NHL Best Bets and Betting Picks: January 25th
Happy Thursday to everyone, the weekend is almost here, I can taste it! Tuesday was not the best night and that's on me but at least the plus money dog pick hit to ease the pain. Good thing about NHL Betting is the next day is a clean slate to get back in the green. Tonight, its a treat of 9 games to poke around at for us hockey bettors and I have plenty of angles that include a pair of Money Lines and a game total bet! Plus the Dog of the Day is back and ready to take down some plus money! If you like the rationale then tail the picks, if you don't feel free to fade as sometimes the best bets are the ones not taken!
- Season Record: 82-69-3
- Bankroll: +7.15 units
- Dog of the Day Record: 8-9 (+2.1 Units)
Follow me on twitter @jwaggs10
**all bets are one unit unless specifically mentioned.
NHL Best Bets for January 25th
Boston Bruins at Ottawa Senators
Its really hard to see a good team like the Bruins losing a pair of games in back to back nights but that's what they will be seeking to avoid tonight against the Senators! Last night they played tight against a hot Carolina Hurricanes team but this matchup is a different story as the Senators are 18-24-1 on the season with a -8 goal differential. The Bruins should be able to exploit this matchup on offense alone as the Sens have allowed 3.42 goals per game at home this season and Boston is scoring 3.4 goals per game on the road the past month. Expect a big time mismatch the other way too as the Bruins allow just 2.6 goals per game over the past month on the road and are one of the best Corsi teams in the league not allowing the opposition much room to work. I really like the value of the Money Line too as it could be much higher but the books are putting some weight on the back to back games, I think this team powers through for a win anyways.
Pick: Boston Bruins Money Line (-130 on BetMGM)
New Jersey Devils at Carolina Hurricanes
Its a big time matchup in the Metropolitan Division tonight as the Devils meet the Hurricanes and I think its going to see some fireworks! Each team has had an offensive first approach for most of the season as the Devils score 3.59 goals per game on the road this season and have gone over the total in 13 of 22 games. This is part of an overall larger trend of the Devils hitting the over on the game total at the 4th highest rate in the NHL this season. Their goaltending is also just terrible and it looks like Nico Daws will get the start tonight on the heels of allowing a GAA of 3.39 in the month of January. On the Hurricanes side they are just scoring a lot of goals at home with 3.59 on the season and should have no problem putting in 3 or 4 goals tonight. They have also gone over the total in 12 of 22 home games this season and considering they played last night they could be sloppy and tired on defense as well. Give me the over in this one and let's watch the goals pile in.
Pick: Devils & Hurricanes Over 6.5 Goals (+100 on BetMGM)
Philadelphia Flyers at Detroit Red Wings
Dirty Laundry is hard not to look at and the Flyers have got in in spades right now with the Carter Hart news flying around the hockey world. How much stock should you put into it though? I wouldn't say its enough to influence games and the team greatly but in a 50/50 matchup like tonight it may make you lean Detroit amongst other factors. The Red Wings at home are a good hockey team and they have scored 3.5 goals per game over the past month in front of their fans. That's enough to win most games but add to the fact that Alex Lyon is starting in goal and you've got an edge. Lyon has been by far the best goalie in Detroit this season with a record of 11-6-1 and a GAA of 2.67 and he will start tonight, confirmed. He will face a Flyers team that is struggling to score goals right now with just 2.9 over the past month on the road and are on a 3 game losing streak. Philly is a streaky team and when they are down, they get down bad some give me the Red Wings at home to grab the win straight up.
Pick: Detroit Red Wings Money Line (-120 on Caesars)
DOG OF THE DAY
Montreal Canadiens Money Line vs New York Islanders (+125 on DraftKings)
Player News
Orioles manager Brandon Hyde told reporters that Zach Eflin (lat) is likely to return and start Sunday against the Angels
It was assumed that Eflin would be back this weekend, but now we have a concrete date. The 31-year-old may not be at full strength after throwing fewer than 60 pitches in his rehab start, but the Orioles feel confident enough to have the right-hander back on the bump for the series finale against the Angels.
Riley Greene is not in the lineup for the first game of a doubleheader against the Rockies on Thursday.
Greene will get a break and likely return to the lineup for the second game of the twin-billing. Zach McKinstry will get the start in left field while Greene rests.
Panthers released TE Jordan Matthews.
Matthews converted to tight end a few years ago and hasn’t made much noise at the position. The change has, however, likely kept him in the league for a few more seasons. He appeared in four games with the Panthers last year but didn’t record any stats on offense. The Panthers also released or waived WR Dax Milne, C Andrew Raym, and TE Colin Granger.
Yu Darvish (elbow) is facing live hitters on Thursday.
Darvish has been throwing bullpen sessions and traveled to the team’s complex in Arizona to face live hitters on Thursday. It will be his first time facing live batters since a spring training appearance on March 13th. He will likely need a few sessions like this before the Padres can map out a rehab appearance timeline for him.
Adael Amador is starting at second base and batting ninth for the Rockies on Thursday.
Amador has now started three of the last four games at second base for the Rockies. He’s gone just 7-for-43 this season with 15 strikeouts in 16 games. He’s just 22 years old, so there is plenty of time for him to adjust to the MLB level, but he doesn’t need to be on redraft radars right now.
Jackson Holliday is playing second base and batting second for the Orioles on Thursday against the Twins.
With Cedric Mullins sitting out on Thursday, Gunnar Henderson will bat lead off, and Holliday will jump up from sixth in the order to second. Holliday is riding a hot streak right now, and the Orioles are taking advantage. This is likely just a one-game sample with no Mullins or Adley Rutschman in the lineup, but Rutschman has been struggling, so perhaps it could become a more permanent spot in the lineup for Holliday moving forward.