Blackhawks look to keep 'over' streak alive vs. Canucks
Four months. One hundred and twenty total days. Fifty games.
That's how long it's been since the Chicago Blackhawks went under the total in back-to-back games.
The league's best "over" team at 47-20-4 this season has been a thorn in the sides of oddsmakers, who had no choice but to start bumping some of the Blackhawks' game totals up to 7 following a stretch in which Chicago went 15-1 to the over starting in January.
Off a 2-0 win against the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday - and a comfortable victory for "under" bettors - the Blackhawks are in a position Monday against the Vancouver Canucks to hit consecutive unders for the first time since November 16-18.
Line: Blackhawks -230
Total: 6.5 (Over -135)
Time: 8:30 p.m. EST
Trends are not predictive, but if Monday's game against the Canucks continues the pattern set over the last four months, we'll see a flurry of goals.
Here's what's happened in the games following an under since November's back-to-back:
| Opponent | Final Score | O/U |
|---|---|---|
| Anaheim | ANA 4-2 | Over |
| Winnipeg | WPG 6-3 | Over |
| Dallas | CHI 5-2 | Over |
| Florida | FLA 6-3 | Over |
| Boston | BOS 4-2 | Push |
| Pittsburgh | CHI 5-3 | Over |
| Buffalo | CHI 7-3 | Over |
| Arizona | CHI 7-1 | Over |
It's not really a surprise that the Blackhawks have been a good over bet this season - they're in the top 10 in the NHL in scoring (3.4 goals per game) and concede at a league-worst rate (3.7). Chicago's "first-period over" surge has also been well-documented, hitting at better than a 70-percent clip this season.
The Blackhawks are looking to go over the total in 10 straight home games and 14 in 15 at the United Center when they host the Canucks.
Alex Kolodziej is theScore's betting writer. He's a graduate of Eastern Illinois who has been involved in the sports betting industry for 11 years. He can quote every line from "Rounders" and appreciates franchises that regularly wear alternate jerseys. Find him on Twitter @AlexKoIodziej.