Cappers Picks Blog - Free Sports Predictions

Betting On NHL Hockey?

Weekly NHL Betting action sees the Vancouver Canucks taking on the Pittsburgh Penguins December 4 at Consol Energy Center. Cappers Picks provides free NHL handicapping tips all season long.

Two of the top teams in the NHL battle Wednesday night when the Vancouver Canucks pay visit to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Daily NHL Hockey Odds

Vancouver (17-7-0-1) at Pittsburgh (17-5-1-1)
When: 7:00 PM ET, Thursday, December 4, 2014
Where: Consol Energy Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Broadcast: SN360, ROOT
Vancouver Canucks +1½ -195 +152 Ov 5½ +105
Pittsburgh Penguins -1½ +170 -167 Un 5½ -116
***2014 NHL BONUSES***
[dfads params=’groups=63740&limit=1&return_javascript=0′]

Click here to view today’s… NHL Matchup Angles | NHL Insider Gambling Preview

The Canucks won Tuesday night in Washington and continue to be one of the best road teams in the game – they will have their hands full Thursday however against one of the top offenses in the game.

The Canucks have been terrific in every aspect of the game this season – on Tuesday it was the offense and the power play in particular that thrust Vancouver to the win. They scored three times with the man advantage – Daniel Sedin scored two and Radim Vrbata scored the other.

All together Vancouver is averaging 3.08 goals per game. Daniel has three points in his last two games, Shawn Matthias has four points in four games, Radim Vrbata has seven points in seven games and Yannik Weber has two points in his last three games. Vancouver is as balanced offensively as they have been in years – three lines can and will score for this team.

[dfads params=’groups=16&limit=1&return_javascript=0′]

Defensively the Canucks have been just OK allowing 2.72 goals per game. Ryan Miller is among the league leaders in wins but he has a 2.45 GAA this year – not terrific. Miller has had his issues with Pittsburgh – he has given up seven total goals in his last two starts against the Pens and owns an unflattering 3.28 GAA in his career versus Pittsburgh.

The Penguins are among the best scoring teams in the NHL – ho hum! But injuries are starting to affect this team. Chris Kunitz will miss at least two weeks with a fractured foot – he joins Pascal Dupuis (blood clot), Beau Bennett (lower body) and Kris Letang on the sidelines.

It’s a good thing for Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin – Crosby has 33 points in 24 games but has been held off the score sheet in his last two games and Malkin has 30 points and is enjoying a streak of at least one point in eight of his last nine games. Blake Comeau has also picked up his game and has five points in his last four games with a hat trick during that span.

As good as the Penguins offense has been lately, this team would be nowhere without goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury. He has been terrific for this team – he has five shutouts already and has a 2.08 GAA this year. In his last four wins Fleury has posted an incredible 1.23 GAA. He has won his last four matchups against the Canucks, with the last three coming in shootouts.

NHL Gambling Trends

• VAN are 7-1 in their last 8 vs. Eastern Conference.
• VAN are 3-8 in their last 11 Thu. games.
• Over is 13-6-1 in VAN last 20 road games.
• Over is 10-2-2 in PIT last 14 Thu. games.
• Under is 8-3 in PIT last 11 overall.
• PIT are 13-5 in their last 18 vs. Pacific.

The Penguins have won the last two meetings between the teams – both in shootouts. One thing has been constant in all of the recent contests – goals have been scored. I like that trend to continue Thursday.

NHL Betting 4* Free Play

The Over – 5 1/2 goals is the play here.

The Over – 5 1/2 goals

The Canucks will be a tired bunch and there is no value in taking the Pens.

CappersPicks.com NHL Betting and gambling site provides the BEST Online hockey predictions for you to bet on for the NHL hockey season! Stick with us all season long!

[dfads params=’groups=63706&limit=1&return_javascript=0′]

New Jersey vs Toronto Pick

NHL betting action sees the New Jersey Devils taking on the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday December 4th at Air Canada Centre. Cappers Picks provides free NHL handicapping tips all season long.

After bottoming out a couple of weeks ago with two horrific losses to the Buffalo Sabres and Nashville Predators, the Leafs have been turning the ship around since.

NHL Predictions

Date/Time: Thursday, Dec. 4 2014, 7:30 pm EST
Venue: Air Canada Centre, Toronto ON
Broadcast: RSN (Sportsnet in Canada)
New Jersey, Toronto -180
Over/Under: 5.5
***2014 BONUSES***
[dfads params=’groups=63740&limit=1&return_javascript=0′]

Click here to view today’s… NHL Matchup Angles | NHL Insider Gambling Preview

Maybe the good vibes continue when the Garden Staters travel to southern Ontario.

Toronto has played more disciplined hockey for the most part under embattled head coach Randy Carlyle, and it’s resulted in a 4-1 record since the firestorm in the ravenous Toronto hockey media – with the only loss coming in overtime to Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The structure has allowed Toronto’s goal-scoring prowess to shine through, most notably with its secondary scoring – talisman Phil Kessel hasn’t been lighting the lamp much, but role players like Leo Komarov, Mike Santorelli and David Clarkson have been crucial.

The Leafs always catch flak for having a poor group of centermen, but the ragtag bunch that includes Tyler Bozak, Peter Holland and Santorelli have been surprisingly productive.

[dfads params=’groups=16&limit=1&return_javascript=0′]

With the rare rumblings of good news coming from the Toronto hockey world, the Devils will be challenged to score some goals. The team’s leading scorer is the ageless Jaromir Jagr (how old is he now? 42? 43? 60?) who is dinged up after a vicious hit from Pittsburgh’s Robert Bortuzzo on Tuesday.

When forwards like Mike Cammalleri and Adam Henrique aren’t scoring, New Jersey is in trouble. The team ranks in the bottom third of the league in goals scored, goals against and penalty-kill percentage.

Accordingly, the Devils have dropped five straight games.

New Jersey is currently fifth in the Metro division, which speaks more to how top-heavy that division is; Pittsburgh and the New York Islanders have been great, everyone else pedestrian. The Devils’ 9-12-4 mark doesn’t inspire confidence.

This is difficult to gauge because there are countless times where Toronto has seemed to have turned a corner, only to sputter at the last gasp. This is typically one of those ‘gimme’ games that the Leafs let slip through their fingers.

Yet, pundits said that about the team’s last game versus Dallas, and the Leafs were victorious, 5-3. New Jersey goaltender Corey Schneider is overworked and the visitors’ goal-scoring is sparse, especially with Jagr out of the lineup.

Toronto should be able to keep the positivity flowing in this home contest, further dispelling the notion that it can’t play effectively in front of its home fans.

4* Free Play: Toronto 4, New Jersey 2

CappersPicks.com NHL Betting and gambling site provides the BEST Online hockey predictions for you to bet on for the NHL hockey season! Stick with us all season long!

[dfads params=’groups=63706&limit=1&return_javascript=0′]

NHL: Dallas vs Detroit Pick

Thursday night hockey features a tilt between the Dallas Stars (9-11-5) and the Detroit Red Wings (14-6-5). Cappers Picks will provide free NHL picks all season so check back in often.