NHL Betting Guide for April 23rd
We are kicking off a weekend full of hockey with a five-game Friday night docket. It’s a balanced schedule, with all four divisions in action, including two East Division matchups on the second night of a back-to-back. We’ve identified a favorable spot in one of those back-to-backs and are going out West with our other preview.
These are the wagers from FanDuel Sportsbook!
Los Angeles Kings vs. Minnesota Wild, Moneyline, Total, and Odds
Moneyline: Kings +142, Wild -172
Spread: Kings +1.5 (-210), Wild -1.5 (+172)
Total: o5.5 -102
Odds to Stanley Cup: Kings +15000|Wild +2200
Odds courtesy of Fanduel Sportsbook. Sign up for FanDuel Sportsbook today and get your first bet risk-free for up to $1,000!
Los Angeles Kings vs. Minnesota Wild News, Analysis, and Picks
The Minnesota Wild continues to get outplayed but somehow manages to keep winning games. Their most recent outing is analogous to their recent stretch of hockey. Minny put up an expected goals-for percentage of 34.2% at five-on-five but outscored the Yotes 3-0, en route to a 4-1 victory.
That was the third consecutive game and the seventh time in nine, in which the Wild were outplayed at five-on-five. Over that nine-game sample, they are outscoring their opponents by a 22-18 margin, but that includes a game against the St. Louis Blues in which they were outscored 7-1. If we remove that game, the cumulative five-on-five score drops to 21-11 over eight games.
The Wild’s PDO continues to climb, climbing up to 1.082 over the nine-game stretch. Minnesota is now atop the PDO leaderboard this season and is overdue for major correction.
Scheduling-wise, the Los Angeles Kings hold the advantage tonight. This will be just their second game over the last nine nights, and they are in the middle of a seven-game homestand. From the Wild’s perspective, this will be their fifth game in eight nights. Both teams are on the first night of a back-to-back, which means that when all is said and done, the Wild will have played four different teams in four different cities, totaling six games in nine nights. Not an easy schedule.
The Kings have outplayed the Wild in four of seven games this season across all strengths. The results have not gone their way, though, as the Kings are 2-2-3.
LA deserves better than what they’ve got this season series, and the Wild can’t continue to overachieve relative to their metrics. It’s on that basis that we’re backing the Kings tonight; we’re also riding the overtime trend these teams have had in their season series and taking the 60-minute tie.
The Bets: Kings +142, 60-minute tie +320
Buffalo Sabres vs. Boston Bruins, Moneyline, Total, and Odds
Moneyline: Sabres +265, Bruins -330
Spread: Sabres +1.5 (-108), Bruins -1.5 (-111)
Total: o5.5 -106
Odds to Stanley Cup: Sabres N/A|Bruins +1300
Odds courtesy of Fanduel Sportsbook. Sign up for FanDuel Sportsbook today and get your first bet risk-free for up to $1,000!
Buffalo Sabres vs. Boston Bruins News, Analysis, and Picks
Don’t look now, but the Buffalo Sabres are finally starting to play competitive hockey. Buffalo has outplayed three of their last five opponents at five-on-five, including last night’s 5-1 defeat to the Boston Bruins. Now, these teams meet for the second night of a back-to-back and the third time in four nights, and we’re using this spot to back the Sabres.
The Sabres are getting it done on both ends of the ice. They have limited opponents to nine or fewer high-danger and 27 or fewer scoring chances in three of their last four games; an attempted 10 or more high-danger chances in three of four.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen will get his first start in the NHL, which means that the Sabres also get the first appearance bump. Generally, goalies bring their A+ game for their first start in the NHL, and the team rallies around them.
The Bruins have played a lot of hockey recently, and it’s starting to catch up with them. Tonight’s contest is their eighth game in the last 13 nights, and their metrics are starting to suffer. Boston has allowed 11 or more high-danger chances in three straight, and we’re out-chanced in two of three. They’ve also allowed 30 or more shots in three straight.
We’re backing the Sabres from nearly every direction tonight. The puckline is priced near a pick’em, which is worth backing, particularly since we’re expecting the Sabres to come out victorious. It’s also the second night of a back-t0-back, which means that we might get a tight-checking effort from the Bruins as they try to take at least a point to bolster their playoff chances.
The Bets: Sabres +265, Sabres +1.5 -111, 60-minute tie +400, Under 5.5 -112