Prime-Time First TD Bets — Sunday Night Football, Week 16
Alex Christenson
There are five games in the NHL Wednesday to start the 2021 hockey season. The puck drops first in Philadelphia with the Penguins visiting the Flyers for the first of eight games between the Pennsylvania rivals. Wednesday’s slate concludes with an intriguing matchup between former Central Division foes St. Louis and Colorado.
The DFS player pool is loaded with stars, and the unconventional offseason, training camp and lack of preseason action have created oodles of uncertainty ahead of Wednesday’s action.
Pittsburgh at Philadelphia (-114)
There wasn’t significant roster turnover for either club during the offseason, and there’s reason to speculate that another high-scoring affair could be in store. There have been 70 total goals through their 11 regular-season games over the past three years. Still, the Penguins and Flyers ranked sixth- and 12th-lowest in expected goals against per 60 minutes at five-on-five last year, respectively. Additionally, Philadelphia netminder Carter Hart was dominant at home with a 20-3-2 record, .943 save percentage and 1.63 GAA in 2019-20. It’s definitely worth noting that the Penguins will ice a healthy lineup with a particularly formidable top-six forward attack.
Montreal at Toronto (-139)
Another storied rivalry is set between Original Six teams in Toronto, but these two clubs have seen major roster shakeups since last season. The Canadiens brought in wingers Josh Anderson and Tyler Toffoli to bolster their offense, and defensemen Joel Edmundson and Alexander Romanov will help as well. Similarly, the Maple Leafs will likely be inserting veterans Joe Thornton, Wayne Simmonds, Jimmy Vesey, T.J. Brodie, Zach Bogosian and first-year winger Alexander Barabanov into the lineup. Both clubs aimed to become more difficult to play against, and on paper, appear to have succeeded.
Chicago at Tampa Bay (-240)
The Blackhawks-Lightning tilt could prove to be the only true mismatch on the docket Wednesday, as the Bolts are the largest favorite by a considerable margin. Even with star winger Nikita Kucherov (hip) out for the regular season, the reigning Stanley Cup champions ice an elite lineup with proven talent. Chicago, meanwhile, projects to be a middling club with an underwhelming supporting cast behind a solid No. 1 line consisting of Dylan Strome, Alex DeBrincat and Patrick Kane. Expect Tampa Bay to be popular targets, so being creative to differentiate your Bolts is encouraged. Chicago has surrendered the most high-danger scoring chances per 60 minutes in the league over the past three seasons, after all.
Vancouver at Edmonton (-127)
There’s a notable starting point for each team heading into the 2021 campaign. The Canucks inked veteran goalie Braden Holtby as a stopgap until promising youngster Thatcher Demko is ready to handle a starter’s workload, but with a discouraging .906 save percentage and 2.96 GAA over the past three years, Holtby’s far from a sure thing. Edmonton’s one-two punch of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl has returned the Oilers to the must-watch-television category, but their supporting cast — especially on the wings — has hindered the club from putting it all together. Wednesday presents an opportunity for Holtby to take the first step toward proving he’s able to lead the way for the Canucks, and Edmonton will look to handle Vancouver as a short home favorite.
St. Louis at Colorado (-148)
This contest features the lowest over/under total, and even with ample offensive stars on both teams, the Blues and Avalanche play stingy defense. St. Louis allowed the fewest shot attempts and third-fewest goals per 60 minutes at five-on-five last season, whereas Colorado allowed the fourth-fewest goals at five-on-five and owned the eighth-best Corsi For percentage. It will be interesting to see how the Blues manage without No. 1 defenseman Alex Pietrangelo, but they’re probably deep enough throughout the lineup to mitigate the loss.
