Hawks vs Sens NHL Handicapping
If one of these clubs has been a wee bit underwhelming this season (Chicago), then Ottawa is definitely, totally, all the way there. The Senators surprised everyone pleasantly last season with their performance, but they have come back to Earth in a big way in 2013-14.
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NHL Gambling Lines Analysis
Date/Time: Friday, March 28 2014, 7:30 pm EST
Venue: Canadian Tire Centre, Ottawa ON
Chicago -1.5, Ottawa +1.5
MoneyLine: Chicago -135
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The Sens realized they had one of the best players on the planet last year in young Swedish defenseman Erik Karlsson. The problem is that other than him, Ottawa’s defense corps is pathetic. The Sens rank 29th in the league in Goals Against (3.3 per contest) and their penalty-kill unit is ranked 24th.
Basically, the charmed season goaltender Craig Anderson had last year is a distant memory. Also, young prospect Robin Lehner – who was supposed to be the bona fide savior of the franchise – hasn’t played as advertised.
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It isn’t all their fault, though, mediocre puck-stopping is almost always exacerbated by shoddy defensive work. This is clearly what Ottawa has to address in the looming offseason (the Sens won’t be going to the playoffs).
As if the hockey enthusiasts of Canada’s capital needed any more bad news, leading scorer Bobby Ryan is out for the season with a sports hernia. Only a few more games to go before the Sens can get the golf clubs out of the garage and practice their putting stroke.
There’s no crisis in the Windy City, but Chicago has just been very “meh” in the second half of the season. The Blackhawks are 5-4-1 in their last ten games; still good for 99 points and second in the Central division thanks to their ripping start, but with teams like the St. Louis Blues and Boston Bruins surging, it must be cold comfort for Hawks fans.
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After two Stanley Cup victories in four years, this is a fan base that is used to getting everything now, damn it! When your summer entertainment consists of watching the Chicago Cubs, who can blame them?
The Hawks were coming off a nice 4-2 win over the playoff-contending Dallas Stars on Tuesday, only to be blanked 3-0 by the Bruins last night. Chicago must find a measure of consistency if it is to make a deep postseason run and approach its aim to repeat as Cup champs.
Last year’s unsung hero Bryan Bickell is day-to-day with an injury, but Chicago has pretty well all of its big guns back on the ice, so there’s no excuse for the Blackhawks to leave the opponent’s goal lamp dark. When the Hawks are playing up to their capability and goalie Corey Crawford is merely doing an adequate job, Chicago can blow out any team in the NHL on any given night.
Friday night’s game in Ottawa should be a nice tonic. With Ryan out of Ottawa’s lineup and the aforementioned lousy defending and goaltending, the Blackhawks will likely dump a few pucks in the net. When Ottawa’s biggest threats are a D-man (Karlsson), Maple Leafs cast-off Clarke MacArthur and the enigmatic Kyle Turris, it can’t be very re-assuring for the home team.
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Look for the Patrick Kanes, Patrick Sharps and Marian Hossas of the world to have a nice renaissance game; the bigger picture desire for Joel Quenneville’s men being to use a victory to build a head of steam going into the playoffs (whilst hopefully avoiding any catastrophic injuries).
The only thing pressing on the Senators minds will be the renewal of country-club memberships.
Chicago 4, Ottawa 1
