now much closer to overtaking Toronto for eighth in the conference with a solid core that still includes Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom, the Canadiens aren’t very far away even with injuries to captain Brian Gionta and defenseman Andrei Markov handicapping their lineup. The Lightning could very well be ahead of the Maple Leafs at this point if they had better goaltending, while Buffalo also has a solid young core with Thomas Vanek, Tyler Myers, and Ryan Miller and is still favored in most of its games according to the sites listed with the sportsbook reviews.
For Toronto, a sports betting option that has provided sub-.500 results over the course of its past 10 games, there is no solid foundation on which the team is built beyond leading scorer Phil Kessel. The team’s top center Mikhail Grabovski has been talked about in trade rumors as he is set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year, while popular opinion varies on captain Dion Phaneuf, who has been exposed several times already this year. James Reimer has not been able to step up and perform with the consistency required of a No. 1 goaltender, and their really is no plan B in place should he fail with Jonas Gustavsson set to move on by the end of the year. The Maple Leafs may still be holding down one of the top eight spots in a weak conference, but that has only influenced the team’s biggest problem, which is the illusion that they are that much closer to being a true contender than perennial pretender.
Monday, February 13, 2012
NHL Betting – Rangers Aim To Increase East Lead In Boston On Tuesday
The Eastern Conference NHL standings may be a bit of a surprise to some as we expected to see Boston near the top, but the New York Rangers have not only taken the baton in the East, but they’re running with it and they’re taking a seven-point lead into the TD Banknorth Garden on Tuesday night to face the Bruins.
Rangers Bruins Odds – Tuesday, 7:00 PM ET
New York (36-13-5) have now won three in a row after a 3-2 victory at home over Washington (one of the preseason 5dimes favorites to win the Stanley Cup) on Sunday afternoon, and Ryan Callahan lit the lamp for the fifth time in three games to lead the way. Ryan McDonagh and Brandon Prust also scored, while Henrik Lundqvist stopped 24 shots for the Rangers, who gave up a late goal to keep it interesting, but held on. Those who are betting March Madness will see Madison Square Garden being taken over for the Big East tournament in about a month, but the Rangers will be playing some meaningful games there as well and another win over the Bruins to go with their 3-2 overtime victory from January 21st in the Big Apple.
The Bruins (34-17-2) needed a late goal from Milan Lucic to force overtime on Saturday afternoon, and then pulled out a 4-3 shootout win over Nashville to stay within shouting distance of the Rangers. Patrice Bergeron and Dan Paille netted singles for the Bruins, while Tim Thomas made 19 saves as Boston outshot the Predators 41-22. The Bruins also did a good job in the faceoff dot, winning 38 of 64 against the Predators, and Boston is a solid team at doing those little things to win a hockey game. They should end up winning the Northeast Division and if they can go into the postseason healthy, the Bruins are going to be a favorite of players that are familiar with price per head bookiest battle ended when Marian Gaborik scored on the power play with 3.6 seconds remaining at Madison Square Garden, after Andrew Ference earned a five-minute major and a misconduct for hitting McDonagh from behind. The Rangers were also physical in that game with 27 hits to 12 for the Bruins, and they’ll need to take that play into Boston because the Bruins will want to defend their home turf. In a hard-hitting game, lean towards the Bruins to get revenge on the road when you’re sports betting online on Tuesday.
Rangers Bruins Odds – Tuesday, 7:00 PM ET
New York (36-13-5) have now won three in a row after a 3-2 victory at home over Washington (one of the preseason 5dimes favorites to win the Stanley Cup) on Sunday afternoon, and Ryan Callahan lit the lamp for the fifth time in three games to lead the way. Ryan McDonagh and Brandon Prust also scored, while Henrik Lundqvist stopped 24 shots for the Rangers, who gave up a late goal to keep it interesting, but held on. Those who are betting March Madness will see Madison Square Garden being taken over for the Big East tournament in about a month, but the Rangers will be playing some meaningful games there as well and another win over the Bruins to go with their 3-2 overtime victory from January 21st in the Big Apple.
The Bruins (34-17-2) needed a late goal from Milan Lucic to force overtime on Saturday afternoon, and then pulled out a 4-3 shootout win over Nashville to stay within shouting distance of the Rangers. Patrice Bergeron and Dan Paille netted singles for the Bruins, while Tim Thomas made 19 saves as Boston outshot the Predators 41-22. The Bruins also did a good job in the faceoff dot, winning 38 of 64 against the Predators, and Boston is a solid team at doing those little things to win a hockey game. They should end up winning the Northeast Division and if they can go into the postseason healthy, the Bruins are going to be a favorite of players that are familiar with price per head bookiest battle ended when Marian Gaborik scored on the power play with 3.6 seconds remaining at Madison Square Garden, after Andrew Ference earned a five-minute major and a misconduct for hitting McDonagh from behind. The Rangers were also physical in that game with 27 hits to 12 for the Bruins, and they’ll need to take that play into Boston because the Bruins will want to defend their home turf. In a hard-hitting game, lean towards the Bruins to get revenge on the road when you’re sports betting online on Tuesday.
Monday, February 6, 2012
NHL Betting – Eastern Conference Playoff Race Beginning To Heat Up
While most NHL teams in the Eastern conference still have at least 30 games to play, the playoff race is already beginning to heat up as teams and their fans realize how important every point will be down the stretch. With the three points awarded in every overtime game, it is tougher than ever now to gain ground and make up points as the season winds down, which is why teams from the east are already beginning to approach games as if the postseason is just around the corner.
At the top of the conference, the New York Rangers continue to cruise as the sports betting favorites to win the Atlantic division with consecutive wins and points in seven of their last 10 games to build a three-point cushion over the defending Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins for first place. The Rangers have some similar traits as the Bruins, including top-tier goaltending, big forwards that are capable of laying out the body, and scoring contributions coming from their top three lines. Focus and the ability to continue to approach every game with the same consistency will be crucial to New York holding off Boston down the stretch, with goaltending the biggest key for a team that ranks second in goals against with Henrik Lundqvist between the pipes.
The Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins are right behind the Rangers in the playoff race, which is an incredible accomplishment considering the injuries that both teams have dealt with. The Flyers are missing their top defenseman and have been without Claude Giroux, Jaromir Jagr, Daniel Briere, and others at different points in the season, while the Penguins have been without captain Sidney Crosby for almost the entire year, and have also faced injuries to Jordan Staal and Kris Letang. If those two teams can avoid getting hit even harder by the injury bug they should be able to clinch a playoff spot, joined by a New Jersey Devils’ team that came on strong at the end of last year and is playing good hockey with four straight wins coming in to this Betonline week.
The real battle will be for the final two playoff spots in the Eastern conference, as things really heat up for the Ottawa Senators, Toronto Maple Leafs, Washington Capitals, Florida Panthers, and Winnipeg Jets. The Capitals and Panthers will fight for the Southeast division, but the loser of that battle will be in a dogfight for a playoff spot. The Senators and Maple Leafs have opened some room between them and the Jets over the past couple of weeks, with six points separating eighth-place Toronto from tenth-place Winnipeg, but this week will be crucial for both going forward. The Maple Leafs have three games in four nights beginning Monday as pay head bookie favorites against the Edmonton Oilers, highlighted by a trip to Winnipeg on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the Senators will play three-straight against teams from the Western conference this week, and while none of those matchups are against teams they are fighting for a playoff spot, they will still be crucial to their success since they have played three more games than Toronto, and one more than the Jets.
At the top of the conference, the New York Rangers continue to cruise as the sports betting favorites to win the Atlantic division with consecutive wins and points in seven of their last 10 games to build a three-point cushion over the defending Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins for first place. The Rangers have some similar traits as the Bruins, including top-tier goaltending, big forwards that are capable of laying out the body, and scoring contributions coming from their top three lines. Focus and the ability to continue to approach every game with the same consistency will be crucial to New York holding off Boston down the stretch, with goaltending the biggest key for a team that ranks second in goals against with Henrik Lundqvist between the pipes.
The Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins are right behind the Rangers in the playoff race, which is an incredible accomplishment considering the injuries that both teams have dealt with. The Flyers are missing their top defenseman and have been without Claude Giroux, Jaromir Jagr, Daniel Briere, and others at different points in the season, while the Penguins have been without captain Sidney Crosby for almost the entire year, and have also faced injuries to Jordan Staal and Kris Letang. If those two teams can avoid getting hit even harder by the injury bug they should be able to clinch a playoff spot, joined by a New Jersey Devils’ team that came on strong at the end of last year and is playing good hockey with four straight wins coming in to this Betonline week.
The real battle will be for the final two playoff spots in the Eastern conference, as things really heat up for the Ottawa Senators, Toronto Maple Leafs, Washington Capitals, Florida Panthers, and Winnipeg Jets. The Capitals and Panthers will fight for the Southeast division, but the loser of that battle will be in a dogfight for a playoff spot. The Senators and Maple Leafs have opened some room between them and the Jets over the past couple of weeks, with six points separating eighth-place Toronto from tenth-place Winnipeg, but this week will be crucial for both going forward. The Maple Leafs have three games in four nights beginning Monday as pay head bookie favorites against the Edmonton Oilers, highlighted by a trip to Winnipeg on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the Senators will play three-straight against teams from the Western conference this week, and while none of those matchups are against teams they are fighting for a playoff spot, they will still be crucial to their success since they have played three more games than Toronto, and one more than the Jets.
Monday, January 30, 2012
NHL Betting – Regular Season Resumes With Massive Clash In Boston
If you’re following NHL scores, you’ll be happy to see the second half of the regular season get underway on Tuesday, and there is a tasty matchup coming out of the Eastern conference as Ottawa heads to Boston.
Senators Bruins Odds – Tuesday, 7:00 PM ET;
The Senators got off to a horrible start, and more than a few BetOnline players probably gave up on them. But now the Senators are in sixth place in the East and are in prime position to move up the standings as they’re only six points behind first-place New York (the Rangers, not the Islanders, obviously). The break couldn’t have come soon enough for Ottawa, who dropped three straight before the All-Star game, but now you have to wonder how the team’s All-Stars, captain Daniel Alfredsson, Jason Spezza, Erik Karlsson and Milan Michalek will fare coming back to the team. Superbowl betting players could compare this to Tom Brady, Wes Welker and company coming back from the Pro Bowl to play this weekend; they probably didn’t do a whole lot on the ice (or on the field, for football players), but they were still there and it was a busy weekend, especially with it being held in Ottawa. Pay attention to Alfredsson, who was one of the team captains.
The other captain was Zdeno Chara of the Bruins, and he was busy shattering his record in the hardest-shot competition (108 mph? Wow!). The Bruins are second only to the Rangers in the East, but most of the talk going into the break surrounded goalie Tim Thomas and his refusal to go to the White House with his teammates because he doesn’t agree with the way government is running things. There were rumors that the Bruins are shopping their Vezina winner around, and you can bet that would affect lines and picks among those that work with price per head software.
The Bruins should be the favorites at home in this contest, and they’ve won six in a row against the Senators in Boston, so the line could be very staggered towards the home team. It’ll be interesting to see if Thomas is in goal for the Bruins; if he isn’t (and he wasn’t in the Bruins’ final game before the break), that will only add fuel to the fire, which is another distraction that the defending Stanley Cup champions need. This helps the Senators, who are basically playing with house money as no one expected them to challenge with a first-year head coach in Paul MacLean, but he is quickly earning consideration as the Coach of the Year. Go for the upset and take Ottawa in your sports betting picks.
Senators Bruins Odds – Tuesday, 7:00 PM ET;
The Senators got off to a horrible start, and more than a few BetOnline players probably gave up on them. But now the Senators are in sixth place in the East and are in prime position to move up the standings as they’re only six points behind first-place New York (the Rangers, not the Islanders, obviously). The break couldn’t have come soon enough for Ottawa, who dropped three straight before the All-Star game, but now you have to wonder how the team’s All-Stars, captain Daniel Alfredsson, Jason Spezza, Erik Karlsson and Milan Michalek will fare coming back to the team. Superbowl betting players could compare this to Tom Brady, Wes Welker and company coming back from the Pro Bowl to play this weekend; they probably didn’t do a whole lot on the ice (or on the field, for football players), but they were still there and it was a busy weekend, especially with it being held in Ottawa. Pay attention to Alfredsson, who was one of the team captains.
The other captain was Zdeno Chara of the Bruins, and he was busy shattering his record in the hardest-shot competition (108 mph? Wow!). The Bruins are second only to the Rangers in the East, but most of the talk going into the break surrounded goalie Tim Thomas and his refusal to go to the White House with his teammates because he doesn’t agree with the way government is running things. There were rumors that the Bruins are shopping their Vezina winner around, and you can bet that would affect lines and picks among those that work with price per head software.
The Bruins should be the favorites at home in this contest, and they’ve won six in a row against the Senators in Boston, so the line could be very staggered towards the home team. It’ll be interesting to see if Thomas is in goal for the Bruins; if he isn’t (and he wasn’t in the Bruins’ final game before the break), that will only add fuel to the fire, which is another distraction that the defending Stanley Cup champions need. This helps the Senators, who are basically playing with house money as no one expected them to challenge with a first-year head coach in Paul MacLean, but he is quickly earning consideration as the Coach of the Year. Go for the upset and take Ottawa in your sports betting picks.
Friday, January 27, 2012
NHL Game Preview for Tuesday January 31, 2012: Toronto Maple Leafs @ Pittsburgh Penguins
Few teams were more disappointed to see the All-Star break than the Pittsburgh Penguins. After being hit hard by injuries that caused the Penguins to nose dive in the Eastern Conference standings, the Penguins found itself on a seven-game winning streak that the All-Star break effectively stopped in its tracks. While some sports fans in Pittsburgh were hoping to have a hometown interest in this year’s Super Bowl betting, others were wondering how the Penguins would do without superstar Sidney Crosby. Aside from that stretch of games that the Penguins just could not seem to win, Pittsburgh has shown that it can win without Crosby in the regular season. A Crosby-less Pittsburgh team did not fare so well in last year’s playoffs, but at least the team made the post-season.
The Toronto Maple Leafs were the toast of the Northeastern Division for the first part of the season. Toronto was battling with the Boston Bruins for division supremacy until the Bruins pulled away and the Leafs started to tumble. The price per head sportsbook experts were extremely surprised by the Leafs’ start and are even more surprised to learn that goaltender Jonas Gustavsson had wrestled the starting goalie spot from James Reimer. Nothing ever seems to be consistent in Toronto and the landscape is always changing. But as long as the Leafs keep winning, the fans do not mind needing a program to determine who is on the ice and starting the game.
Pittsburgh Penguins
A 5 dimes review of the Penguins’ season to this point shows a roller coaster ride that has seen extreme highs and lows. The team thought it was back on track when Sidney Crosby was able to come back around Christmas, but that was short-lived as Crosby was out again within 12 games and he has not returned. Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury was also having issues for a stretch of games that saw him give up goals he does not normally give up. But the team has hung together and worked through the problems. After losing three consecutive games earlier in January, the Pens went on a 7-0-0 run to bring its record up to 7-3-0 in the last 10 games.
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Leafs have a two-game winning streak of its own going, but a record of 6-4-0 in the last 10 games shows that Toronto is having problems with consistency. The Leafs keep jumping back and forth between starting goaltenders which does not give the defense a chance to settle in to any kind of comfortable routine. The Leafs are a talented team that plays hard. But it will need to get back to the things that worked earlier in the season if it wants to make the playoffs.
The Bottom Line
Toronto and Pittsburgh were just starting to turn things back around when the All-Star break stopped them. The Penguins are the most likely to be able to pick up again and keep winning, but the Leafs won’t make it easy.
Pick: Pittsburgh Penguins
The Toronto Maple Leafs were the toast of the Northeastern Division for the first part of the season. Toronto was battling with the Boston Bruins for division supremacy until the Bruins pulled away and the Leafs started to tumble. The price per head sportsbook experts were extremely surprised by the Leafs’ start and are even more surprised to learn that goaltender Jonas Gustavsson had wrestled the starting goalie spot from James Reimer. Nothing ever seems to be consistent in Toronto and the landscape is always changing. But as long as the Leafs keep winning, the fans do not mind needing a program to determine who is on the ice and starting the game.
Pittsburgh Penguins
A 5 dimes review of the Penguins’ season to this point shows a roller coaster ride that has seen extreme highs and lows. The team thought it was back on track when Sidney Crosby was able to come back around Christmas, but that was short-lived as Crosby was out again within 12 games and he has not returned. Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury was also having issues for a stretch of games that saw him give up goals he does not normally give up. But the team has hung together and worked through the problems. After losing three consecutive games earlier in January, the Pens went on a 7-0-0 run to bring its record up to 7-3-0 in the last 10 games.
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Leafs have a two-game winning streak of its own going, but a record of 6-4-0 in the last 10 games shows that Toronto is having problems with consistency. The Leafs keep jumping back and forth between starting goaltenders which does not give the defense a chance to settle in to any kind of comfortable routine. The Leafs are a talented team that plays hard. But it will need to get back to the things that worked earlier in the season if it wants to make the playoffs.
The Bottom Line
Toronto and Pittsburgh were just starting to turn things back around when the All-Star break stopped them. The Penguins are the most likely to be able to pick up again and keep winning, but the Leafs won’t make it easy.
Pick: Pittsburgh Penguins
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
NHL Betting – Experienced Leadership Helping Young Blues Out West
The biggest turnaround in an NHL season that has been highlighted by several surprises has to be the play of the St. Louis Blues, which have transitioned from a team that appeared destined to miss the playoffs once again to a team seemingly destined to be among the top contenders in the Western conference. St. Louis struggled out of the gate with just two wins through its first six games, but has since turned things around, and become even stronger with the addition of head coach Ken Hitchcock behind the bench. The Blue have a ton of talent throughout their lineup but their biggest strength was also their biggest weakness as they were young and inexperienced. Hitchcock coming in helped stabilize that aspect of the team, and since then they have flourished among the most complete teams in the NHL.
It has to be noted that while Hitchcock’s presence has been among the biggest keys to the turnaround, it is not the only reason. St. Louis has allowed a league-low 1.9 average goals against per game, and the goaltending tandem of Jaroslav Halak and Brian Elliott has everything to do with that as well. Hitchcock’s system has his defenders collapse down low and clear out the rebounds in front of his goalies, but it is on them to make the first save. While both the forwards and defenseman have been responsible in their own end, Halak and Elliott have a combined save percentage of .928, and nine shutouts between them. Blues’ fans have been waiting on Halak to deliver for quite some time, and perhaps all it took was a little healthy competition with the addition of Elliott in the offseason. Both netminders have exceeded expectations, and having two capable goalies has been among the keys to St. Louis’ success, something the pay head bookies have taken notice of.
General manager Doug Armstrong has told the media that he will not break up that tandem before the trade deadline in order to acquire players at other positions, and it is a good thing that he isn’t. St. Louis has some solid depth on the blue line and some capable forwards up front, and the more experience they get the better they will be able to handle pressure situations. David Backes leads all scorers with 37 points on the year, however the Blues could be in the market to add another scorer before the deadline if the price is right, since after Backes there is only one other player on the roster with more than 30 points. There is no shortage of options available with several teams looking to make a move to sell, and it might not be long until St. Louis makes a move to increase their odds of emerging from the conference on Betonline.
The Blues have a solid blend of youth and experience now thanks to Hitchcock, and as long as they continue to buy in to his system and execute they should be fine. St. Louis has been one of the biggest surprises this season as they currently sit fourth in the Western conference, and look for them to continue to execute down the stretch as legitimate sports betting contenders.
It has to be noted that while Hitchcock’s presence has been among the biggest keys to the turnaround, it is not the only reason. St. Louis has allowed a league-low 1.9 average goals against per game, and the goaltending tandem of Jaroslav Halak and Brian Elliott has everything to do with that as well. Hitchcock’s system has his defenders collapse down low and clear out the rebounds in front of his goalies, but it is on them to make the first save. While both the forwards and defenseman have been responsible in their own end, Halak and Elliott have a combined save percentage of .928, and nine shutouts between them. Blues’ fans have been waiting on Halak to deliver for quite some time, and perhaps all it took was a little healthy competition with the addition of Elliott in the offseason. Both netminders have exceeded expectations, and having two capable goalies has been among the keys to St. Louis’ success, something the pay head bookies have taken notice of.
General manager Doug Armstrong has told the media that he will not break up that tandem before the trade deadline in order to acquire players at other positions, and it is a good thing that he isn’t. St. Louis has some solid depth on the blue line and some capable forwards up front, and the more experience they get the better they will be able to handle pressure situations. David Backes leads all scorers with 37 points on the year, however the Blues could be in the market to add another scorer before the deadline if the price is right, since after Backes there is only one other player on the roster with more than 30 points. There is no shortage of options available with several teams looking to make a move to sell, and it might not be long until St. Louis makes a move to increase their odds of emerging from the conference on Betonline.
The Blues have a solid blend of youth and experience now thanks to Hitchcock, and as long as they continue to buy in to his system and execute they should be fine. St. Louis has been one of the biggest surprises this season as they currently sit fourth in the Western conference, and look for them to continue to execute down the stretch as legitimate sports betting contenders.
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