NHL Betting Preview – 3rd March 2020
Ottawa Senators @ Pittsburgh Penguins
When: March 3rd, 7 p.m.
Where: PPG Paints Arena
Our Pick: Pittsburgh Penguins
A big lift for the Penguins could be the return of both Brian Dumoulin and John Marino. They returned to full-contact training on Monday. It will be a boost for the Penguins to have two more quality defensemen available for selection. One loss for the side is the fact that the Penguins will be missing Dominik Simon from the front line. He is joining the long injury list that is already an issue for the Penguins.
Pittsburgh is on a massive 6 game losing streak. At the same time, the Philadelphia Flyers are on a 6-game winning streak and just sitting three points above Pittsburgh in the Metropolitan division. The Senators, on the other hand, are on a 2-game win streak but are not a playoff team. Ottawa could take advantage of the fact they are facing a weakened Penguins side.
The Penguins need to get a win on the board and quickly otherwise their playoff position could be in a bit of jeopardy. Playing at home after being away for the last couple of weeks could be a major factor when looking at their recent form. Take the Pittsburgh Penguins (–1.5) against the spread at (-121) here at VIP.
Montreal Canadiens @ New York Islanders
When: March 3rd, 7 p.m.
Where: Barclays Center
Our Pick: New York Islanders
The Canadiens will have Carey Price back in goal after a night off against Carolina. Price has the most NHL starts for a goalie this season with 55 starts. The Canadiens have been rocky all season and have had some bad results. They lost twice to Detroit who is the worst team in the Atlantic Division. Montreal will need to put together some type of form in order to get near a playoff spot. If they can’t go on a multiple game win streak the playoffs may continue to slowly slip further away.
The Islanders have lost their last three games while two of those were at home. Although those two losses came against the Rangers and the Boston Bruins. Considering Boston is one of the best teams in the whole NHL it shouldn’t come as a deciding factor for a lot of punters. The Islanders offense has been missing lately and need to get back into scoring form. The Islanders should still be good value to come away with the win. Get the Islanders at (-140) with no line at VIP.
Boston Bruins @ Tampa Bay Lightning
When: March 3rd, 7 p.m.
Where: Amalie Arena
Our Pick: Boston Bruins
We have got a top of the table clash for the Atlantic Division where the Bruins travel to Tampa Bay looking to extend their lead of 7 points. It is one of the most anticipated games of the week and rightfully so as these two top teams should put on a good display. Tampa Bay has come out on top the last 4 times these sides met.
Tampa is a much more offensive side and leads the league in shooting. They average 31.3 shots and 3.5 goals per game. Their last meeting saw Tampa Bay come out with a 3-2 victory. There is a major injury problem at Tampa Bay especially in the offense so it might limit their options. Both of these teams have their sights set on the playoffs already and this will be a great test for both teams.
Due to the fact Tampa Bay are suffering numerous offensive injuries, they won’t be as proficient as normal. They will struggle against a strong Bruins side and are not good enough defensively to provide a shut-out. Get the Bruins with no line (+100) at VIP.
