Washington Capitals at New Jersey Devils (-145, 5.5)
Another NHL superstar will be watching from the stands for the next couple weeks. Washington Capitals winger and reigning NHL MVP Alexander Ovechkin is currently listed as week-to-week by the team and will sit out Wednesday’s clash with the New Jersey Devils due to an upper-body strain.
Ovechkin leads the NHL in scoring with 23 points in his first 14 games of the season, scoring nine goals and adding 14 assists.
“We have to buckle down,” Capitals head coach Bruce Boudreau told the media. “A goal a game he scores, so we got to play better defense and cannot allow four or five goals a game. You have to win 3-1 and 2-1 and if you get lucky sometimes make it a 4-2 game. I think we have enough character players who understand what we will have to do without Alex.”
Washington is visiting one of the best under plays in hockey. The Devils have finished below the total in four straight contests and boast a 3-8-1 over/under record to start the year. They beat Washington - with Ovechkin in the lineup - 3-2 in a shootout two weeks ago, playing under the 6-goal total.
Pick: Under 5.5
New York Islanders at Buffalo Sabres (-185, 5.5)
First-overall draft pick John Tavares isn’t the main reason the Islanders are the hottest team in hockey – but he’s a good start. The rookie forward has registered a point in each of the team’s four straight wins, two goals and two assists, heading into Wednesday’s game in Buffalo.
New York’s veteran corps is impressed with the youngster’s rapid improvement in the pros, especially mentor, teammate and roommate Doug Weight. Weight has opened his home to Tavares much like Pittsburgh Penguins great and team owner Mario Lemieux did with the Penguins’ budding superstars.
"Doug has made things very easy. All I have to do is focus in on hockey," Tavares told reporters. "I think I've taken that first step a lot quicker than I would have had I been on my own."
The Islanders have outscored their opponents 15-5 during this current hot stretch, getting great production from all their forward lines as well as goaltender Dwayne Roloson, who has been in goal for three of those victories.
Pick: New York +170