Xam’s Daily Gems:
St. John’s/Georgetown Over 149.5 Points -112
Despite scoring just 62 points in their last game, St. John’s has been pretty effective on offense this year. They’re averaging just under 74 points per game in their last 6 games. Georgetown, meanwhile, have been nothing short of terrible defensively this year. They’re giving up 85 points per game over their last 9 games. In 5 of those games, they gave up 89 or more points. This is a big reason why Georgetown games have gone Over their total in 6 of the last 8 games. St. John’s will be locked in as they’re scratching and clawing for a ticket to March Madness. The question will be what Georgetown can do offensively. If we can get some contributions from guys like Jayden Epps and Dontrez Styles, we should be in good shape. Georgetown needs to keep this close, and they should be energized by playing a rival on their home court. St. John’s is giving up about 70 points per game this season, so Georgetown should be able to do something offensively. If they can keep it close, look for Daniss Jenkins, Joel Soriano, and their friends to do the rest.
Sabres Money Line -146
The Sabres and Canadiens are coming into this game tied in the standings at 52 points. The Sabres have been doomed by poor defense and an inconsistent offense. However, they draw a favorable matchup tonight. The Canadiens have given up the 4th most goals at 198! Canadiens goalie Sam Montembeault has had a tough time of it this year, giving up on average 3.21 goals per game. He’s been even worse in February, giving up 4.04 goals per game in 3 February games. In his last start against the Rangers, he gave up a touchdown worth of goals! The Sabres haven’t been great offensively this year, but they have been better recently, scoring 31 goals in their last 10 games. The Canadiens love giving up goals. They key to this game comes down to what the Sabres can do defensively. The Canadiens are scoring just 2.85 goals per game this year, so the Sabres should be able to get their defense going. If they can, expect guys like Alex Tuch, Jeff Skinner, and Tage Thompson to get Buffalo’s offense going and get the team back on track.
Flyers 60 Minute Money Line -165
(For this bet to win, the Flyers must win in regulation. Bet loses even if the Flyers win in OT/Shootout.)
The Flyers come into this game having lost 2 straight and in desperate need of a win to stay afloat in the wildcard race. They’re tied with the Lightning and are just 1 point ahead of the Red Wings who are the 8th seed! They draw a matchup that they must exploit. The Blackhawks are the worst team in the sport, they’re 1-8-1 in their last 10 games, and have given up a staggering 199 goals on the year. Blackhawks goalie Arvid Soderblom has had a rough time of it this year. In 21 games, he’s giving up over 4 goals per game this season. He’s given up at least 3 goals in each of his last 4 games and in 7 home games, he’s giving up 3.53 goals per game. Simply put, this is a game the Flyers have to exploit. The FLyers are a team that have largely relied on their defense this year. They’re giving up less than 3 goals per game on the year and they’re facing a team with the 2nd fewest goals on the season. The Blackhawks are averaging just 2.10 goals per game! Again, this is a game the Flyers simply have to have. They fancy themselves as a playoff team and a playoff team wins this game. Look for them to come out with a sense of urgency and take care of business against an inferior team. They’ve proven they can play on the road, as evidenced by their 15-8-5 record away from Wells Fargo Center.
Maple Leafs 60 Minute Money Line -130
(For this bet to win, the Maple Leafs must win in regulation. Bet loses even if the Flyers win in OT/Shootout.)
Is there a team in worse shape than the Coyotes right now? They’re 0-9-1 in their last 10 games and have lost 10 straight. In 7 of those 10 games, they’ve given up 4 or more goals. In 6 of those games, they’ve given up 5 or more goals. Unfortunately for them, they just haven’t been very competitive recently and have been horrible on defense. That’s bad news with the Toronto Maple Leafs coming to town. The Maple Leafs are winners of 4 straight and 8 of their last 10. They have scored 197 goals this year, and Auston Matthews is playing lights out hockey right now. They’re giving up 3.14 goals per game, so they could use to tighten up their defense as they continue their playoff push. The Maple Leafs also have a rest advantage in this game. They’ve played once since February 17th, while Arizona is playing their 3rd game in 4 nights. Arizona is scoring less than 3 goals per game on the year. Toronto shouldn’t have any issues with their offensive attack. If they can keep guys like Clayton Keller, Lawson Krouse, and Nick Schmaltz in check, they shouldn’t have any issues running their winning streak to 5 games.
Oilers Money Line -126
The Oilers are coming into this game well rested and playing well. They have played just one game since February 17th, are 3-1 in their last 4 games, and have scored 26 times in their last 6 games, despite being shutout in that stretch! They’ve been dominant at home, posting a 17-6-1 record at Rogers Place this season. They are a team that can dominate you on offense, as their 187 goals scored suggests, and suffocate you defensively. They’ve only given up 150 goals on the year. The Bruins did win their last game against a really good Stars team, but they haven’t been great overall recently. They’re 4-4-2 in their last 10 games. They’ve also played a lot of extra hockey recently. Each of their last 2 games have gone to OT and 3 of their last 4 games have gone to OT. Two of those games went to a shootout. Edmonton has won 2 straight and 7 of their last 10. They’re the hotter team, at home, and playing better hockey right now. If they can contain Boston’s powerful offense, they should be able to get the win in a battle of heavyweights.
Ducks Money Line -110
This is a matchup between two of the worst teams in the league, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t value to be had! The Blue Jackets are playing their 2nd straight game after an uncompetitive loss last night. To say their defense has been bad all year would be an understatement. They’ve given up 202 goals this season! That’s a whopping 3.74 goals per game. That number creeps up 3.81 goals per game on the road. The Ducks haven’t been much better, as they’ve given up 193 goals this season. However, they’ve been playing better recently. They’re 5-4-1 in their last 10 games. They’ve been better offensively in this stretch, with 3 or more goals in 7 of these 10 games. This game comes down to whether or not Anaheim can play any defense tonight. There’s always a risk in banking on Anaheim’s defense, but Columbus is bad offensively and they’re at a rest disadvantage. If Anaheim was ever going to play competent defense, tonight is it. If they can give their offense a chance to score, look for guys like Frank Vatrano, Troy Terry, and Adam Henrique to lead the offense and get the Ducks a win in front of their home crowd.