NHL Hockey Best Bets for November 5, 2015
Busy day in the NHL with nine games on the schedule. Here are our best bets:
Both teams coming off a loss. A couple of weeks ago this game would have been a mismatch but the Bruins have been playing great hockey winning six of their last eight games. Boston has that weird thing going where they play better on the road (5-0-0) than at home (1-4-1). Washington is 4-2-0 on their home ice. Workhorse Braden Holtby will be in net for the Capitals while Tuuka Rask will be in goal for Boston. Washington has given the Bruins fits in their recent meetings–in fact, based on the recent form in the series it would be a significant accomplishment if Boston even scored a goal. The Capitals have won the last three games by a combined score of 10-0.
BET WASHINGTON CAPITALS -145 OVER BOSTON BRUINS
TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING AT BUFFALO SABRES:
Tampa Bay is something of a mess. They’ve lost eight of their last eleven games and what’s even more disturbing is that the team that had a high octane offense last season has forgotten how to score goals. Tampa has seven goals in six games but that’s not the worst part–four of the goals game in a single game meaning they had only three goals in the other five games. Could it be a ‘cup hangover’ after having played in the Stanley Cup Finals last season? Injuries aren’t the issue, tentative play is. Andrei Vasilevskiy will get the start in net tonight for Tampa–his second of the season after starting the year on injured reserve. The Sabres have no problem with tentative play and a talented young lineup including Jack Eichel are near the NHL lead in shots on goal. They’ve been playing decent defense as well. Linus Ullmark will get the start in goal for Buffalo.
BET BUFFALO SABRES +140 OVER TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING
NEW YORK ISLANDERS AT MONTREAL CANADIENS:
John Tavares will return from illness tonight but have the misfortune of catching the Montreal Canadiens coming off their first Bell Centre loss of the season. No Carey Price but the Habs are just the better team even with Mike Condon guarding the net.
BET MONTREAL CANADIENS -120 OVER NEW YORK ISLANDERS