NHL Betting Guide for April 5th
It feels like the season just started, but we’re already just over a month away from the regular season’s conclusion. Teams will be gearing up for playoff pushes while others will be looking to peak at the right time. We’ll be here every step of the way to find value on the betting board at FanDuel Sportsbook.
Here are the plays we’re looking at tonight!
Winnipeg Jets vs. Ottawa Senators Spread, Moneyline, Total, and Odds
Moneyline: Jets -220, Senators +184
Spread: Jets -1.5 (+126), Senators +1.5 (-152)
Total: o6.5 +106
Odds to Stanley Cup: Jets +2000|Senators +25000
Odds courtesy of Fanduel Sportsbook. Sign up for FanDuel Sportsbook today and get your first bet risk-free for up to $1,000!
Winnipeg Jets vs. Ottawa Senators News, Analysis, and Picks
Two teams with loose defensive standards and solid finishing ability meet when the Winnipeg Jets play host to the Ottawa Senators. We’re diving into their metrics to highlight why there is value on the over 6.5.
The Jets have been one of the weakest defensive teams in the league over the last two seasons, and their recent sample is no different. Winnipeg’s lack of defensive structure is best reflected in their high-danger metrics; the Jets have given up 17 high-danger chances in three of their last six games. Over the whole sample, opponents are averaging 14.2 opportunities. The only opponent to manage fewer than 12 was the offensively challenged Calgary Flames on the second night of a back-to-back.
Throughout the six-game sample, the Jets have been out-shot in four of six and out-possessed in five of six. Consequently, Winnipeg has posted an expected goals-for percentage below 50.0% in five of those six games. In weighing Winnipeg’s defensive challenges, it is evident that there will be plenty of scoring opportunities for the Sens.
Although the Sens sit 25th in the league in shooting percentage, they have shown flashes of brilliance with their finishing ability this season. Highs and lows are expected with a young team, but we’re expecting the Sens to carry some momentum from their Saturday night game against the Montreal Canadiens into this one. In their most recent contest, the Sens went off for six goals on 32 shots. In reviewing their game scores from the six games before then, the Sens scored only 6.5% of their shots. Expect increased output from the Sens as they work their way back up towards average.
Winnipeg has been among the best teams this season in finding the back of the net. They rank fifth in shooting percentage and second in high-danger shooting percentage. Ottawa is on the other end of the goaltending spectrum with the 25th-ranked high-danger save percentage and 30th-ranked save percentage. These metrics are as compatible as oil and vinegar, and we’re expecting goal scoring to prevail.
These teams’ metrics align with a high-scoring game. We’re taking the over 6.5 at +106 tonight in Winnipeg.
The Bet: Over 6.5
Boston Bruins vs. Philadelphia Flyers Spread, Moneyline, Total, and Odds
Moneyline: Bruins -172, Flyers +144
Spread: Bruins -1.5 (+138), Flyers +1.5 (-166)
Total: o5.5 -114
Odds to Stanley Cup: Bruins +1600|Flyers +4100
Odds courtesy of Fanduel Sportsbook. Sign up for FanDuel Sportsbook today and get your first bet risk-free for up to $1,000!
Boston Bruins vs. Philadelphia Flyers News, Analysis, and Picks
When great teams have a rough patch, it doesn’t always look like it. They can still manage to keep their heads above water and find ways to win. It’s tough to conceptualize .500 as a rough patch, but when you’re used to winning a points percentage of .650, .500 is a low way off. That’s why we’re calling what the Boston Bruins are going through a rough patch.
Tuukka Rask left after the first period of the Bruins game against the New York Islanders on March 25. Since then, the Bruins have lost three of their six games and are giving up a concerning amount of goals against. Jaroslav Halak and Daniel Vladar have combined to allow 20 goals over the six-game span, giving up four or more on four occasions and stopping only 88.2% of shots faced.
Those goaltending issues are a weakness that the Philadelphia Flyers can exploit on Monday night. The Flyers have been one of the better scoring teams all season. They have the ninth-ranked shooting percentage, which jumps up to sixth from high-danger areas, and their production is trending upwards, which suggests that output should start to follow.
Philly has increased their scoring and high-danger chances in each of their last three games. On Saturday against the Islanders, the Flyers attempted 31 scoring chances, 14 of which came from high-danger areas, but they only mustered two goals.
Goal scoring has been on the decline for the Flyers recently. They’ve had below-average shooting percentages in seven of their last eight games, and they’ve managed more than three goals just once. The Flyers have shown elite scoring ability this season, and we’re expecting increased output now that production metrics are increasing.
Goaltending is finally starting to work in the Flyers’ favor. After an appalling 14 game stretch in which opponents scored three or more in 13 of the 14 and averaged 4.6 goals per game, Carter Hart and Brian Elliott are finally starting to stabilize the Flyers’ net. The goalies have combined for an above-average save percentage in three of four, which has helped the Flyers to a 2-1-1 record.
A date with the Boston Bruins is the remedy for the Flyers’ recent scoring woes. Philadelphia’s goaltending is on an upswing output will start to follow their boost in production.
The Bets: Flyers moneyline +144