Friday NHL Opening Odds
(The Spread) – It is a full day in the NHL Friday night with nine games on the schedule including many teams firmly in the playoff picture and others trying to sneak their way back into it.
One team that is on the outside of the playoff scene in the Western Conference is the Calgary Flames (31-23-8), but with their 70 points they have the same amount of points as the four teams ahead of them in the race. Calgary will try to get a key win Friday night as it hosts the San Jose Sharks (35-21-6) at 9:00PM EST.
Oddsmakers and online sports book Sportsbook.com have made the Sharks -120 favorites in the contest, while the over-under is 5. The latest trends show that Calgary is 5-5 versus San Jose over the past three seasons. Five of the 10 games between the two Western Conference foes have gone over the total. The Flames are 18-10-3 at home this season and San Jose is 20-11 in road games.
Calgary had its three-game winning streak ended at the hands of Boston Tuesday in a 3-1 defeat. The Sharks have shown stellar form in their own right lately by winning five consecutive games, the last of which being a 3-2 victory Wednesday at Pittsburgh.
Joe Thornton leads the Sharks in scoring with 52 points on 15 goals and 37 assists. Dany Heatley has added 20 goals and 29 assists. Leading the Flames is their star Jarome Iginla, who has tallied 25 goals and 33 assists. Alex Tanguay has 16 goals and 30 assists.
In other key NHL action, the Columbus Blue Jackets host the Phoenix Coyotes at 7:00PM EST. The Blue Jackets are -120 favorites with an over-under of 5. Tampa Bay is home to face the New Jersey Devils at 7:30 PM EST. The Lightning are -135 favorites, while the over-under is set at 5.5.
Opening NHL Money Line Odds & Over/Under Totals for Friday, February 25
51 Phoenix Coyotes +100 (5)
52 Columbus Blue Jackets -120
53 Pittsburgh Penguins +140 (5)
54 Carolina Hurricanes -160
57 New Jersey Devils +115 (5.5)
58 Tampa Bay Lightning -135
59 Ottawa Senators +175 (5.5)
60 Buffalo Sabres -210
61 Florida Panthers +120 (5.5)
62 Atlanta Thrashers -140
65 San Jose Sharks 120 (5)
66 Calgary Flames +100
67 Minnesota Wild +110 (5.5)
68 Anaheim Mighty Ducks -130
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