Mid Week Madness
It’s mid week NHL madness with plenty of great matchups scheduled for this Wednesday. So here’s a quick look at what you can expect as we count down the days to the weekend.
Sharks @ Blue Jackets
The Sharks are heading to Columbus on a five game winning streak and are really starting to gel as a team. History is on San Jose’s side as they’ve conquered the Blue Jackets 22 out of the 33 times that these two teams have faced off. One of those wins came earlier this season when the Sharks beat them 6-3. The Blue Jackets will be heading into this game on a high after a massive win against Washington. It should be a close game, but I think with the way the Sharks have been playing lately, this one will add to their impressive winning streak.
Puckline
Sharks: -1 ½ +235
Blue Jackets: +1 ½ -275
Moneyline
Sharks: -125
Blue Jackets: +105
Capitals @ Devils
There has been plenty of coverage about Ovi’s condition since he was put on the injured list due to an upper body strain. Though the Caps are being a bit vague about how long he’ll be out, one thing is for sure: he’ll be missing Wednesday’s game against the Devils. Filling Ovi’s shoes will be no easy task as he’s not only the league’s leading scorer, but he’s also the forward with the most playing time. Though their leading scorer is out, all is not lost. The Capitals have one of the best offensive lines in the league and they should be able to cover while Ovi recovers. Though the Devils have done well on the road, they haven’t been quite as strong at home. They have handed the Capitals one loss this season in a shootout, but I don’t think this will be another. Expect the Capitals to take the win in this one despite Ovechkin’s absence.
Puckline
Capitals: +1 ½ -240
Devils: -1 ½ +200
Moneyline
Capitals: +120
Devils: -140
Islanders @ Sabres
These two teams have already met two times this season with each grabbing a win, so both will be hoping to break the tie. The Sabres have recorded more wins than the Islanders after the first month of play, but rumor has it that Buffalo is battling the flu. The good news is that it looks like star forward Patrick Kaleta may be returning just in time for the game as he made an appearance at the team practice this week. The Islanders seemed to have hit their stride after a rough start to the season and are coming into this game off of a four game winning streak. Expect a bloody battle between these two conference rivals, but I think the Sabres will take this one at home.
Puckline
Islanders: +1 ½ -175
Sabres: -1 ½ +155
Moneyline
Islanders: +165
Sabres: -200
Hurricanes @ Panthers
The Hurricanes are in tough shape this year - a far cry from the team that was slaying the likes of the Bruins in last year’s playoffs. They’re currently posting a 2-8-3 overall record after the first month of the regular season, and are going to Florida on a nine game losing streak. The good news is that the last time these two teams met, the Canes gave the Panthers a 7-2 wallop. Though a lot has happened since then, and with both teams in desperate need of points, it will be a hard fought battle. While the Panthers haven’t been fairing much better than the Canes, they have been showing some signs of improvement over the past week. With their top scorer Eric Staal out, the Hurricanes will probably suffer another disappointing loss.
Puckline
Hurricanes: +1 ½ -250
Panthers: -1 ½ +210
Moneyline
Hurricanes: +115
Panthers: -135
Flames @ Stars
The Flames were on a winning streak through mid October, outscoring their opponents 16-8, though that all came to a halt when they suffered their first loss against Colorado and another at the hands of Detroit on Saturday. They will be looking to bounce back as they start a two game road trip in Dallas on Wednesday night. It should be a pretty even matchup as the Stars will be at full strength for the first time this season with the return of Mike Modano and Jere Lehtinen. Both teams are pretty evenly matched as far as wins/losses go, so this should be a pretty close game. In the end, I expect that Dallas will be able to pull out the win on the home ice, riding the momentum of having their full, healthy team competing.
Puckline
Flames: +1 ½ -260
Stars: -1 ½ +220
Moneyline
Flames: +105
Stars: -125
Coyotes @ Avalanche
Two unlikely successes will meet in Denver on Wednesday night. The Coyotes have seemingly left their offseason financial troubles behind them and continue to look forward. They’re currently posting a 9-5-0 overall record, which has surprised more than a few NHL fans. Though they are fresh off of a loss against the LA Kings, the Coyotes have won three of their last four games. They’ll be facing a tough test in the Avalanche who are definitely shaping up to be a playoff contender this year. They are at 10-3-2 so far this season and are also coming off of a loss. But the return of forward Cody McLeod might just give them the edge they were missing against the Canucks last Sunday. This should be a pretty great matchup, but you know I’m not going to go against the Avs especially when they’ve got the home ice advantage.
Puckline
Coyotes: +1 ½ -270
Avalanche: -1 ½ +230
Moneyline
Coyotes: Ev
Avalanche: -120
Check out BetUS to put down a wager at the abovementioned odds before all of these mid week games get started on Wednesday, November 4. Also, courtesy of nhl.com, here are the biggest plays of last week’s games:
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