NHL Picks: Two of the top games this week in the NHL have the Montreal Canadiens visiting the New York Rangers while the Chicago Blackhawks visit the Vancouver Canucks. Let’s look at both games and NHL picks.
Montreal Canadiens at New York Rangers (NHL Network)
This game takes place on Sunday and is a matchup between two of the top teams in the Eastern Conference. The Canadiens won 13 of their first 18 games and they were at the top of the East standings. When you look at their numbers they won’t tell the whole story as the team averages 2.6 goals per game while allowing 2.6 goals per contest. What has happened is that when the Canadiens lose, they get blown out which has distorted their stats. This is not a great spot for Montreal as they are playing their third game in four days and with no rest since they were in Boston on Saturday.
The Rangers have been playing close games all season as seven of their first seventeen games went into overtime or a shootout. This could be another tight game on Sunday. The teams have split their last ten meetings overall with the last two going under. They have also split their last ten in New York with three of the last five going under.
Chicago Blackhawks at Vancouver Canucks
The Canucks have been a major surprise in the West as they won 12 of their first 18 games to start the season. They had a better record than Chicago who won nine of their first 17 games. This is a good spot for Vancouver as they have had two days off while Chicago is playing with no rest as they were in Edmonton on Saturday. This is also the third game in four days for the Blackhawks so they could be weary. Chicago has been a really good team to bet under the total this season. They went under 11 times, over three times with three pushes in their first 17 games.
The teams have split their last ten meetings overall with three of the last four going under. Chicago won two of the three games last season. Vancouver has won six of the last ten at home in this series with seven of the last 10 going under. The Canucks should end up as a small home favorite in this game on Sunday.
NHL Pick
The situation for the home team is really good in both games so we’ll back the Rangers and the Canucks on Sunday.
