Saturday NHL Opening Odds
(The Spread) – It all comes down to the final game Saturday for two teams hoping to make the 2011 playoffs in the New York Rangers and the Carolina Hurricanes. Let’s take a look at what is on tap.
The New York Rangers host the New Jersey Devils at 12:30PM EST. New York is currently ninth in the Eastern Conference with 91 points, the same as Carolina which occupies the eighth slot. A Rangers loss would mean the Hurricanes qualify for the playoffs, while a New York victory would put the pressure on Carolina later in the day.
Oddsmakers from online sports book Sportsbook.com have made the Rangers -175 favorites, while the over-under is set at 5. New York is 43-33-5 overall and 19-17-4 in home games. New Jersey has a 37-38-5 and is 16-22-2 in road contests.
According to latest NHL trends, Under is 3-0-1 in the last four meetings in New York and is 4-0-1 in the last five meetings overall. The Devils are 10-2 in their last 12 versus the Atlantic Division, while the Rangers are 4-1 in their last five against the Atlantic Division.
Brandon Dubinsky leads New York with 24 goals and 29 assists, while New Jersey’s Patrik Elias has totaled 20 goals and 41 assists.
If New York wins, Carolina will need to do the same in order to edge the Rangers in the playoff race. The Hurricanes will host the Tampa Bay Lightning at 7:00PM EST, where Carolina is a -165 favorite and the over-under is set at 5.5.
Elsewhere on the schedule, the Boston Bruins host the Ottawa Senators at 1:00PM EST. Boston is a -210 favorite and the over-under is 5.5. The Toronto Maple Leafs entertain the Montreal Canadiens at 7:00PM EST. Toronto is a -120 favorite, while the over-under is 5.5. Nashville travels to St. Louis for an 8:00PM EST start. The Predators are a -130 favorite with an over-under set at 5.
Saturday NHL Opening Odds & Totals
1 New Jersey Devils +155 (5)
2 New York Rangers -175
3 Ottawa Senators +175 (5.5)
4 Boston Bruins -210
7 Tampa Bay Lightning +145 (5.5)
8 Carolina Hurricanes -165
11 Montreal Canadiens +100 (5.5)
12 Toronto Maple Leafs -120
15 Nashville Predators -130 (5)
16 St. Louis Blues +110
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