In the Crease – Week 25

VegasInsider Staff Sports Betting Expert

6 minute read

Motor City Madmen
The Detroit Red Wings knocked off the Philadelphia Flyers by a 5-4 score in a shootout on Tuesday night, snapping a six-game losing streak in regulation, and a 0-9-1 skid in 10 outings from Feb. 28-March 18. Despite the victory at Little Caesars Arena, the Flyers are still looking for their first taste of victory on the road since Feb. 25. It won't be easy, as they hit the road for Toronto on Saturday, and Montreal on Monday. Perhaps their best chance at a road victory will be when they travel to meet the Sabres on March 29, a team already eliminated from the playoff race in the Eastern Conference.

Over And Out
The 'over' has connected in four of the past five outings for the Blues, as St. Louis is averaging 5.2 goals per game during the five-game span. It's a stark contrast from the previous eight-game span from Feb. 16-March 8 when the 'under' went 6-1-1. It's been a season of runs for the over and under for St. Louis, so it's rather surprising that the over/under is exactly 36-36 overall on the season. They will host the Bruins on Wednesday night, and the 'under' is 4-1 in the past five road games for Boston, and 7-3 in their past 10 against Western Conference clubs. The under is 7-0 in the past seven for St. Louis against the Atlantic Division, and 8-1 in the past nine against the Eastern Conference. However, in this series the 'over' has hit in six of the past seven meetings.


Looking Ahead

Wednesday, March 21
It's a short slate on Wednesday night. We already covered the total above for the Bruins-Blues battle, but who will come away victorious and with two points. The B's have picked up victories in 39 of their past 54 overall, and they're 19-8 in the past 27 road outings. Boston has also picked up victories in seven of their past 10 against teams with a winning record, while going 5-2 in their past seven against Western Conference foes. For what it's worth, the B's are 6-0 in the past six games on Wednesdays. The Blues have won four of their past five overall, and they're 7-2 in their past nine against Eastern Conference sides. However, they're 0-5 in the past five on two days of rest. And while the B's are just 8-18-1 in the past 27 meetings, Boston is 5-2 in their past seven trips to St. Louis while the road team has cashed in four of the past five meetings overall.

Thursday, March 22
The Panthers and Blue Jackets weren't looking terribly sharp earlier in the season, but both sides are rolling toward playoff berths in the Eastern Conference. It's hard to decide which team has been hotter. Florida picked up a 7-2 win in Ottawa on Tuesday night, continuing their road trip with a second win in as many outings. The Panthers are also 11-2-1 across their past 14 outings dating back to Feb. 22. The last time these two sides met, the Blue Jackets came away with a 3-2 win in a shootout in Ohio's capital city. Columbus also buried Florida by a 7-3 score back on Nov. 2 in Sunrise. The Blue Jackets have been bludgeoning everyone lately, posting nine consecutive wins since their most recent setback on March 2. The Blue Jackets are averaging 4.2 goals per game over the winning streak.

Vegas and San Jose will hook up for the third time of the season. The Sharks are looking for revenge after suffering a 5-3 loss at home against the Golden Knights on Feb. 8, and 5-4 in overtime back on Nov. 24 in the first battle in Vegas. Both of the previous meetings have ended in 'over' results. Early in the season San Jose was almost an automatic 'under' result, but the over is a perfect 5-0 in the past five, and 8-2 in the past 10 overall. The Sharks are coming off a seven-goal performance against the Devils on Tuesday, and San Jose is averaging 5.4 goals per game across the past five to almost take care of the over themselves during the span.

Friday, March 23
The early matchups on Friday aren't terribly attractive, but the Ducks and Jets meeting at MTS Centre in Winnipeg might serve as a playoff preview. This will be the first meeting this season north of the border after the two teams split the earlier meetings in Southern California. The Jets won 4-1 on the road back on Nov. 24, and Winnipeg suffered a 4-3 setback in a shootout on Jan. 25. In three straight meetings in Winnipeg, and five of the past six meetings in Manitoba have resulted in one-goal battles.

Saturday, March 24
The Senators head south to Raleigh looking to get things right. After showing signs of life with an inexplicable Sunshine State sweep on March 12-14 in Tampa and Florida, and a 3-2 overtime win against contender Dallas on Feb. 16, the Senators have dropped two in a row. That includes a 7-2 beating in Canada's capital city in a revenge game for the Panthers on Tuesday. Ottawa will be looking for revenge after suffering a 2-1 loss in Carolina in the first and only meeting between the clubs on Jan. 30. The Senators have dropped four straight trips to Raleigh since a 2-1 overtime victory March 17, 2015. That's also the last time a road team has won in this series, as the home team is 7-0 across the past seven meetings.

Los Angeles and Edmonton will do battle in Northern Alberta on Saturday night, and the Oilers hope to use their newfound offense to bludgeon the Kings. The Oil were slick for seven goals on Tuesday night in Raleigh against the Hurricanes, and Edmonton looks for a point in their seventh game in the past nine. Edmonton won 4-3 in Los Angeles back on Feb. 24, but the Kings won the previous two, including a 5-0 win on Jan. 2 in the first meeting in Canada. Last season the Oilers won all three regular-season battles at home.

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