NHL Wednesday best bets: Bruins-Canucks looks like low-scoring affair
We started the week on a high note Monday. Unfortunately, things didn't go too well Tuesday night. The Tampa Bay Lightning generated 27 shots while facing a Montreal Canadiens team allowing about 40 shots per game over its last 10, which made it difficult to cover the puck line. The Chicago Blackhawks let us down as well. They jumped out to a 2-1 lead before allowing five unanswered in a blowout loss.
You need to keep a short memory in the betting world, so we're putting that behind us and looking to rebound on tonight's four-game slate.
Bruins (-140) @ Canucks (+120)
We backed the Canucks in Bruce Boudreau's debut behind the bench and it was a sweat-free success. We're going right back to the Canucks in this game - not to win, but to help the game stay under the number.
Vancouver, believe it or not, is playing good defensive hockey - at least at five-on-five. The Canucks have allowed just 2.04 expected goals per 60 minutes over the last 10 games, which is good for third in the NHL.
It just so happens that the Boston Bruins grade out even better. They've conceded a league-best 1.91 expected goals per 60 over the same period. Simply put, both teams are doing a great job of slowing the opposition's offense at full strength.
Tonight's projected starters, Jeremy Swayman and Thatcher Demko, have both saved more goals than expected. They're good bets to hold up their end of the bargain.
Unless these offenses make a lot of noise on the power play - and that's possible, given Vancouver's penalty-kill woes - this contest is unlikely to be a goal fest.
Bet: Under 5.5 goals (-105)
Travis Konecny over 2.5 shots on goal (-120)
Konecny has recorded at least three shots on goal in eight of the last 10 games on the road and averaged 3.5 in that span.
A volume shooter recently promoted to the Philadelphia Flyers' top line, he finds himself in a fantastic spot against the New Jersey Devils. At five-on-five, the Devils sit 25th in shot attempts against per 60 over the last 10 games.
Konecny went over the number when the two sides last met - and that was while logging less than 15 minutes of ice. He played nearly 18 in his first game under Mike Yeo. With that kind of usage in an advantageous matchup, he should be able to go over the number.
Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.