Looking into some moneyline bets, we have two teams battling for playoff berths playing two teams that are falling out of if not already out of playoff contention. As we approach the trade deadline, it’s important to consider that some of the bad teams will be holding out some of their expected trade assets in order to avoid injury and minimize the return, which could affect game results drastically.
Moneyline: Montreal Canadiens (+165) vs Dallas Stars (-200)
The Dallas Stars were shut out in their last game against the Toronto Maple Leafs and their rookie goaltender Erik Kallgren in his first NHL start. The Stars enter this game desperate for wins and are now out of a playoff spot while sporting a three-game losing streak. Jake Oettinger’s goaltending has been stellar and he is now the team’s go-to option in goal but aside from the top line, the team is lacking offensive promise.
Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn combined have one goal in their last three games and despite their solid defensive play have not been able to score enough to get the results they want. The Stars as the visiting team are the favorite but it’s hard to back a team on a three-game losing streak.
The Montreal Canadiens are coming off a 6-3 loss on home ice to a pesky Arizona Coyotes team on the second night of a back-to-back set. The Canadiens can attribute their slow start to the fact that they went four consecutive days without a game and should put forth a better product overall on the ice against the Stars. Cole Caufield is continuing to assert his dominance, now with 10 goals and nine assists in 15 games under head coach Martin St. Louis.
The Canadiens have been let down by their poor goaltending but they will get Jake Allen back from injury who will make his first start since Jan. 12, 2022. That is a big boost and despite the Habs’ poor 8-18-2 record on home ice, they have the ability to extend the Stars’ losing streak and provide bettors with some good value.
Moneyline: Los Angeles Kings (-165) vs San Jose Sharks (+140)
The injuries are taking a toll on the Los Angeles Kings and putting them in a difficult situation heading down the final stretch of the season. The shorthanded Avalanche didn’t have much trouble taking down the shorthanded Kings whose lack of experience on the back end became exposed. Quick has started back-to-back games for the Kings but coming off a loss Todd McLellan could opt to turn back to Cal Petersen between the pipes.
The Kings played the Sharks less than a week ago and Petersen was lit up for five goals, but whichever goalie gets the start will still have a busy night considering the state of the blue line. They are still without Viktor Arvidsson and Dustin Brown upfront, which will also limit their ability to score.
The Sharks are coming off a tight 3-2 overtime loss to the Florida Panthers in which James Reimer made his return from injury. He provides the Sharks with some stability in goals that they didn’t have when Zach Sawchenko and Alex Stalock played. Even though the Sharks are the away team, there isn’t much travel involved when playing their in-state rival. The Sharks are an away team worth the gamble as they are the underdog and the team with the healthier roster.
Odds via Yahoo and BetMGM.
