In the Crease - Week 2
By Joe Williams
VegasInsider.com
Knight Time
The Vegas Golden Knights made National Hockey League history on Tuesday night with their 5-2 victory against the visiting Arizona Coyotes. They're the first expansion team to ever start out 3-0 in the NHL. It has been 50 years since the Oakland Seals and Los Angeles Kings had even won two straight out of the box. The Golden Knights have built a solid defensemen corps with a veteran netminder and it's paying off in spades. Instead of looking like an expansion team, this club is looking like an instant contender. But it's early. Way early.
Shootout Sens
The Ottawa Senators have played three games, and all three times the contest has been decided by a shootout. The first two games resulted in a shootout loss, but Tuesday's game in Vancouver ended up as a 3-2 victory in favor of Craig Anderson and the visitors. For the second straight game the under cashed for total bettors, too, as Ottawa is averaging 2.7 goals per game while allowing just 2.0 GPG over the past two outings.
Looking Ahead
Wednesday, October 11
The Penguins and Capitals square off in front of a national audience, and it's usually a high-scoring affair when these two teams tangle. The over is 15-4-2 in the past 21 games for the Penguins while working on three or more dayws of rest dating back to last season, while going 17-8-1 in the past 26 road games against a team with a home winning percentage over .600. For the Capitals, the over is 5-1 in the past six against Eastern Conference teams. The road team has connected in five of the previous seven regular-season battles between these rivals.
The Flames just snapped a 29-game losing streak at Anaheim on Monday, so what can Calgary do for an encore? They haven't struggled as much over the years, but they're 1-4 over the past five visits to Staples Center. Good goaltending has ruled the day when these two Western Conference teams get together, too, going 12-3-1 in the past 16 meetings in Los Angeles and 22-7-4 in the past 33 meetings overall. The under is also 7-1-4 in Calgary's past 12 road games dating back to last season.
Thursday, October 12
The Wild pay a visit to the Windy City on Thursday. Trips to Chicago haven't ended very well for Minnesota, as they're just 5-13 in their past 18 trips to United Center. The Blackhawks will be playing their third game in four days, and they usually get stronger as the games are bunched together. They're 9-1 in their past 10 games in a 3-in-4 (three games in four days) situation. Picking on the dregs of the league has also been their calling card, going 60-17 over the past 77 against teams with a winning percentage under .400. While it's early to count Minnesota as a 'losing team' after just one game, it counts nonetheless.
The Red Wings are in rebuilding mode after missing the playoffs last season. The Coyotes are off to a terrible start, losing a home-and-home to the expansion Golden Knights. Something's gotta give when these sides meet, right? Detroit hopes their mastery of Arizona continues despite a downgrade in personnel. The Red Wings are an impressive 43-18-6 in the past 67 meetings with the Coyotes, and 24-8-3 in the past 35 trips to Glendale. The road team has also cashed in five of the past six meetings in this series. Total bettors might also like the over, as it is 3-1-1 in the past five in the series and 3-1-2 in the past six in Arizona.
Friday, October 13
The Blue Jackets host the Rangers on Friday night in Ohio's capital city. This was a crazy series in 2016-17, with the Rangers going 3-2 against the Jackets. In the final four meetings of the season, each team won on the other's ice. The Jackets outscored the Rangers 21-16, so you can expect some fireworks in this one. New York hasn't been very good on offense, outside of their five-goal outburst in Toronto last Saturday, posting two or fewer goals in three of their four outings. The Jackets have been hard to figure, as they routed the Islanders 5-0 in their opener, they were routed in Chicago last Saturday and then they won an overtime squeaker on the road in Carolina by a 2-1 score. So far you never know who is going to show up.
The Avalanche will host the Ducks on Friday night in the Mile High City, and they hope to have much better success than they did last season against Anaheim. They scored just one goal in each of the three games, all losses, while being outscored 11-3. If there was a time to get the Ducks, it is right now. They haven't exactly fired out of the chute, allowing 2.33 GPG while allowing 3.0 GPG. That includes a shutout loss at home to the Flames, finally seeing a winning streak at home against Calgary go up in smoke.
Saturday, October 14
Rivals battling on Hockey Night in Canada on Saturday night, as the Maple Leafs invade Bell Centre to take on Les Habitants. The Maple Leafs offense has been obscene in the early going, averaging an amazing 6.33 GPG. Of course, their defense has left a lot to be desired, too, yielding 3.33 GPG. Needless to say, the 'over' is a perfect 3-0 for the Buds. The good news for the Habs is that they limited the Blackhawks to just three goals on Tuesday night in Montreal's home opener. The bad news is that Montreal has compiled just two total goals over the past three outings after opening with a 3-2 shootout win in Buffalo back on Oct. 5.
Not many teams have had a lot of success against the Capitals in recent seasons, but the Florida Panthers have held their own against Alex Ovechkin and company. They have won two of their previous three trips to D.C., and they're a respectable 5-4-3 in the past 12 meetings with the Caps, outscoring Washington 31-30 during the span. Not a lot of teams can lay claim to being able to go toe-to-toe with the defending President's Trophy winners like that.