NHL JAN 11

[xbaggypants]

Montreal -½ -1.05 over PHILADELPHIA PINNACLE
The Flyers return home tonight from one of the most grueling road trips a team will ever have. It started back on Dec 27 when Philly played in Florida and ended eight games and 14 days later in Washington. However, you also have to go way back to Dec 9 and 12 to find the last time the Flyers played successive home games, meaning they’ve had to travel almost every day for the past month to play their next opponent. This has to be an exhausted and worn down team, both mentally and physically, with very little motivation of any kind tonight. Aside from overcoming that obstacle, the Flyers have just three wins in 18 home games this season. The Habs are over the flu bug and they’re coming off a nice 4-2 win over the always-tough Thrashers. Win, lose or draw, this one’s a must play under the conditions the Flyers find themselves in here. Play: Montreal -½ -1.05 (Risking 2.10 units).

Florida +2.35 over CAROLINA PINNACLE
Price here definitely has influence on this choice, as we’re strong believers that the talent in the NHL is spread out so evenly that, under normal conditions, no team should be this high a tag over another. There are no key injuries to the Panthers, they’re not a tired club and they’re coming off a nice win last night over Pittsburgh in a game they dominated. Meanwhile, the Canes have won two in a row and every time we expect to see the champs go on a roll, they don’t. These teams coming off championship runs are just not the same team they were the year before (see Miami Heat and Pittsburgh Steelers), as the opposition gets pumped up to play them and they’re suffering the inevitable hangover after reaching their goal. The Hurricanes have proved all year that if you outwork them you’ll outscore them too and there’s a very good possibility that the Panthers will do just that. Overlay. Play: Florida +2.35 (Risking 2 units).

Ottawa +1.12 over NY RANGERS PINNACLE
The Sens have had their struggles this year but have really been coming on as of late. They’ve won three of four and seven of their past nine and in their last three wins they scored at least five times in each game. This invader is a talented and dangerous club and one that’s very worthy of a wager taking back anything. The Blue Shirts are the model of inconsistency. They’ve gone on prolonged losing and winning streaks all season and after winning four straight they lost at home to the slumping Islanders in their last game. That could set off another losing streak and no matter how you break this one down the Senators can absolutely come in here and leave victorious. Play: Ottawa +1.12 (Risking 2 units).

Washington +1.56 over TAMPA BAY PINNACLE
Nice price on the Caps here, as this intruder continues to improve and they also continue to win on the road. In fact, the Caps are a game over .500 on the road and it’s also worth noting that they’ve won three straight, outscoring the opposition over that stretch 14-5. It’s also worth noting that they have more points then the Lightning. Tampa Bay is .500 at home and they’re also .500 on the road. Simple math will tell you that with a .500 record across the board, laying big juice with this host is bad strategy. They’re much more valuable as a pooch and it’s for that reason we’ll gladly take back better then 3-2 against them. Another overlay. Play: Washington +1.56 (Risking 2 units).

Anaheim +1.01 over DALLAS PINNACLE
Both these teams are in a bit of a funk at the moment, as the Ducks have dropped five of six while the Stars have lost four of five. The difference is that the Ducks chances of getting right-sided is far better then the Stars chances. Anaheim is too good a team to keep losing at this pace and they showed strong signs of breaking out last game in Nashville. They fell behind 4-1 and then they woke up, tying it and sending the game to OT. The Ducks were flying in the last two periods and we expect that to carry over here. Meanwhile, the Stars are still very banged up and let’s not forget that this team was over-achieving at the start of the year. They’ve come back down to earth and although they’ll work hard, they’re still the second best team in this contest and it’s not close. It would be one thing if the Ducks were steamrolling over the opposition but they’re not. They want to get back to their winning ways and it says here that’s precisely what they’re going to do. Wrong side favored. Play: Anaheim +1.01 (Risking 2 units).

[The General]

Please do not place affiliate codes in your posts.

Thanks