There’s more top-quality action in the NHL tonight with two of the top teams in the Eastern Conference involved in a big match square up.
Yes, the Florida Panthers clash with the Washington Capitals promises to be an enthralling contest.
On paper at least, the Panthers look the stronger side, but the better recent form has been shown by the Capitals.
The best NHL betting sites have the Panthers at +900 second betting favorites to win the Stanley Cup. The Capitals are slightly longer at +1400.
Elsewhere in the Eastern Conference, we will also be previewing the midtable clash between the Bruins and the Red Wings.
The Boston Bruins were one of the more fancied sides at the start of the season.
They know the time is now right for them to start stringing some results together if they are not to fall even further behind the top sides in the Atlantic Division.
The Maple Leafs already have an 11 points lead over Boston, but the Bruins have played five games less.
As for the Panthers, they sit second in the Atlantic, with 31 points from 21 matches. They have a 9 points lead over the Bruins but have only played three matches more.
Right, now let’s get onto tonight’s games, starting in Florida with the Panthers at home to the Capitals.
The match-up is between two of the betting favorites to win the Eastern Conference.
In the betting to win the 2022 Eastern Conference with BetOnline, the Panthers are +525 favorites, while the Capitals are +800.
| Odds to Win 2022 Eastern Conference |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Florida Panthers | +525 | +450 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | +525 | +550 |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | +550 | +450 |
| Carolina Hurricanes | +600 | +550 |
| New York Rangers | +800 | +900 |
| Washington Capitals | +800 | +900 |
| Boston Bruins | +850 | +800 |
| Detroit Red Wings | +5500 | +6000 |
More betting information and bonus offers can be found on our BetOnline Sportsbook Review page.
Back to tonight’s match, and the Panthers are on a losing streak of two, while the Capitals are on a winning streak of three.
In their respective Divisions, the Panthers are second in the Atlantic on 31 points from 21 matches, while the Capitals are top of the Metropolitan with 33 points from 22 matches played.
In their last ten matches, the difference is stark. The Panthers are 4-4-2, with the Capitals at 8-1-1.
The Panthers also have a season record of 14-4-3, this further emphasizes their drop-off in form of late.
On the flip side, the Capitals season-long record is 14-3-5, which shows a massive improvement in form over the past few matches.
So this makes selecting a winner here a touch more difficult. We have the pedigree of the Panthers, against the better form of the Capitals.
I’m sure the Panther’s form will pick up at some point this season, but it’s tricky to know when. Betting on them at the moment is like betting on which version of them turns up on the day.
I’m tempted to go with the Capitals on the Handicap spread here, but if the real Panthers turn up, they could overturn the -1.5 start.
Taking this uncertainty into consideration, I’m looking at the over/under 5.5 goals market.
The Panthers have scored 77 times this season (in 21 matches), while the Capitals have scored 78 times in 22 matches.
Panthers’ matches have averaged over 6 goals a game, while Capital’s matches average 5.9. Therefore I’m going for over 5.5 goals for my pick.
Next up in the Atlantic Division is the Boston Bruins hosting the Detroit Red Wings.
The Bruins are +1400 to win the Stanley Cup, while the Red Wings are +10000.
Boston sits midtable in the Atlantic Division on 22 points from 18 matches.
They are on a winning streak of one, with the Red Wings on a winning streak of two.
Their ten-match records are 6-4-0 Bruins, 5-4-1 Red Wings. While overall it’s 11-7-0 for the Bruins, with the Red Wings at 10-9-3.
Overall, both teams’ records are relatively similar, but the Bruins are the more fancied side with the best sports betting sites – in both this match-up and to win the Stanley Cup.
So a bit like with the Panthers/Capitals match, do we go on form or pedigree and reputations?
The difference with this match is that both sides’ form is similar here, so if we add pedigree, reputation, and home advantage into the mix, we can only go with the Bruins.
The Bruins are -160 on the Moneyline, and +105 on the Handicap spread.
There’s not a huge gap in the odds there and with the Red Wings in decent form, I was tempted to just back Boston on the Moneyline.
But with all the things I alluded to above going in the favor of the Bruins, I’m prepared to take the better odds and bigger risk and I’m picking Boston to win on the Handicap spread.
About the Author
Dean is primarily a fan of English football who regularly attends games, and combining his hobby with his job, he is now a full-time sports betting writer. Rather than going down the educational route into sports journalism, Dean learned his trade by writing for his English football betting website since 2009, where he now boasts nearly 15 years of experience. After writing about football daily for years, Dean has taken the skills he learned and now uses them to great effect writing for numerous affiliate sites across the internet. A general all-around sports enthusiast with a passion for English football and cricket, Dean is also well able to turn his hand to writing about golf, tennis, F1, boxing, snooker, darts, and North American sports. Combining his extensive knowledge and experience with British humor and wit, Dean has developed into a trusted voice within the sports betting industry.
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