The Ottawa Senators will be looking to extend their winning ways later tonight when they play host to the struggling Chicago Blackhawks.
All Odds Courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook
Chicago Blackhawks (+220) vs. Ottawa Senators (-275) Total: 6.5 (O -110, U -110)The Senators expected to be better this season after making several offseason additions. Expectations were playoff or bust, which looks like a long shot now. Still, Ottawa is 7-3 over their last ten games, winning two in a row. The Blackhawks are 3-6-1 over that same sample size, having lost three in a row.
With each club’s recent play, it’s hardly a shock that the Sens are significant home favorites on the moneyline. Ottawa is priced at -275, while the Blackhawks are +220. Neither price is appealing, so we may have to look elsewhere for value.
Looking toward the projected goalie matchup, the visiting Blackhawks are expected to start Petr Mrazek, while the Sens have confirmed Mads Sogaard will be between the pipes. The Hawks netminder has a 5-15-2 record with a .884 save percentage, while Sogaard is 1-0 with a .925 save percentage. It’s hard to give either an edge, but Mrazek has experience on his side.
Even though the Sens have been inconsistent, they are playing well entering this contest. They’ll need that to continue if they hope to end their playoff drought. As a result, we’ll look for the Sens to win by multiple goals, even if we don’t love the puck line price of -108.
Best Bet: Senators Puck Line -1.5 (-108)
The Blackhawks have awful underlying numbers, while the Sens have been in the bottom third in most things. Goal scoring was expected to be a strength for the Sens, but they still sit 22nd in goals scored per game. Over the Blackhawks’ last five games, they’ve seen seven or more goals scored in two, while the Senators have seen that in three. It’s hard to envision a back-and-forth offensive affair, so we’ll look toward the under 6.5 at -110.
Best Bet: Under 6.5 (-110)
Even though the Senators have struggled to put up big goal totals, they’ve had some solid individual play from their forward group. Tim Stutzle is developing into a game-changing talent, leading the club with ten points over their last five games. In addition, he has 55 points in 49 games. There’s a lot to like about Stutzle, and there is value in his price to score at +156.
Best Prop: Tim Stutzle to Record Over 0.5 Goals (+156)
