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Let's dive into our preseason article pointing out the best bets to make/miss the playoffs.

We can't break these down by the good and bad, as all four looked likely to come down to the final week of the season, so we are going pick by pick.

The picks

Winnipeg Jets: No playoffs (+150)

A run of four successive wins just before the season got suspended thrust the Jets back into the playoff mix, though they had the disadvantage of playing one more game than all the teams around them. If the season did end up being played out, I think the Jets would have ended up missing the playoffs.

My criticism of the team's depth down the middle turned out to be justified, as was my concern about their thin defensive corps, but was I ever wrong about Connor Hellebuyck. "Hellebuyck took a step back and resembled the goalie he was in 2017 more than he did the Vezina nominee we saw in 2018. Now, In three years as a starter, he's been average twice. Which season sounds like the outlier here?"

His 2018 season sure doesn't seem like an outlier now. He's been the best player on this team for stretches this season and without his exploits, the Jets would have already been well out of the playoff picture.

Carolina Hurricanes: Yes playoffs (-160)

Admittedly this would have turned out to be closer than I originally expected, but the Hurricanes were absolutely making the playoffs. After loading up at the deadline, Carolina was looking likelier to make a deep run than they were to miss out on the postseason altogether. Looking at the standings, the Hurricanes were an overwhelming favorite to claim the top wild-card spot.

"Carolina has an elite group of young forwards and should be a lock to make the playoffs this year. If sophomore Andrei Svechnikov takes the leap toward becoming the elite scorer he was expected to be when he was drafted, this team could be looking at a division title."

Svechnikov and Sebastian Aho both made the jump, but a lack of depth scoring is what held this team back. A lot more was expected out of Ryan Dzingel and Nino Niederreiter. I was also infatuated with the Canes' defensive depth, but injuries to Dougie Hamilton and Brett Pesce hurt their cause.

Calgary Flames: No playoffs (+180)

This prediction was probably the most questionable. With 79 points, the Flames were holding down third in the Pacific Division, but the Vancouver Canucks were just a point back with a game in hand. Finishing ahead of the Canucks was their best chance to make the playoffs, because their odds likely weren't great in a muddled wild-card race with the Nashville Predators and Minnesota Wild each holding games in hand.

My main concern surrounded Calgary coming off a season in which almost all its top players set career highs in points. I expected regression, and regression I got. None of Johnny Gaudreau, Elias Lindholm, or Sean Monahan produced anywhere close to their 2018-19 totals and the Flames were in a desperate battle for a playoff spot because of it.

New York Rangers: No playoffs (-150)

Kudos to the Rangers for making this closer than I expected it to be. They were left for dead a month-and-a-half ago before going scorched earth on the rest of the league to pull into the wild-card race. The odds were still stacked against them, but they certainly weren't out of it.

My biggest issue with the Rangers was how all the hype surrounding them following a busy offseason had people overlooking the lack of depth on their roster. Depth scoring has proven to be a big issue for them, but the reason they're still in the mix is because Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad have quite remarkably been able to do it all on their own. At least I look good for saying "Zibanejad is excellent."

Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.

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Before the NHL season began, we produced a pair of articles outlining what we felt were the best point total bets to make for the upcoming campaign.

Let's look back on those - three overvalued teams to fade and four undervalued teams to consider - and see how we did.

The good

Toronto Maple Leafs under 102.5

This one was never in doubt. The Maple Leafs slumped out of the gate under Mike Babcock and a midseason coaching change couldn't spark them. Questions about their depth and defense proved legitimate, as did pointing out that the team hadn't actually improved over the offseason. Barring an 11-0-1 finish, this was an easy under.

Washington Capitals over 97.5

"It would be shocking to see this team finish below 100 points."

The Capitals were at 90 points, meaning they needed just five wins from their remaining 13 games to hit triple-digits. They would have sailed over 100, let alone 97.5. Whoever set this total should give me their address so I can send a gift basket.

New Jersey Devils under 90.5

Everybody and their mother got on the Devils' bandwagon following a busy offseason, but I never quite could understand the hype. I doubted whether P.K. Subban and Wayne Simmonds would actually help this team much - they didn't - and cited Taylor Hall's expiring contract and Mackenzie Blackwood's resume in net as legitimate concerns. I wasn't wrong. Hall was shipped out after a miserable start and the Devils were on pace for a meager 80 points.

The bad

Anaheim Ducks over 81.5

This one was a bit unlucky. Injuries were a big issue for the Ducks, who used 36 different skaters through 71 games. The logic behind this pick made sense, though, and I stand by it: "(The Ducks were) a complete and utter disaster last season and finished with 80 points. ... They can't possibly be any worse this season." With enough injuries to key guys, it turned out they could be.

Chicago Blackhawks over 89.5

This was the worst call of them all. I really bought into the Dylan Strome and Alex DeBrincat duo up front, but it backfired in a colossal way. Neither came close to reaching their 2018-19 numbers. I also raved about adding Olli Maatta and Calvin de Haan to the Blackhawks' defense. Well, Maatta's been average at best and De Haan's been limited to 29 games. It's a blessing this future will be voided.

Minnesota Wild under 87.5

This one looked great until about a month ago. General manager Bill Guerin called the players out publicly and they answered the bell. The Wild won eight of 11 games before the season was suspended, putting them on pace to surpass this total after it looked like a pipe dream at the start of February.

The most frustrating part of this one is that I was right about Devan Dubnyk "turning back into the pumpkin he was in Edmonton"; what I didn't account for was Alex Stalock stepping in and picking up the slack.

Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.

Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

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On Thursday, we looked at the teams that could benefit from the NHL season being suspended by getting their injured players back into the lineup should the season resume this summer.

While that could act as a silver lining for some teams, there are a number of others that would find this break detrimental to their Stanley Cup chances.

Top teams

There are a few avenues the league is exploring for a potential revamped playoff format, each of which presents issues that would negatively impact the top teams.

An expanded playoff format would increase the likelihood that a lower seed catches fire at the right time and goes on a run. Teams with a second chance can be very dangerous and they wouldn't be playing with the same sort of pressure on them that the top seeds - think the Tampa Bay Lightning (6-1) - would be burdened with.

Moving to a best-of-five playoff could create more volatility and leave a lot more room for variance. The better team will usually win out over the course of seven games, but shortening a series by two increases the possibility of a hot goalie stealing a series or a team being snakebit by bad puck luck.

Healthy teams

While the suspended season could benefit certain teams by allowing them to get their injured players back, as we mentioned Thursday, those clubs' already healthy opponents would, as a result, be negatively impacted, especially two teams in particular.

The Washington Capitals (12-1) would be hit the hardest, with their Metropolitan Division foes getting healthy. The Pittsburgh Penguins would welcome back Jake Guentzel, the Philadelphia Flyers could get Nolan Patrick into the lineup and would avoid being without James van Riemsdyk, while the Carolina Hurricanes - the Caps' potential first-round opponent in a standard 16-team playoff - would be gifted a healthy Dougie Hamilton, Brett Pesce, and Sami Vatanen on the back end.

The Dallas Stars (18-1) would draw the short straw in the Western Conference. In an already loaded Central Division, they'd have to face the St. Louis Blues with Vladimir Tarasenko, and the Colorado Avalanche with a fully healthy roster for the first time since October.

Streaking teams

The suspension would offer a blank slate to teams if the season does resume. While the first 70 games would potentially determine playoff seeding, a three-month layoff could be a crippling blow to clubs that were really starting to find their game.

The Flyers (9-1) and Vegas Golden Knights (8-1) are two teams that could find this break detrimental. Philadelphia had won nine of 10 games before the season was suspended and looked like a lock to take over the Metropolitan Division's top spot, peaking at the right time.

Vegas had won 11 of 13 and were perched comfortably atop the Pacific Division, with the teams below them stumbling. The Knights were finally living up to their billing as clear favorites to come out of the division, but a fresh start negates all the momentum they had built up.

Fringe teams

Should the season resume at some point, one of the more prevalent suggestions is for the league to implement a standard 16-team playoff based on current standings, using points percentage as the tiebreaker, given not all teams have played the same amount of games.

If the NHL were to employ this logic, any futures ticket on the Columbus Blue Jackets (100-1) or Winnipeg Jets (50-1) would be a losing one. Despite currently sitting in wild-card spots, both teams would find themselves on the outside of the playoff picture based on points percentage. The Blue Jackets would miss out by .009%, and the Jets by .001%. Bless their souls if that winds up being the case.

Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.

Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

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With the NHL playoffs unlikely to begin before June, the landscape of the league could change significantly as injured players return.

Here are the teams that the suspended season could benefit the most, each of which might be worth buying now before odds shorten following the boost to their lineups.

Carolina Hurricanes (35-1)

Injuries on the blue line forced Hurricanes general manager Don Waddell to be aggressive prior to the trade deadline, acquiring Brady Skjei and Sami Vatanen to shore up the back end. The latter has been sidelined since the start of February due to a lower-body injury and hasn't made his Canes debut, but the layoff gives him lots of time to get healthy.

Potentially getting back defensemen Dougie Hamilton and Brett Pesce is more significant for Carolina. Both were expected to miss the remainder of the season with leg and shoulder injuries, respectively, but it's possible they'll return at full health should the playoffs not commence until June. That would give the Canes arguably the NHL's best top-six defensive options with Hamilton, Pesce, Vatanen, Skjei, Jaccob Slavin, Jake Gardiner, and Haydn Fleury.

Colorado Avalanche (7-1)

Long-term injuries weren't necessarily a concern for the Avalanche, but the team hasn't been healthy all season. Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen were out before the season was suspended, and both can now fully recover. The same luxury will be afforded to Nazem Kadri and Matt Calvert, who were each week-to-week.

The biggest upgrade though will come in goal, where Colorado had been without Philipp Grubauer since Feb. 15. The team remained hopeful he would be back before the end of the regular season, and the suspension removes any doubt.

Columbus Blue Jackets (100-1)

The Blue Jackets would be a dangerous low seed if they're included in the playoffs when the season returns.

They were a shoo-in for the postseason to begin February before ankle injuries sidelined both Seth Jones and Oliver Bjorkstrand for 8-10 weeks. Jones leads this team on and off the ice, while Bjorkstrand notched a club-high 21 goals this season despite appearing in just 49 of the Blue Jackets' 70 games. Getting both back would be a massive boost for Columbus, which is 3-6-6 since Jones suffered his injury.

Philadelphia Flyers (9-1)

James van Riemsdyk broke his hand and faced a four-to-six week absence days before the season was suspended, which would have likely kept him out for the start of the playoffs.

The suspension also opens the door for Nolan Patrick to come back after missing all of the campaign so far with migraines. Patrick, the Flyers' second overall pick in 2017, had resumed skating and was hopeful of a late-season return.

Pittsburgh Penguins (14-1)

The Penguins dropped eight of their last 11 games before the season was suspended, but they might be the biggest beneficiaries if the playoffs don't begin until June.

Jake Guentzel underwent shoulder surgery after suffering a gruesome injury on Dec. 30, and he was given a late-May return date, making a comeback possible if the Penguins made the Stanley Cup Final. Now he'll likely be available for the duration of the playoffs.

Coming off a 40-goal season and on pace for another in 2019-20 before getting hurt, Guentzel has registered 43 points in 41 career playoff games. The Penguins acquired Jason Zucker to replace him, but getting both into the lineup would be an incredible jolt for Pittsburgh and a concern for the rest of the Metropolitan Division.

St. Louis Blues (9-1)

The defending champions have been making due without Vladimir Tarasenko, who's been sidelined since Oct. 24 with a shoulder injury. General manager Doug Armstrong announced recently that Tarasenko could return in late April, but the three-time All-Star will now be fully ready when the playoffs start.

Tarasenko scored 11 goals over 26 playoff games while helping the Blues win the Stanley Cup last season.

Tampa Bay Lightning (6-1)

Steven Stamkos suffered a core injury on Feb. 25 that was expected to sideline him for six-to-eight weeks, putting the star forward on track to probably return during the first round of the playoffs. Getting him back earlier is a relief for the Lightning, who are likely feeling the pressure after being swept in the first round last season.

Victor Hedman had also been battling a lingering lower-body injury, but the suspension gives him the opportunity to get healthy before what Tampa is hoping will be a deep playoff run.

Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.

Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

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While rules differ depending on the sportsbook, the majority of NHL futures wagers have been voided due to the suspension of the season, leaving a number of bettors lamenting what were once destined to be winning tickets.

If you had placed any of these bets before the start of the season, you have our deepest sympathies.

Boston Bruins over 100.5

We begin with the worst of them all. With 12 games left to play, the Bruins were sitting at 100 points. One more point before the suspension of the season and a number of books would have already cashed the ticket. Talk about horrible timing - this one really hurts.

Detroit Red Wings under 76.5

The Red Wings had just 39 points through 71 games. If you had an under ticket, chances are you'd already cashed it in your head by December. Let's just hope you didn't spend the money yet.

Edmonton Oilers over 85.5

Those who were high on the Oilers this season were set to be rewarded with the team sitting at 83 points with 11 games remaining. Even a disastrous finish to the season likely wouldn't have been enough to stop this over bet from cashing.

Montreal Canadiens under 89.5

Injuries and an inability to win close games derailed the Canadiens' season. Montreal needed to finish the campaign 9-1-1 to hit this total. Over backers, your blushes have been spared.

New Jersey Devils under 90.5

The Devils were the latest in a long list of teams to win the offseason and crumble when the games actually started. None of their summer moves panned out, as they had just 68 points with 13 games remaining and needed to finish 11-1-1 to surpass their point total.

Philadelphia Flyers over 90.5

Imagine the euphoria over backers experienced during the Flyers' nine-game win streak, only for the season to be suspended days later. They needed two more points with 13 games left to play.

San Jose Sharks under 94.5

Even a 12-0-0 finish to the season wouldn't have been enough for the Sharks to hit this total. It was a disastrous campaign in San Jose. The suspension came in handy for people who had futures on the Sharks to win the Stanley Cup (like me).

St. Louis Blues over 96.5

The Blues picked up where they left off after winning the Stanley Cup last season. With 94 points through 71 games, they were going to comfortably surpass this total.

Toronto Maple Leafs under 102.5

If you took my advice before the season, chances are you had some money on the Leafs finishing below 102.5 points this year. Toronto needed to finish 11-1-0 to hit this mark. The toughest part for us under bettors is accepting the fact we're no richer than those who backed the over.

Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.

Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A disappointing 1-3 record on Tuesday night brought an end to our lengthy winning run, but I'm hardly concerned.

We're right back at it Wednesday.

GOATs and scapegoats

Hats off to Montreal Canadiens forward Lukas Vejdemo, who scored his first NHL goal last night in the third period to cash the over at the Bell Centre. He was sent back down to the AHL after the game, but his efforts were greatly appreciated.

Elsewhere, we were undone by a pair of goalies for very different reasons Tuesday. Tuukka Rask made 36 saves to shut out the Philadelphia Flyers, who deserved a better fate against the Boston Bruins, while Marcus Hogberg was an absolute sieve out west. He allowed five goals on eight shots, completely negating a dominant display from the Senators, and Ottawa lost despite outshooting the Anaheim Ducks 42-15.

Wednesday bets

Winnipeg Jets (+120)

Desperation looks good on the Winnipeg Jets. With a playoff spot looking increasingly unlikely toward the end of February if they didn't pull it together, the Jets have found a real urgency and it has paid dividends. They've won three in a row and four of their last five to pull back into the thick of the wild-card race.

The Edmonton Oilers are playing some decent hockey as well, but have struggled with inconsistency and are just 5-6 straight up over the past three weeks. They narrowly beat the Jets 3-2 in Edmonton at the end of February but lost three in a row at home to Winnipeg before that. Considering the recent play of the Jets, and of Connor Hellebuyck, they offer excellent value at +120.

Best bet

Chicago Blackhawks 3-way moneyline (-105)

The Blackhawks had a couple of days off to stew over a frustrating weekend and now find themselves in a prime bounce-back spot against the San Jose Sharks. Chicago won five of its last six home games against Western Conference teams, losing only to the St. Louis Blues, and has had success at the United Center this season against teams below it in the standings.

The Sharks have lost four in a row on the road and scored two goals or fewer in their last five away from San Jose. They've typically struggled in Chicago as well, scoring two goals or fewer in eight of their last 12 games there. The Blackhawks should be able to comfortably take care of business in this one, but instead of laying -160 on the moneyline, we'll take them at close to even money to win in regulation.

Trend of the night

The New York Rangers have won 10 of their last 11 games on the road.

They're also 6-2 on the road when playing on no rest, with those two losses coming against the Flyers. The Colorado Avalanche have just entered a mini-slump as well, losing three of their last four following a seven-game winning streak. The Rangers can be had at +150 tonight.

Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.

Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

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It was a great weekend as we went a perfect 3-0 with our best bets and 5-2 overall for a tasty profit.

Let's turn that money into more money Monday.

GOATs and scapegoats

A number of guys did us a solid over the weekend, but GOAT honors go to Kevin Fiala. He was a horse for the Minnesota Wild on Sunday, scoring a pair of goals, including the overtime winner on the power play after drawing the penalty following a great individual effort. He helped the Wild to a 5-4 win and ensured a clean sweep of our best bets.

As for our scapegoat, Igor Shesterkin made his first start since Feb. 22 on Saturday, and he was absolutely not up to his old antics. He allowed five goals on 23 shots and didn't even last two periods, leaving us with little chance of cashing our New York Rangers -1.5 bet.

Monday bets

Vegas Golden Knights (+105)

The atmosphere inside Rogers Place should be absolutely electric for this massive Pacific Division showdown. With a regulation win, the Edmonton Oilers would leap ahead of the Golden Knights and into first place, but I have a sneaking suspicion that Vegas is going to spoil the party.

This is the second game of a back-to-back for the Knights, who won 5-3 in Calgary yesterday, and they actually excel in this spot. Vegas has won four straight road games on no rest and is 6-1 this season in this situation. The Oilers have lost their last three home games when they've had at least one day off between games and their opponent is playing on no rest. Edmonton has been playing well, winning four of its last five, but had lost four of five before this run and is 4-3 at home since the start of February. There's good value with Vegas tonight.

Best bet

Winnipeg Jets (-120)

The wild-card race is going to make for incredible entertainment over the final month of the season. The Winnipeg Jets have gotten back into the thick of it by playing some of their best hockey of the season, while the opposite has been true of the Arizona Coyotes, who are in danger of falling out of contention pretty soon.

The Jets have won five in a row at home, allowing just six goals total over that span. That doesn't bode well for a Coyotes team that struggles mightily to score, especially on the road where they've lost 11 of their last 13, scoring two goals or fewer in 10 of those games. Arizona lost 10 of its last 11 visits to Winnipeg and I'd expect a similar fate tonight.

Trend of the night

Of the last 12 meetings between the Los Angeles Kings and Colorado Avalanche at the Staples Center, 10 of them have totaled five goals or fewer.

With a total of 5.5 tonight, the under is certainly in play - it's hit in eight of Colorado's last 10 road games. In addition, the Avalanche scored two or fewer goals in 10 of their last 12 games in Los Angeles, so their team total under 2.5 at +150 might also be worth a look.

Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.

Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.

Well, we nailed our best bet again on Thursday. But that's all we nailed while slumping to a frustrating 1-3 finish.

There's a ton of hockey upcoming this weekend though, offering plenty of opportunities to make it back. Let's dive in.

Friday notes

The Colorado Avalanche and Vancouver Canucks couldn't be trending in more opposite directions right now as they get set to meet tonight north of the border. The Avs have won nine straight on the road, while the Canucks have lost four in a row overall and three of their last four on home ice. Still, this is a good spot for Vancouver to bust out of its slump.

The Canucks are on an 8-0-2 run at the Rogers Arena coming off a home loss. They had won 11 of 12 overall at home before this little slump, and I like them to rediscover that form and make it four wins out of six at home against the Avalanche.

Like Colorado, the Vegas Golden Knights are playing excellent lately too. They've won nine of their last 10 games, but only one of those victories has come on the road. That recent surge leads to an inflated Friday price on the Knights against the Winnipeg Jets, even though Vegas is below .500 on the road this season. The Jets, meanwhile, have won four straight at home, and they offer good value at this price.

Friday bets:

• Best bet: Vancouver Canucks (+115)
• Winnipeg Jets (+120)

Saturday notes

If current trends continue, neither the Carolina Hurricanes nor the New York Islanders will earn a playoff berth, making Saturday's meeting at Nassau Coliseum vitally important for both teams.

The Hurricanes have lost four straight, and the Islanders have dropped five consecutive contests and nine of their last 11. Carolina is three points back of New York for the final playoff spot in the East with a game in hand, making this matchup an absolute must win, and I firmly believe more in the Hurricanes' talent to get them back on track. The Hurricanes have won three straight road games against the Islanders, and 12 of their last 16 in Long Island. Take them to pick up two key points on Saturday.

The New York Rangers are also in the thick of the wild-card race while playing terrific hockey as they prepare to host the New Jersey Devils. This is a crucial game during the Rangers' playoff push, and it's hard to envision them slipping up. The Devils have lost four straight at Madison Square Garden and nine of their last 12 clashes there, with seven of those defeats coming by two-plus goals.

The Philadelphia Flyers are no longer fighting for a wild-card spot as the hottest team in the NHL right now, and they're instead setting their sights on winning the Metropolitan Division. The Buffalo Sabres are in town on Saturday, and they've lost six straight at the Wells Fargo Center and 10 of their last 12 in Philly.

The Sabres have scored two goals or fewer in each of their last four trips to Philadelphia, which doesn't bode well as they get set to face Carter Hart, who's 19-2-2 at home this season with a 1.64 GAA and .942 save percentage. Hart has allowed two or fewer goals in all six home games since returning from an injury, and in 18 of his 20 starts since the beginning of November.

Saturday bets:

• Best bet: Hurricanes (+105)
• Rangers -1.5 (+150)
• Sabres' team total under 2.5 (-120)

Sunday notes

The Minnesota Wild round out a Southern California weekend on Sunday in Anaheim after visiting the Kings on Saturday. The Wild have won six straight on the road heading into the weekend, and they've experienced plenty of success in Anaheim, winning five of their last six games away to the Ducks. They're sitting at -140 right now for Saturday's game, so we should get them slightly cheaper on Sunday prior to the second of back-to-back contests.

Playing on consecutive days hasn't seemed to matter so far this campaign though for the Wild, who were 2-0 on the road in February on no rest, and have won three of their last four in this spot. The Ducks, meanwhile, have lost five straight home games when their opponent is playing without rest and eight of their last nine. Ride with the road favorite here.

Earlier in the day, the Hurricanes visit the Pittsburgh Penguins, and the total in that game should offer good value. I expect it to be sitting at 6 or 6.5. The last six meetings between these teams in Pittsburgh have gone under, as have 12 of 14. None of those 14 games have featured six-plus goals, and we should look for that to continue on Sunday afternoon.

Sunday bets:

• Best bet: Wild
• Hurricanes/Penguins under (play at 6 or higher)

Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.

Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.

We settled for a 1-1 finish Wednesday with a pair of underdogs, but you took home a profit if you followed the trend of the night.

A spectacular collapse from the Columbus Blue Jackets ruined what would have been a perfect 2-0, so hopefully, the betting gods get us back Thursday.

GOATs and scapegoats

Nick Schmaltz and Lawson Crouse scored 2:29 apart in the third period to lift the Arizona Coyotes past the Vancouver Canucks, just when it seemed we were in for more third-period heartbreak. Darcy Kuemper also made 36 saves, so he can share the honor with his two teammates.

We needed that in a big way after Zach Werenski committed a brutal turnover behind his own net to gift the Calgary Flames a goal, kick-starting their comeback and eventual overtime win. Cheers for that, Zach.

Thursday bets

Buffalo Sabres (+145)

You can't possibly feel comfortable laying -160 with the Pittsburgh Penguins right now. They've lost five straight on the road and are struggling to find their game, while the Sabres have ripped off four straight wins on home ice. This Buffalo team has been plagued by inconsistency all season but remains undervalued by oddsmakers and has proven a profitable side to back on home ice. The Penguins are just 2-6 on the road this season when favored by more than -120, with both of those wins coming against the Detroit Red Wings.

Carolina Hurricanes (+120)

The Philadelphia Flyers are on an absolute tear, and I love the look of this team, but this is a good spot to back the Hurricanes. The Flyers have won seven in a row but are 2-3 at home this season when playing without a night off, and 5-7 overall in the second leg of back-to-backs. This is also a letdown spot for them after a huge win in Washington on Wednesday, while the Hurricanes need this victory to keep up the wild-card race

Carolina has won four of its last six games in Philadelphia and is on a 6-1 run on the road when its opponent is playing on no rest and it's had at least a day between games. Trust the Hurricanes to hand the Flyers and Carter Hart a rare home loss tonight.

Edmonton Oilers/Chicago Blackhawks under 6.5 (-110)

There seems to be a perception that these are two high-scoring teams, yet that doesn't match reality. The Oilers are 10-3 to the under this season on the road when the total is set at 6.5, and the Blackhawks are 12-4 to the under on home ice in games with that same number. Chicago has limited opponents to two or fewer goals in five of its last six games, while Edmonton is on a 3-1 run to the under. The last six meetings between these teams in Chicago have gone under, while the last eight have seen fewer than 6.5 goals.

Best bet

Minnesota Wild (-120)

The Wild are on a 6-2 run, with their only losses coming against the Washington Capitals and St. Louis Blues. They have won five straight on the road and clawed their way back into the thick of the playoff race, and would end the night in a wild-card spot with a win in San Jose. The Sharks have won three in a row at home, which is why we're getting the Wild at such a short price, but I'm not putting too much stock into wins over the New Jersey Devils, a struggling Penguins team, and a brutal performance by the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Minnesota has won three of its last five visits to San Jose, against much better Sharks teams than this one. This is also a revenge spot for the Wild, who lost 2-0 at home to the Sharks on Feb. 15, sparking this impressive 6-2 run.

Trend of the night

The Montreal Canadiens have taken a 2-0 lead in each of their last five games, and seven of their last eight. They've been quick out of the gate but that intensity doesn't always last, as they've gone on to lose four of those seven contests.

If you want to bet on the Tampa Bay Lightning tonight, who have won five straight over the Habs in Florida and eight of nine against them overall, perhaps hold off and look to get them at plus-money should Montreal open the scoring. You can also look to bet that the team to score the first goal doesn't win the game at +180, as well as Montreal to score first at +130.

Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.

Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

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It was a rough outing Tuesday after a great couple of days, as we finished 1-3.

Let's put this train back on its tracks.

GOATs and scapegoats

Alex Stalock was a horse for the Minnesota Wild last night, making 37 saves on 38 shots to help them beat the Nashville Predators and ensure we at least cashed one of our Tuesday bets.

A big reason why we didn't win a second was Martin Jones. Since when did he remember how to play hockey? He looked like Evgeni Nabokov last night, stonewalling the Toronto Maple Leafs. That's what I get for betting on the Leafs.

Wednesday bets

Columbus Blue Jackets (+150)

The Blue Jackets visit the Calgary Flames, with both teams clinging to a playoff spot. The Flames are developing a reputation as road warriors because their play away from home has kept them in the postseason picture. They've lost six of their last seven on home ice, though - only beating the Anaheim Ducks - and 11 of their last 15 at the Saddledome. They've lost four of their last five at home to Eastern Conference teams, as well.

Columbus hasn't played its best hockey of late, but the team snapped a run of 11 games - 1-5-5 over that span - without a regulation win Sunday. The Blue Jackets have lost five in a row on the road but they're playing tight games, as three of those defeats came in overtime or a shootout. They're playing teams tough regardless of recent results, and it's possible Sunday's outstanding comeback win has officially broken them out of this slump. Regardless, there's no way the Flames should be laying -170 given their track record on home ice. There's too much value with the Blue Jackets here to pass up.

Best bet

Arizona Coyotes (+100)

There's something fishy about this line. The Coyotes have lost 10 of their last 11 on the road and the Vancouver Canucks are 20-7-4 at home this season. All logic states the Canucks should be, at the very least, -135 in this spot, not -115. So, why is the line so low, and dropping?

Well, Vancouver has lost three in a row, letting in 14 goals over that span. The Canucks have allowed at least three goals in seven straight contests. They're also 1-4 at home this season in their first game back from a road trip of at least three games. They're struggling defensively, and that should be the perfect remedy for a Coyotes offense that's been sputtering on the road. You can't love the idea of betting against the Canucks on home ice, but sometimes you have to trust what a line is telling you.

Trend of the night

The Philadelphia Flyers are on a 12-1 run to the over on the road, while the Washington Capitals are on an 8-0-1 run to the over on home ice.

It's a high total of 6.5 tonight, but all signs point to plenty of goals in D.C. The Capitals have allowed at least three goals in five straight at home, while the Flyers have scored three or more in 10 straight on the road. Perhaps Philadelphia's team total over of 2.5 is in play, as well?

Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.

Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.