Mark Lammey
There are only 4 NHL games on the board tonight, but it’s gearing us up for 20 games across Saturday and Sunday. That’s also more than enough for us to find value and create an NHL mega parlay. It’s also nice that 3 of the 4 matchups are in the early window, so we won’t have to wait long for action. The only contest we’ll be leaving out is the Blues vs Capitals, as trusting either of those teams has been a nightmare this season. So, let’s dive into our favorite ways to play each of the other games going on tonight.
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Toronto Maple Leafs 3-way ML (+120) over Carolina Hurricanes
If you were able to watch only one game tonight, or even the entire weekend, this would be it. There’s a great chance this is an Eastern Conference Finals preview. The Maple Leafs have been 2nd in the Atlantic Division throughout the season, and only the historical season the Boston Bruins have been having has denied them 1st place. Meanwhile, the Hurricanes have been leading the Metro Division and holding off the surging New Jersey Devils.
So, we’re likely in for a great game in Toronto, but that location plays a part in us backing the Leafs. They’ve been incredible at home this season, boasting a 24-7-5 record. The comfort of being on home ice should help them repeat their performance against the ‘Canes. Earlier this season, these juggernauts faced off in Carolina, and the Leafs came away with the 3-1 win. Toronto’s struggles in years past have revolved around goaltending, but they’ve clearly become much stronger on the defensive end of the ice. With that in mind, we’ll take the very reasonable price for a great team on home ice.
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Buffalo Sabres -1.5 (+180) over Philadelphia Flyers
We’re rolling with another Atlantic Division team, this time on the road. The Sabres are not in nearly as strong of a position as the Leafs, as they’re simply clinging on to hope for a wild-card spot. However, they’re still a threat to even the strongest teams with their offensive firepower. Given that the Flyers are certainly not one of the stronger teams in the NHL, we’re confident Buffalo can take care of business by at least 2 goals.
While the Sabres’ chances of a playoff berth are low, Philly has been out of the mix since about a month into the season. The Flyers have been the 2nd-worst team in the Eastern Conference much of the year and the injury to Travis Konecny, their leading point-scorer, certainly doesn’t help. On the flip side, the Sabres recently got back Alex Tuch from injury. That puts their top line back intact, led by the stellar season of Tage Thompson. With him at the point, we’ll trust the Sabres, even on the road.
Columbus Blue Jackets vs Anaheim Ducks – Over 6.5 (-130)
We mentioned that the Blues and Capitals were hard to trust, and so are the Blue Jackets and Ducks. They represent the inverse of a Stanley Cup Final, as they’ve been arguably the league’s worst teams all season. One of the primary reasons for that has been their terrible goaltending. Throughout the first few months of the season, they were the worst teams in terms of goals allowed per game.
Columbus has since improved to become the 4th-worst, but that’s still nothing to be proud of. The only question is if these teams have the talent to take advantage of such poor defense. Firstly, the Jackets will be on the second night of a road back-to-back. The Ducks have veteran Troy Terry and the trick-shot talent of Trevor Zegras to capitalize on that. Meanwhile, Columbus still has superstar talent in Johnny Gaudreau and Patrik Laine, who are each averaging nearly a point per game despite being on a terrible team. This matchup may not have playoff implications, but it should still be an exciting one to watch.
Friday’s NHL mega parlay (3/17)
Maple Leafs 3-way ML (+120)
Sabres -1.5 (+180)
Blue Jackets vs Ducks – Over 6.5 (-130)
Parlay odds +989
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