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NHL Handicapping. News, notes and trends. 2/28
Game of the Day: Blues at Ducks
By Covers.com
St. Louis Blues at Anaheim Ducks (-115, 5.5)
After beginning the season nearly unbeatable at home (20-0-2), the Anaheim Ducks have stumbled in five of their last seven games at the Honda Center. The Ducks look to regain their footing and vie for their first season sweep of St. Louis on Friday night when they return from the Olympic break by hosting the Blues. Team Canada representative Ryan Getzlaf collected a goal and an assist in both meetings with St. Louis as Anaheim skated to a 5-2 road win on Dec. 7 and a 3-2 road triumph on Jan. 18.
The victories were the Ducks' fourth and fifth in six outings against the Blues, which is par for the course considering the latter's struggles against the California-based clubs. St. Louis has dropped seven of its last eight meetings versus the Golden State teams. The Blues opened their three-game road trip by being shut out for the first time this season with a 1-0 setback to Vancouver on Wednesday.
LINE HISTORY: The Ducks opened as -115 home faves. The total opened at 5.5 goals.
COVERS POWER RANKINGS: Blues (-203) / Ducks (-185)
INJURY WATCH: Blues - Jordan Leopold (Ques. - Leg). Ducks - Viktor Fasth (Prob. - Lower body), Nick Bonino (Ques. - Wrist), Mark Fistric (Ques. - Lower body)
WHAT BOOKS SAY: "A battle between two of the top teams in the Western Conference. Anaheim has dominated the season series so far winning both previous meetings out scoring the Blues 8-4. The Ducks have been dominate at home so far this season and I see that continuing in this matchup." - Michael Stewart, CarbonSports.ag.
WHAT SHARPS SAY: "The Blues are coming off a tough 1-0 loss in their return to the ice following the Olympic break, so they'll have no shortage of motivation as they make the trip from Vancouver to Anaheim Friday. Both of these teams sent a number of players to Sochi, so we could see a bit of a hangover effect in this one. With goals coming at a premium, you have to give the advantage to the Blues, one of the best defensive teams in the league. Anaheim has had St. Louis' number this season, but that could change Friday night." - Covers Expert Sean Murphy.
ABOUT THE BLUES (39-13-3-3 SU, 25-33 ATS, 27-25 O/U): St. Louis generated little offensive consistency on Wednesday, prompting United States Olympian T.J. Oshie to label the effort as "pretty sluggish." Coach Ken Hitchcock, who served as an assist for Team Canada during the Olympics, noted a decided difference in terms of play by his team in the third period. "I didn't think we had the energy in the third period that we did in the end of the first and the second," Hitchcock said. Perhaps Jaden Schwartz will ignite the Blues as he scored in three of the previous four games heading into the break as well as both contests versus Anaheim this season.
ABOUT THE DUCKS (41-14-1-4 SU, 31-29 ATS, 19-9-0-3 O/U): Getzlaf was on quite the roll prior to the Olympics, scoring four goals in five games to boost his total to a career-high 29 on the season. Fellow Canadian Olympian Corey Perry snapped a three-game scoreless streak with a goal in Anaheim's 5-2 triumph over Nashville on Feb. 8. Swede Jakob Silfverberg settled for silver in Sochi and recorded just one assist in his eight contests leading up to the break.
TRENDS:
* Over is 12-4 in the last 16 meetings.
* Home team is 29-10-1 in the last 40 meetings.
* Blues are 5-16-1 in the last 22 meetings in Anaheim.
* Blues are 1-5 in the last six meetings.
COVERS CONSENSUS: Almost 64 percent of the wagers are on the Ducks -115.
By Covers.com
St. Louis Blues at Anaheim Ducks (-115, 5.5)
After beginning the season nearly unbeatable at home (20-0-2), the Anaheim Ducks have stumbled in five of their last seven games at the Honda Center. The Ducks look to regain their footing and vie for their first season sweep of St. Louis on Friday night when they return from the Olympic break by hosting the Blues. Team Canada representative Ryan Getzlaf collected a goal and an assist in both meetings with St. Louis as Anaheim skated to a 5-2 road win on Dec. 7 and a 3-2 road triumph on Jan. 18.
The victories were the Ducks' fourth and fifth in six outings against the Blues, which is par for the course considering the latter's struggles against the California-based clubs. St. Louis has dropped seven of its last eight meetings versus the Golden State teams. The Blues opened their three-game road trip by being shut out for the first time this season with a 1-0 setback to Vancouver on Wednesday.
LINE HISTORY: The Ducks opened as -115 home faves. The total opened at 5.5 goals.
COVERS POWER RANKINGS: Blues (-203) / Ducks (-185)
INJURY WATCH: Blues - Jordan Leopold (Ques. - Leg). Ducks - Viktor Fasth (Prob. - Lower body), Nick Bonino (Ques. - Wrist), Mark Fistric (Ques. - Lower body)
WHAT BOOKS SAY: "A battle between two of the top teams in the Western Conference. Anaheim has dominated the season series so far winning both previous meetings out scoring the Blues 8-4. The Ducks have been dominate at home so far this season and I see that continuing in this matchup." - Michael Stewart, CarbonSports.ag.
WHAT SHARPS SAY: "The Blues are coming off a tough 1-0 loss in their return to the ice following the Olympic break, so they'll have no shortage of motivation as they make the trip from Vancouver to Anaheim Friday. Both of these teams sent a number of players to Sochi, so we could see a bit of a hangover effect in this one. With goals coming at a premium, you have to give the advantage to the Blues, one of the best defensive teams in the league. Anaheim has had St. Louis' number this season, but that could change Friday night." - Covers Expert Sean Murphy.
ABOUT THE BLUES (39-13-3-3 SU, 25-33 ATS, 27-25 O/U): St. Louis generated little offensive consistency on Wednesday, prompting United States Olympian T.J. Oshie to label the effort as "pretty sluggish." Coach Ken Hitchcock, who served as an assist for Team Canada during the Olympics, noted a decided difference in terms of play by his team in the third period. "I didn't think we had the energy in the third period that we did in the end of the first and the second," Hitchcock said. Perhaps Jaden Schwartz will ignite the Blues as he scored in three of the previous four games heading into the break as well as both contests versus Anaheim this season.
ABOUT THE DUCKS (41-14-1-4 SU, 31-29 ATS, 19-9-0-3 O/U): Getzlaf was on quite the roll prior to the Olympics, scoring four goals in five games to boost his total to a career-high 29 on the season. Fellow Canadian Olympian Corey Perry snapped a three-game scoreless streak with a goal in Anaheim's 5-2 triumph over Nashville on Feb. 8. Swede Jakob Silfverberg settled for silver in Sochi and recorded just one assist in his eight contests leading up to the break.
TRENDS:
* Over is 12-4 in the last 16 meetings.
* Home team is 29-10-1 in the last 40 meetings.
* Blues are 5-16-1 in the last 22 meetings in Anaheim.
* Blues are 1-5 in the last six meetings.
COVERS CONSENSUS: Almost 64 percent of the wagers are on the Ducks -115.
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