Coyotes’ goalie to be very busy vs. ’Canes
There’s just one game in the NHL on Friday night, and it’s safe to say it won’t be a ratings bonanza when the Hurricanes take on the Coyotes at Mullet Arena. That said, this contest does offer a terrific betting opportunity for shrewd punters.
On paper, this looks like a mismatch. Carolina has been surging since Christmas and is looking more and more like a Stanley Cup contender with each passing week. Arizona, meanwhile, has completely fallen off the pace in the wild-card race in the Western Conference and is mired in a seven-game win- less streak with five really tough opponents up next on its schedule.
Most bettors would look at this as an ugly game and one they’d happily skip on a busier night, but since it’s the only show in town, I thought I’d offer a highupside prop for hockey fans looking for a fun sweat.
Most sportsbooks will post Over/Unders for goalie saves, but FanDuel takes it a step further and offers a market on alternate save totals, like 35+ or 40+, with the price increasing as you climb the ladder.
The Coyotes have really struggled to keep things tidy defensively of late. Arizona is 0-6-1 with a minus-15 goal difference in its past seven contests and is allowing an average of 38 shots per game. No team pumps more rubber at the net than the Hurricanes. Shoot from anywhere and everywhere has been their MO ever since Rod Brind’Amour took over behind the bench.
It’s very possible that Carolina soars over the 40-shot mark in this contest and forces Karel Vejmelka (who will almost certainly start since Connor Ingram is hurt) to stand on his head to keep Arizona in this game.
That should put plenty of value on Vejmelka to go over 40 saves.
THE PLAY: Karel Vejmelka 40+ saves.
Michael Leboff handicaps the NHL for Action Network.