Sports Betting Overview
What a difference a year and a new coach can make to an NHL team. The St. Louis Blues hired head coach Ken Hitchcock as the regular season was getting underway and now St. Louis is the best team in the NHL. As the Blues run away with the President’s Trophy, the fans are wondering if St. Louis will be able to hold up in the playoffs. The Blues ended last week 9-1-0 in the previous 10 games and riding a five-game winning streak. But the Blues are 16-14-3 on the road, and that may be the team’s Achilles’ heel. As the 2012 March Madness betting gets underway, the Blues are hoping to improve its road record to try and gain more confidence entering the playoffs.
The Tampa Bay Lightning was giving all of the price per head sports experts the impression that they could be the team to climb the Eastern Conference standings and grab the eighth and final playoff spot or even possibly win the Southeast Division. But when the Lightning stumbled, the Florida Panthers and Washington Capitals took off and are now leaving the Lightning behind. With less than 15 games left to play, the Lightning are rapidly reaching the point where making the playoffs would no longer be in their scope. But Tampa does play well at home, and that could help the Lightning in this game.
St. Louis Blues
Ken Hitchcock has everything from his offense to his goaltenders playing well. The Blues are the only team in the league that has two goaltenders with 20 or more wins each this season. But a sportsbook review of the Blues’ season shows that weakness on the road. While most teams would kill to have a 16-14-3 road record, it is a definite contrast to St. Louis’ 29-4-4 home record. St. Louis has been in playoff mode for some time now and it will want to focus on establishing some confidence on the road as the playoffs approach.
Tampa Bay Lightning
The Lightning was looking like the team to beat for that last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference for a while. But Tampa’s goaltending has not held up and the team has not been able to come through in key games. A 20-11-2 home record shows that the Lightning do know how to win at home, but the 2012 NBA trade deadline is generating more headlines in Florida than the Lightning. The Lightning is getting old and it is time for the team to make some roster changes. When this season is over, look for their to be major changes in Tampa Bay.
The Bottom Line
As good as the Lightning has been at home, it is hard to believe that Tampa Bay will be able to stop the rolling St. Louis Blues. This could be a very long night for the fans in Tampa Bay who are already looking forward to next betting season.
Gambling Advisor blog Free Pick: St. Louis Blues
