A rough month for the NHL coaching fraternity added another victim today, and this one was a surprise.
The Dallas Stars canned second-year coach Jim Montgomery this morning, citing ‘unprofessional conduct’ that they didn’t expand upon during a press conference this afternoon.
Dallas hosts the New Jersey Devils tonight and how the Stars react to the sudden firing is anyone’s guess.
We do, however, have betting opinions on the 11 other games on the board tonight as we look to right the ship after a tough couple of weeks — including four plays that made our personal card and were sent to Site Supporters this morning.
Good luck on whatever you play!
Odds below are at the time we made the pick.
Reasons to bet Calgary: The Flames are on a 6-0-1 surge, including a 5-4 OT win last night in Colorado. Arizona is only 7-6-1 at home and just returned from a 4-game eastern road trip.
Reasons to bet Arizona: The Coyotes have shut out Calgary in each of the last 2 meetings in Arizona. The Flames are playing for the second straight night, 3rd in 4 and 4th in 6.
Other things to know:
- Arizona beat Calgary 3-0 Nov. 16 in Arizona
- Calgary beat Arizona 4-3 in OT Nov. 5 in Calgary
- Calgary has scored 4+ goals in 3 straight games
- Calgary has allowed 3+ goals in 3 straight games
- Arizona has allowed 7 goals in its last 4 games
- Arizona has allowed 3+ goals in 4 straight games at home and 7 of its last 10
- Arizona has scored 3+ goals in 5 of its last 7 home games
- The Under is 7-1 in Calgary’s last 8 games on 0 days rest
- Calgary has won 29 of its last 43 games when playing its 4th game in 6 days
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Reasons to bet St. Louis: The Blues have had 2 days to regroup after losing 5-2 at home to Toronto on Saturday, and have won 6 of their last 8 following a loss of 3+ goals. Buffalo is playing its 4th game in 6 days and just returned from a three-game western road trip.
Reasons to bet Buffalo: The Sabres have earned points in 5 of their last 7 games (3-2-2) and are 8-3-3 at home. St. Louis has scored just 2 goals in its last 2 games.
Other things to know:
- St. Louis is 10-3-3 on the road
- St. Louis has allowed 9 goals in its last 5 road games
- Buffalo has scored 12 goals in its last 2 home games, excluding empty netters
- St. Louis has won 20 of the last 24 meetings
- Buffalo has scored 14 regulation time goals in the last 10 meetings
- The Under is 6-1 in St. Louis’ last 7 road games
- The Under is 6-1 in Buffalo’s last 7 games when playing for the 3rd time in 4 days
- The Under is 5-1-3 in the last 9 meetings in Buffalo
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Reasons to bet Carolina: The Hurricanes open a 5-game western road trip with momentum from a 6-2 win Saturday over Minnesota, when the Canes outshot the Wild 40-24. Edmonton has scored just 12 goals in its last 6 games.
Reasons to bet Edmonton: The Oilers are 8-4-3 at home this season. Carolina has scored just 6 goals in its last 4 road games and 3 regulation time goals or less in 9 of 10 on the road, excluding empty netters.
Other things to know:
- Carolina has won 4 of the last 5 meetings and 2 straight in Edmonton
- Carolina scored 6 goals Saturday after scoring 8 goals in its previous 6 games, excluding empty netters
- Carolina has allowed 9 goals in its last 5 road games
- The Under is 7-1 in Carolina’s last 8 games and 5-0 in Carolina’s last 5 road games
- The Over is 6-2 in the last 8 meetings in Edmonton
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Reasons to bet Toronto: The Leafs have scored 4+ goals in 4 of their last 5 road games. Vancouver has allowed at least 3 goals in 5 of its last 6 home games.
Reasons to bet Vancouver: The Canucks have won 10 of their last 11 home games in this Canadian rivalry. Toronto is 7-9 on the road.
Other things to know:
- Toronto has allowed 3 goals in its last 2 games and 2 goals or less in 4 of 6, excluding empty netters
- Vancouver has scored 4+ goals in 6 of its last 10 games
- The Over is 5-1 in Vancouver’s last 6 home games
- The home team has won 13 of the last 16 meetings
- The Under is 5-1 in the last 6 meetings in Vancouver
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Reasons to bet Anaheim: The Ducks have won 10 of their last 12 visits to Minnesota. The Wild has been outshot 119-71 in its last 3 games.
Reasons to bet Minnesota: The Wild is 7-0-2 in its last 9 home games and 7-1-3 in its last 13 overall. Anaheim has lost 7 of its last 9 games overall and 5 straight on the road.
Other things to know:
- Minnesota beat Anaheim 4-2 Nov. 5 in Anaheim
- The road team has won 7 of the last 8 meetings
- Anaheim has allowed 20 regulation time goals in its last 5 road games
- Minnesota has allowed 10 goals in its last 2 games
- Minnesota is playing its first home game since Dec. 1
- The Under is 10-3-1 in the last 14 meetings
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Reasons to bet Chicago: The Blackhawks have earned points in 6 of their last 7 road games (4-1-2). Vegas has scored only 4 regulation time goals (excluding empty netters) in its last 4 games at home, where it has just 3 regulation time wins in its last 13.
Reasons to bet Vegas: The Golden Knights tend to rebound well from bad losses like Sunday’s 5-0 loss to the Rangers, winning 6 of their last 8 following a home loss of 3+ goals. Chicago has lost 7 of the 8 all-time meetings.
Other things to know:
- Chicago beat Vegas 5-3 Nov. 13 in Vegas
- Vegas beat Chicago 2-1 in a shootout Oct. 22 in Chicago
- Vegas is 7-6-3 at home
- Chicago has allowed 3+ goals in 5 of its last 6 games
- Chicago was outshot 47-29 in a 4-3 OT loss to Arizona on Sunday
- Chicago is playing its 4th game in 6 days
- The Under is 6-0 in Vegas’ last 6 home games
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Reasons to bet New York: The Rangers are 4-0-1 in their last 5 games on the road, where they’ve allowed 4 regulation time goals in their last 4. LA has scored just 10 even-strength goals in its last 7 games.
Reasons to bet LA: The Kings are 9-6-1 at home. New York’s playing its 4th game in 6 days.
Other things to know:
- New York was outshot 38-25 in a 5-0 win Sunday at Vegas
- LA has lost 4 straight games and 7 of 9
- LA is playing with 2 days rest
- LA has allowed 3 regulation time goals or less in 10 straight home games
- New York has scored 3+ goals in 7 of the last 8 meetings
- New York has lost 6 of its last 8 games in LA
- The Under is 6-0 in New York’s last 6 games when playing its 4th in 6
- The Under is 12-4-1 in LA’s last 17 games
- The Under is 8-0 in New York’s last 8 games
- The Over is 5-1-2 in the last 8 meetings in LA
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Reasons to bet Detroit: Winnipeg has already lost at home this season to Los Angeles and New Jersey, who have combined for seven road wins this year.
Reasons to bet Winnipeg: The Jets are 5-1-1 in their last 7 games overall and 6-1-1 in their last 8 at home. Detroit has lost 11 straight games and has allowed 4+ regulation time goals in 8 of its last 9.
Other things to know:
- The teams will face each other again Thursday in Detroit
- Detroit is 3-10-2 on the road
- Winnipeg has scored 12 goals in its last 3 home games after scoring 10 regulation time goals in its previous 7 home games, excluding empty netters
- Winnipeg has allowed 2 goals or less in 7 of its last 10 home games
- The Under is 9-2-1 in Winnipeg’s last 12 home games
- The Over is 15-6 in the last 21 meetings
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Reasons to bet San Jose: The Sharks should be determined to bring a better effort after losing their last 2 games by a combined score of 12-2. Nashville has 1 regulation time win in its last 9 home games.
Reasons to bet Nashville: The Predators are 4-1-2 in their last 7 games. San Jose has allowed 4+ goals in each of its last 8 visits to Nashville and 10 of the last 11.
Other things to know:
- San Jose beat Nashville 2-1 in a shootout Nov. 9 in San Jose
- Nashville beat San Jose 5-2 Oct. 8 in Nashville
- San Jose is playing its 4th road game in 6 days
- Nashville is playing with 2 days rest
- San Jose has scored 5 regulation time goals in the last 3 meetings
- San Jose has lost 16 of its last 21 trips to Nashville
- San Jose has lost 9 of its last 13 games following a loss by 3+ goals
- The Over is 9-1-1 in the last 11 meetings in Nashville
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Reasons to bet Montreal: The Canadiens have earned points in 9 of their 13 road games (6-4-3). Montreal has allowed just 9 goals in its last 4 games.
Reasons to bet Pittsburgh: The Penguins are 12-3-2 at home and have won 6 of the last 8 meetings. The Canadiens have lost 13 of their last 18 games when playing with 3+ days rest.
Other things to know:
- Montreal has scored 5 goals in its last 3 road games
- Pittsburgh has scored 3 goals in 7 of the last 8 meetings
- Pittsburgh has allowed 3 goals in its last 3 games
- Pittsburgh has allowed 2 goals or less in 8 of its last 10 home games
- The Under is 6-2 in Montreal’s last 8 games playing on 3 days rest
- The Under is 8-3 in Pittsburgh’s last 11 games playing on 2 days rest
- The Under is 21-8-1 in Pittsburgh’s last 30 home games
- The Over is 8-1-3 in the last 12 meetings in Pittsburgh
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Reasons to bet Tampa: The Lightning has won 9 of its last 10 following a home loss of 3+ goals, such as last night’s 5-1 loss at home to New York. Florida has allowed 3+ goals in 9 of the last 10 meetings.
Reasons to bet Florida: The Panthers have allowed just 2 goals in their last 3 home games. Tampa has lost 5 of its last 7 games.
Other things to know:
- Florida beat Tampa 4-3 Oct. 5 in Florida
- Tampa beat Florida 5-2 Oct. 3 in Tampa
- Florida has scored 4+ goals in 4 of its last 5 home games versus Tampa
- Tampa is playing for the second straight night, 3rd in 4 and 4th in 6
- Tampa has lost 5 of its last 6 games when playing its 3rd game in 4 days
- The Under is 4-0 in Florida’s last 4 home games
- The home team is 18-6 in the last 24 meetings
- The Over is 9-1 in the last 10 meetings
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Reasons to bet New Jersey: The Devils have won more games on the road (5-8) than at home (4-7-5) this season. Dallas has scored just 9 regulation time goals in its last 6 games and 2 or less in 6 of its last 8, excluding empty netters.
Reasons to bet Dallas: The Stars are back to playing suffocating defense at home, allowing 8 goals in their last 5 excluding empty netters. New Jersey has lost 5 straight and 8 of 10.
Other things to know:
- Dallas has won 9 of its last 10 games at home
- New Jersey has given up 4+ goals in 5 of its last 6 games
- New Jersey has allowed 21 goals in its last 4 road games
- The home team is 7-0-3 in the last 10 meetings