NHL Regular Season Weekly Preview: Week 21
Summary
The NHL is winding down the weeks towards the playoff season, a time where teams will show their true best in series.
For now, we will have teams competing for standings at the end of the regular period and a better shot at the Stanley Cup.
There are multiple title contenders, and several other capable teams.
This year’s parity has made the sport more enjoyable and made each and every match that much tougher than previous.
Scoring the puck is at an all-time high, meaning that defensive shutouts are nearly impossible.
Each game has seen an average total of over five goals, something that we have not seen in seasons before.
Regardless of the scoring, the best teams will have to rely on solid defensive sets in order to keep the attack out.
Goalkeeper has been an important position for years, but it looks like the emphasis has ramped up in 2023.
Stake.com will be offering you all the NHL games to bet hockey on this week, so take some chances and check out our markets!
Toronto Maple Leafs versus Edmonton Oilers - Wednesday, March 1st
A Canadian battle between two red-hot teams, the Maple Leafs will look to continue their streak of goal-scoring form.
Toronto is the most popular team in the league by far, and their fans demand high maintenance with every game that passes by.
Living up to these expectations has been difficult, as the Maple Leafs have not proved successful in the playoffs for the past half decade or so.
Nonetheless, this team is stacked with talent and should fear absolutely no one heading towards the last part of the season.
Mitch Marner and company are playing at an insanely high level and are outputting an average of 4.2 goals per game over the past few weeks.
With this type of offense, there is no reason they should be in trouble.
The Edmonton Oilers are doing well in the Western Conference, but will want to prove themselves as the dominant force in Canada.
Connor McDavid leads the squad and is considered one of the, if not the best man in the league at the moment.
His ability to distribute the puck, but also slice his way into the defence and score has caused opponents problems for the past few years.
His rise to stardom has been explosive, and his team is riding off his coattails at the moment.
Betting Prediction - Toronto Maple Leafs team total over 3.5, the game to go over goals as well, in a tight matchup.
New Jersey Devils versus Vegas Golden Knights - Friday, March 3rd
Another two teams who are on the current uptrend will be facing off in a battle of East versus West this Friday.
The NJ Devils are playing some awesome hockey right now and they are heading into a playoff experience that should fill fans with lots of hope.
VGK is on a similar trend, and their roster has stayed consistent in most aspects.
These two teams know how to play defence, which is how they’ve been able to get most of their wins this year.
Look for this game to be broken by only a few scores, and the shots need to be efficient and on target to cause a leap in their respective chances.
Prediction - NJ Devils +1.5 and the moneyline for a sprinkle, as we see a battle between two hot teams.
