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With just over a month left on the schedule in the 2023-24 NHL regular season, things are heating up in the chase for a spot in the playoffs.
Thursday night will bring us 12 games around the league, and we have our game breakdowns and NHL betting trends for four of them.
The Boston Bruins have dropped from the top of the Eastern Conference, and their visit to Montreal may bring them closer to regaining it. The Detroit Red Wings are hoping that this is the season for them to end the playoff drought, and they have a real chance to add another win when they host the Arizona Coyotes. The Tampa Bay Lightning and the New York Rangers have had many playoff battles in recent history, and their clash is the game of the night. The Minnesota Wild have a lot to make up this season and are major favorites when they host the Anaheim Ducks.
Let’s take a deeper look at the NHL betting trends for these four games.
Boston Bruins vs Montreal Canadiens
The Boston Bruins are second in the Eastern Conference with a 38-14-15 record, which puts them three points behind the leading Florida Panthers. The Bruins have won three of the last five games but are coming off a 5-1 home loss to the St. Louis Blues. Boston is third in the league with a 91.6 save percentage, seventh in allowing 2.70 goals per game, and tenth in scoring 3.28. David Pastrnak is fourth in the league with 94 points, while goalie Jeremy Swayman is third with a 92 save percentage.
The Montreal Canadiens are 14th in the Eastern Conference with a 25-30-10 record. They have lost four of the last six games and are coming off a 3-0 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Montreal is 26th in the league, allowing 3.43 goals per game and spot-low scoring 2.75. Nick Suzuki is the best player on the team, with 61 points so far in the season.
Boston Bruins vs Montreal Canadiens: NHL betting trends
Boston has won 12 of the last 13 games against Montreal. The Bruins are 5-1 SU in the last 6 games played in Montreal and 1-4 SU in the last 5 road games overall. The Canadiens are 3-9 SU in the last 12 games overall and 1-9 SU in the last 10 games against teams from the Eastern Conference.
Prediction and Conclusion
The Boston Bruins are having a promising season and will be one of the contenders to win the Stanley Cup this season. Their form is decreasing, but this may be the game that will change the pace. The Canadiens are having another disappointing season, and they have been absolutely dominated by the Bruins in the last few years. Boston has won 12 of the last 13 against Montreal, and they will add another one on Thursday night.
Arizona Coyotes vs Detroit Red Wings
The Arizona Coyotes are 13th in the Western Conference with a 26-35-5 record. They have lost 4 of the last 5 games and are coming off a 4-1 loss to the Minnesota Wild. The Coyotes are third in the league in penalty minutes. Arizona is ranked 24th in the league with 2.89 scored and 3.36 allowed goals per game. Clayton Keller is the best player on the Coyotes with 55 points.
The Detroit Red Wings are ninth in the Eastern Conference with a 33-26-6 record. They have the longest active losing streak in the league at the moment, losing the last six games, with the latest one being a 7-3 loss to the Buffalo Sabres. The Red Wings are sixth in the league, scoring 3.42 goals per game, and are ranked 23rd, allowing 3.35 goals per game. Dylan Larkin and Alex DeBrincat lead the Red Wings with 54 points each.
Arizona Coyotes vs Detroit Red Wings: NHL betting trends
Arizona has won 6 of the last 7 games against Detroit. The Coyotes are 3-17 SU in the last 20 games overall, 2-13 SU in the last 15 road games and 3-8 SU in the last 11 games against teams from the Eastern Conference. The Red Wings are 0-6 SU in their last 6 games overall and 8-4 SU in their last 12 home games.
Prediction and Conclusion
The Red Wings had a promising first half of the season, but after losing the last six games, they have dropped to the bottom half of the Eastern Conference. Detroit has missed the playoffs for the last six seasons, and they are under huge pressure to finally be back where they believe they belong. The Coyotes were recently on a 14-game losing streak and have won 3 of the last 7 games since then. Arizona has been pretty dominant against Detroit in the last couple of seasons, and it is time for a change of scenario as the Red Wings are expected to win this one on the road.
New York Rangers vs Tampa Bay Lightning
The New York Rangers are third in the Eastern Conference with a 43-18-4 record. The Rangers have won the last three games and are coming off a 1-0 road win over the Carolina Hurricanes. The Rangers are fourth in the league, allowing 2.62 goals per game, and are ranked 11th, scoring 3.28. Artemi Panarin is having another solid season, being ranked sixth in the league with 87 points and tied for eighth place with 35 goals.
The Tampa Bay Lightning are seventh in the Eastern Conference with a 34-25-6 record. They have lost three of their last five games and are coming off a 7-0 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. The Lightning are seventh in the league, scoring 3.40 goals per game, and are ranked 25th, allowing 3.37. Nikita Kucherov is one of the best players in the league this season, being second in the NHL with 107 points, third with 69 assists, and eighth with 38 goals.
New York Rangers vs Tampa Bay Lightning: NHL betting trends
Eighth of the last 10 games overall and 5 of the last 6 games between these two teams played in Tampa have ended under the total goal line. The Rangers have played under the total goal line in 4 of the last 5 road games and 8 of the last 10 games overall.
Prediction and Conclusion
Both teams are among the dark-horse candidates to go all the way in the playoffs this season. The Rangers have had a great week and have a legit chance to go for the top seed in the conference. The Lightning have slipped to seventh place, which has sounded the alarm in Tampa. They are a team that can beat anyone in the league when they play well, but that hasn’t been the case in the last three games against the Rangers. Anyway, this will be a tight one between two of the toughest teams in the league, and the best option is to go with under 6.5 goals in total.
Anaheim Ducks vs Minnesota Wild
The Anaheim Ducks are 14th in the Western Conference with a 23-39-3 record. They have lost the last three games and are coming off a 7-2 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks. The Ducks are among the bottom three teams in the league, with 2.58 scored goals and 3.62 allowed goals per game. Frank Vatrano leads the team with 50 points for the season.
The Minnesota Wild are tenth in the Western Conference with a 32-27-7 record. They have won four of the last five games and are coming off a 4-1 win over the Arizona Coyotes. The Coyotes are 24th in the league, scoring 2.89 and allowing 3.36 goals per game. Kirill Kaprizov is the best player on the Wild with 73 points for the season.
Anaheim Ducks vs Minnesota Wild: NHL betting trends
Minnesota has won 13 of the last 14 games against Anaheim. The Wild are 4-1 SU in theit last 5 games overall, 5-2 SU in the last 7 home games and 7-1 SU in the last 8 home games against Anaheim. The Ducks are 1-4 SU in the last 5 games overall and 1-6 SU in the last 7 games against teams from the Western Conference.
Prediction and Conclusion
The Minnesota Wild had a major downfall mid-season and now will have to fight until the end of the regular season just to be able to make it to the playoffs. They have a legit chance, but in order to do that, the Wild has to win every game against teams with lower records. The Ducks fit that description, as they have been struggling for most of the season. Minnesota has won six of the last 10 games, including the last two, and will build on that, adding another important win.
