NHL Friday Hockey Picks

Before NFL odds and college football take up all our time this weekend, why not throw a few bets down on the NHL on Friday night? Here are two picks to consider.

Anaheim Ducks @ Minnesota Wild
Friday, December 4, 8:00 p.m. ET

Everyone knew the Wild would stink this season — who’s around to do the scoring? — but the Ducks have been a mighty disappointment this year, pun intended. They’re giving up more goals than expected and not getting much offense outside their top line. I can’t help but think Anaheim can provide some upset value on Friday night. Thanks to a great crowd atmosphere, the Wild are 8-3-1 at home and will be online sportsbook favorites. They’re also 4-0-1 in their last five games, further upping their hockey odds. Nothing statistically suggests that you should pick Anaheim but, if you’re a hockey fan, you probably know that the Ducks are simply a better hockey team in the long run. They have more scoring ability — better players in general. They’re due to break out and that could happen against a weak opponent like Minnesota. If you’re feeling lucky, go with the Ducks.

Pick: Ducks

Nashville Predators @ Chicago Blackhawks
Friday, December 4, 8:30 p.m. ET

For the umpteenth consecutive season the Nashville Predators are defying expectations and finding a way to compete despite a roster that lacks elite talent. At one point in November, the Preds rattled off seven straight wins. The Chicago Blackhawks, however, have emerged as hockey’s closet thing to a lock bet this season. They’re 9-1-1 in their last 10 games, 11-2-1 at home and haven’t lost at the United Center since October 17. It’s betting suicide to pick against Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews and the star-studded Hawks at home. Avoid Nashville like you should avoid the Crimson Tide in Florida Alabama lines.

Pick: Blackhawks

Top Five Secretly Dirty NHL Players

Online sportsbook bettors and hockey fans have been thrown for a loop during the 2009-10 NHL season, haven’t they? We’ve seen head shots, high sticks and, last Monday, an accidental goalie bludgeoning by Keith Ballard and a knee-on-knee hit by Alexander Ovechkin. Ovie’s hit sparked discussion about whether or not he’s a dirty player. We know the Jarkko Ruutus, Sean Averys and Chris Prongers of world are goons, but how many other Ovechkins are out there – guys who are quietly dirty and to whom we turn a blind eye because they bring so many good things to the game?

5. Martin Havlat

Marty’s gone dark in the dirty department over the last few seasons, especially because he spends half his time in the press box nursing injuries. But no one can forget his infamous kicking incident.

4. Daniel Alfredsson

Leaf fans know Alfredsson’s evil side more than most other hockey odds followers. Mocking Mats Sundin’s stick throw a few years back could be chalked up to a Swede teasing his countryman. But his blindside elbow on Darcy Tucker in the 2002 playoffs, which broke Tucker’s shoulder, will forever live on in angry Toronto supporters’ minds.

3. Corey Perry

Is Perry “secretly” dirty? He’s known as an elite power forward in the NHL and with that comes scrappy play. But it seems his stellar offensive play has overshadowed his feud with Evgeni Nabokov last year. He accused the Sharks goalie of kicking him but no one ever saw it happen; what we did see was Perry chopping at Nabokov’s legs. Anyone who goes after goalie deserves a “dirty” label.

2. Mike Richards

Sacrilege! We all love Mike Richards. The Flyers’ captain is a great two-way player and leader; he also just seems like a cool guy to hang out with. But one too many “accidents” keep popping up with Richards. Obliterating David Booth’s skull and crashing into multiple goalies come to mind. Most recently, he barreled into Ryan Miller last Friday when he easily could’ve gotten out of the way. If Richards doesn’t clean up his act, he’ll earn full-fledge dirty status in the Pronger mold. Maybe all those Eagle concussions in NFL betting are karma for the Flyers’ sins in Philly?

1. Alexander Ovechkin

As the week’s big newsmaker, Ovie gets top billing. He’s an electrifying player, a joy to watch, but he’s getting reckless. He explodes into defenders on the forecheck with almost excessive force and has two knee-on-knee hits to his name in the 2009 calendar year. First, he took out Sergei Gonchar; this week it was Tim Gleason.

Let’s hope these guys mend their ways and that nothing dirty happens when we make our Florida Alabama betting picks this weekend.

Saturday Hockey Picks

NHL betting features a very busy weekend slate of games as the dust settles from Thanksgiving. Time to work off your turkey hangover and make some hockey picks. Try these two games.

New York Rangers @ Pittsburgh Penguins
Saturday, November 28, 7:30 p.m. ET

What a year it’s been for Marian Gaborik. No one ever doubted the speedy sniper’s talent; he was just (a) stuck in Jacques Lemaire’s defense-first system in Minnesota and (b) always hurt. So far, so good in New York. The shackles are off and he leads the NHL in goals and points. He’s also remained relatively healthy so far. Unfortunately for the Rangers, Gaborik is doing all the scoring right now. He has 19 goals and no other Ranger has more than six through 24 games. Any team who shadows and stops Gaborik can usually stop the Rangers.

Even if Pittsburgh can’t contain Gaborik, that may not matter. The Pens are hot since Evgeni Malkin returned from injury, winning four straight and five of six. Sergei Gonchar and his big one-timer are also back to man the Pens’ power play. Playing at home, the Pens are excellent bets this weekend. Can’t say the same for the Steelers on the road in NFL betting, though.

Sports betting pick: Penguins

Chicago Blackhawks @ Los Angeles Kings
Saturday, November 28, 10:30 p.m. ET

The Los Angeles Kings are one of 2009-10’s biggest success stories and their future is bright. From Drew Doughty to Anze Kopitar to Brayden Schenn, their blue-chipper cupboard is stocked. Unfortunately, they’re playing against what they’ll be in a few years: the Chicago Blackhawks. The Hawks are arguably the best team in hockey right now and proved that with a dominant victory at San Jose earlier this week. They’ve won eight straight games and just got even scarier with Marian Hossa debuting on a line with Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews. Terrifying. The Kings will be fine but they’re stumbling without injured Ryan Smyth, their veteran leader. Go with the Hawks until they cool off.

Sports betting pick: Blackhawks

Five Most Important NHL Injuries

The NHL betting season has reached the one-quarter mark and we’ve seen some strange things. Top contenders like Detroit and Boston stumbled out of the gate while Colorado and L.A. saw their Stanley Cup odds skyrocket. Sometimes, a big reason for the change in a team’s status is injuries. Here are the five most important injuries to note so far this season; some are now healed but did major damage when they happened while some are wreaking havoc right now.

5. BOSTON: Marc Savard’s broken foot

The Bruins already lost Phil Kessel in a trade and Milan Lucic to a broken finger. When Marc Savard went down, the Bruins had to play for a month without their entire top line from a season ago. One of the league’s most underrated players, Savard is a scrappy, creative center who makes others around him better. He’s been back for two games and the Bruins’ have won four straight. Here they come.

Bettor need-to-know: Consider betting on the Bruins’ Stanley Cup futures now; their odds went down during their injury-affected slump, so you can get great value for them right now.

4. PITTSBURGH: Evgeni Malkin’s shoulder strain

Evgeni Malkin missed seven games with a shoulder strain and the effect on Pittsburgh wasn’t pretty. The Pens struggled without Geno and Sidney Crosby in particular failed to carry the team on his shoulders.

Bettor need-to-know: The Pens are a powerhouse with Crosby and Malkin in the lineup but still aren’t the deepest offensive team in the league. Be careful with their sportsbook odds if one of the Dynamic Duo goes down again.

3. DETROIT: Johan Franzen’s torn ACL and Niklas Kronwall’s sprained MCL

It’s been a turbulent season for the Red Wings. After his long-term injury, sniper Johan Franzen joined Marian Hossa (free agency), Jiri Hudler (free agency) and Mikael Samuelsson (free agency) on the list of departed Detroit scorers – that’s four of their top six goal getters from last season. Franzen’s power-play presence is sorely missed. Equally devastating for Detroit is Niklas Kronwall’s knee injury. Now that Nicklas Lidstrom finally appears to be in decline, Kronwall was taking over the primary minutes eater role.

Bettor need-to-know: The Wings are so disciplined and well-coached that they’ll find their way back to the playoffs but we should temper our expectations when they face powerhouses like San Jose or Chicago going forward. Detroit just doesn’t have the man power right now.

2. MINNESOTA: Martin Havlat’s strained hamstring

2009-10 looks like a disaster for the Minnesota Wild. Of all the times to let Marian Gaborik walk, they had to pick the first season in Wild history without Jacques Lemaire – the first season in which Minnesota made scoring a priority. They signed Martin Havlat to fill the void. Not only did he do nothing in his first 19 games, his perpetually nicked up body isn’t co-operating. He’s out with a strained hamstring that will likely nag him all year.

Bettor need-to-know: Who the heck will do the scoring for Minnesota now? Stay far away from Minnesota in your bets.

1. LOS ANGELES: Ryan Smyth’s “upper-body injury”

It’s strange for Smyth to top this list as he’s arguably the least-skilled player of the group, right? Let me explain. Smyth is an emotional leader – a guy everyone will follow into Hell. As a veteran acquisition, he had a huge early impact on the breakout Los Angeles Kings. He was scoring at over a point-per-game clip and really clicking with Anze Kopitar on what was the NHL’s best line for the first 20 games. His experience and leadership skills were rubbing off on his teammates. Now he’s out for a month and it seems the young Kings are a bit lost without him.

Bettor need-to-know: The Kings are still loaded with talent but they’ve lost six times in November after just three regulation losses in October. We should expect them to play up-and-down hockey until Smyth returns – like the Steelers do without Troy Polamalu in NFL betting.

NHL Betting – Thanksgiving Thursday Picks

If  NFL odds on Thanksgiving Day aren’t enough for you, not to worry — the NHL has two games on the schedule too. Try this two-game parlay and stuff your wallet as you stuff your belly.

Columbus Blue Jackets @ Ottawa Senators
Thursday, November 25, 7:30 p.m. ET

The Ottawa Senators may not be dead in the water after all. They’d won four straight games entering their Wednesday night tilt with New Jersey. They’re not the skilled, high-flying offensive group of the mid-2000s, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. This incarnation is a bit more physical and can actually roll more than one effective scoring line. It’s worth noting that Ottawa only seems to beat up on mediocre teams and only seems to win at home, but the Blue Jackets are somewhat mediocre and this game is in Ottawa, so the Sens’ sportsbook odds look solid. The Jackets will be fine but they’re 0-3 on their current road trip and probably just want to get this game over with. Pick Ottawa.

Sports betting pick: Senators

Los Angeles Kings @ Vancouver Canucks
Thursday, November 25, 10:00 p.m. ET

The Canucks, viewed by many as major Stanley Cup odds contenders at the start of the year, have started slowly (12-11-0) but their fortunes could change very soon. Daniel Sedin is back from a foot injury; he’ll rejoin brother Henrik on the top line. Not only does that strengthen Vancouver’s top-end firepower, it pushes a Mikael Samuelsson or Alex Burrows to the second line and gives Vancouver more depth. The Canucks are 8-3 at home and should be ready for the Kings. Los Angeles is having a great season but has stumbled a bit lately against higher-end opponents and should be tired after playing Edmonton the previous night. The Kings will have plenty to say in the Western Conference playoff picture before the season is up but they may take one on the chin Thursday night. Go with the home team.

Sports betting pick: Canucks

Top Five Early NHL MVP Candidates

NFL betting circles have plenty of MVP discussion going on; that’s understandable considering that the season is half over. A month into the NHL season, however, it’s probably time for our first MVP chatter. Here’s a look at the top five candidates so far.

5. Craig Anderson, goaltender, Colorado Avalanche

It’s been a bizarre, improbable sportsbook run for the Avs so far this season and unheralded netminder Craig Anderson is the driving force behind that run. When we stop and realize that he’s just 28 – not ancient for a goalie – and has a .914 career save percentage, maybe he’s not flash in the pan after all. How long before Tim Thomas starts sweating about his Team USA roster spot?

4. Marian Gaborik, winger, New York Rangers

Online betting fans shouldn’t be too shocked to see Marian Gaborik light up the scoreboard. He tends to do that whenever he plays – which is rarely. The oft-injured sniper is loving life in the Big Apple so far, tied for second in the league with 11 goals in 14 games. But how long before his next serious injury?

3. Ryan Miller, goaltender, Buffalo Sabres

As great as Anderson looks so far, he may not have the inside track to start for Team USA, as Ryan Miller has been absolutely sensational for Buffalo. Why can the Sabres rank 21st in goals scored yet still have a 9-2-1 record? Because Miller has a Hasek-esque .941 save percentage and two shutouts already.

2. Alexander Ovechkin, winger, Washington Capitals

He’s sure to hang near the top of this list at any point in any season for next decade or two. Crazily enough, Ovie’s production is still improving. He’s currently on pace for 82 goals and 135 points. He’s also only 24, meaning he’s still a few years away from his prime. Simply amazing.

1. Anze Kopitar, center, Los Angeles Kings

Congrats to savvy hockey bettors who realized the Kings’ hockey odds were set to improve the same way Chicago’s did last season. After all, you can only stockpile high draft picks and talented players for so long before your team can do nothing but improve. But who saw the Slovenian wonder Kopitar’s explosion coming? He’s emerged as a leader – both in the NHL scoring race and for his own team – and has meshed extremely well for Ryan Smyth. Don’t be surprised if the youngster comes back to Earth but all signs point to a career year for him no matter what.

Top Five Stanley Cup Favorites

Offshore sportsbook sharps who wager on futures have to keep a close eye on the oddsmakers throughout each season of every sport. In the NHL, for example, the top-five Stanley Cup favorites get shuffled every week as teams get hot and cold. Here’s a look at the current top five at most books.

1. Pittsburgh Penguins (+500)

BOOM: They’re the defending champs, so it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know they have excellent hockey odds. Any team with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin will compete every season; it also helps that Marc-Andre Fleury has established himself as a big-game goalie. And does any team get more from its checking forwards than Pittsburgh does?

BUST: It’s the Crosby/Malkin show but Pittsburgh’s offensive depth isn’t great. An injury to either of the Dynamic Duo would almost certainly derail the Pens’ Cup hopes, especially since they compete with some deep offensive teams in the East.

2. Detroit Red Wings (+500)

BOOM: I have to be honest – I think the oddsmakers are mistaken here. The Wings are the top favorites for the same reason the Patriots were in NFL betting at the start of the season: pedigree. Detroit wins or contends every season, so people expect them to be there come June.

BUST: Factoring in Johan Franzen’s serious knee injury, four of Detroit’s top six goal scorers from last season are gone, as Marian Hossa, Jiri Hudler and Mikael Samuelsson bolted for free agency. Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg can’t do it all on their own, especially since they take on so much defensive responsibility.

3. San Jose Sharks (+600)

BOOM: If you’re the type who gets swayed by the flashing lights of slot machines in a casino, you’re probably all over the Sharks right now, as Dany Heatley’s early-season numbers are eye-popping. The Sharks will score a lot, prevent a lot of goals and win tons of regular-season games.

BUST: Come crunch time, the Sharks still don’t have many proven winners on their roster. Evgeni Nabokov became a sieve against the Ducks last April and Joe Thornton disappears more than David Copperfield come playoff time. Sadly for Sharks fans, Heatley has a similar track record. He did have 22 points in 20 games during the Sens’ Stanley Cup run in 2007 but he had just seven goals after topping 50 in the regular season.

4. Chicago Blackhawks (+700)

BOOM: The Hawks are young, fast and perhaps deeper than any team in the Western Conference. They’re far more than just Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews. Supporting forwards like Patrick Sharp, Kris Versteeg and Dustin Byfuglien are important parts of the offense and the Hawks have a phenomenal young blueline quartet in Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, Cam Barker and Brian Campbell. Did I mention they still have Marian Hossa waiting in the wings?

BUST: It’s safe to say Chicago shed the “inexperience” tag last year after reaching the conference final, but goaltending is a question mark. Cristobal Huet may not be cut out for full-time duty.

5. Washington Capitals (+700)

BOOM: Goals, goals and more goals! I’m betting management giggles with glee when it sees its on-ice product, which may be the most exciting in the NHL. Alexander Ovechkin, Alexander Semin and Nicklas Backstrom are simply dazzling offensively. The Caps are still probably the NHL’s most explosive attackers.

BUST: Among the top contending sports picks, the Caps are easily the least balanced team. They lack depth on defense after Mike Green, and even Green functions more like a freelancing fourth forward than a D-man. The Caps also lack a clear-cut No. 1 goalie unless one of Jose Theodore and Semyon Varlamov asserts himself.

NHL Betting – Flyers, Pens Renew Heated Rivalry

Much like Saturday’s Florida vs LSU line, Thursday’s betting matchup between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh in the NHL will feature a pair of teams who are division rivals that don’t like each other, but state pride is thrown into this rivalry as well. Both are off to hot starts this year, and this game won’t be for the faint of heart.

Penguins vs Flyers odds – Thursday, October 8, 7:30 PM ET

Ahead of Wednesday’s visit from Phoenix, the Penguins have picked up where they left as the Stanley Cup winners, taking their first two games of the season. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin have combined for five points, and we’re betting management of the Penguins figure this will continue. For Pittsburgh, it’s all about secondary scoring, and so far, most of that has come from their defense. Marc-Andre Fleury has a .909 save percentage as he tries to play his way onto the Canadian Olympic team.

Matt Carle has made an impact in his first three games as a Flyer, racking up six points, while fellow new defenseman Chris Pronger has three assists. Captain Mike Richards has five goals, including a hat trick in Tuesday’s thrilling 6-5 win over Washington. Ray Emery was shelled against the Capitals, and he’ll have pressure to bounce back from this.

Trying to figure out sportsbook odds for this game will be tough, as the Penguins have split their last 10 ten trips to Philadelphia, and have won four of the last five. The head-to-head matchups to watch in this game will be the keys to victory as Crosby and Richards always go hard at each other every time they meet, and Malkin will see more of Pronger than he’ll care to. Also, look for fights: these guys DO NOT like each other. The Penguins may be a bit tired from their Phoenix game, whether they win or lose, while the Flyers have Wednesday off to get ready for this big clash. In what should be an exciting bout in their first meeting with the Stanley Cup champions, go with the Flyers at home in your hockey picks.

NFL Betting – Week 4 Picks

Time to make our NFL week 4 matchups picks. There’s a nice variety on the schedule, including locks, upsets and flat-out good football games. Let’s try a parlay.

New York Giants (-8.5) @ Kansas City Chiefs
Sunday, October 4, 1:00 p.m. ET

After seeing the Giants toss Washington aside, steal one from Dallas on the road and shut out Tampa, it’s hard to imagine anything other than a rout against Kansas City. The Chiefs haven’t done anything well this season. The Ravens and Eagles passed like crazy on them, so Eli Manning and his solid young receivers should torment the Chiefs, especially since K.C. can’t rush the passer very well. Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw should carve up the so-so run defense too. Matt Cassel also has to worry about his protection as the aggressive Giants’ pass rush hurries him all day. Osi Umenyiora could have a big game. The Giants are excellent sportsbook picks to cover.

Betting services recommend: Giants +8.5

Cincinnati Bengals (-5.5) @ Cleveland Browns
Sunday, October 4, 1:00 p.m. ET

Everything about this matchup suggests that the Bengals should be your NFL picks. After all, they have a solid passing attack led by Carson Palmer, Cedric Benson looks like a Pro Bowl rusher so far and the defense has been adequate. Also, the Browns are atrocious in every facet of the game, allowing boatloads of points and scoring fewer than anyoone. However, conventional logic also suggested the Bengals — also known as the Bungles — would lose to Green Bay and Pittsburgh. Cincy has a habit of doing the opposite of what we expect, and this week is no exception. Eric Mangini’s Browns are in desperation mode. Playing in front of a fired-up home crowd, they’ll play aggressive “D,” and the Bengals’ O-line has allowed seven sacks in three games. Derek Anderson will start over Brady Quinn at quarterback and could re-establish his past rapport with Braylon Edwards. Even if the Browns don’t win, they’ll keep the game surprisingly close and beat the spread.

Betting services recommend: Browns +5.5

LSU will justify ranking with victory over Georgia

LSU has made a quick climb up the BCS standings, but many sportsbook bettors are questioning the ascension after a weak opening schedule. Georgia, on the other hand, has rattled off three straight wins since its Week 1 defeat.

No. 4 LSU at No. 18 Georgia

Saturday, October 3 at 3:30 p.m. ET

College football odds: Georgia -3

Georgia is adjusting to life without Matt Stafford and Knowshon Moreno, as both stars fled to the NFL. Losing two first-round NFL picks hurts, but the Bulldogs have still managed some decent offense, scoring 37.6 points per game over their past three games, all wins. Wide receiver A.J. Green has been the key after snagging 25 passes for 428 yards and four touchdowns.

There are some growing pains on the other side of the ball too. Georgia has been just getting by sine an opening week 24-10 loss to Oklahoma; the Bulldogs have won by four, 11 and three points. A better defensive output would make things a little more comfortable for anyone betting on college football odds, because giving up nearly 30 points per contest simply doesn’t cut it.

The Tigers have climbed the polls after a 4-0 start, though the slate has been very weak until this point. Sophomore Jordan Jefferson is emerging as a very fine quarterback and has tossed seven touchdowns to just one interception so far this season. Jefferson has done a nice job of spreading the football between Terrance Toliver and Brandon LaFell. LSU’s top two running backs, Keiland Williams and Charles Scott, have also performed well (combining for 363 yards and two scores).

LSU’s defense came up big last week and came up with a 30-26 win. Not only did the Tigers rack up four takeaways, they stuffed Mississippi State on the goal line within the last two minutes. Yes, LSU probably gave up a few more points than it should have to a lesser-talented team, but it made big plays when it needed to and got the victory—and that’s what matters in the end.

This will be a tough test for the Tigers. Their top-5 ranking is nice, but is it deserved? Something handicapping software can’t quantify is the scare against Mississippi State last week—LSU knows it needs to tighten up, and will do so while Georgia still isn’t playing at max capability. Bet on LSU.