NHL Betting – Defending Champs Look for First Win. The defending Stanley Cup champions Chicago Blackhawks are still looking for their first win of the season and they are underdogs at the Sbg global sportsbook on Monday in NHL betting at Buffalo. The Blackhawks longest losing streak last season was three games and Chicago could match that streak to start the season if they lose on Monday. Buffalo could be worth a look with an NHL bet at home in this one.
The Blackhawks lost 3-2 on Saturday night at home to Detroit. The Blackhawks didn’t spend the money in the off-season and decided to let a lot of players go and one of those moves already looks bad. The Blackhawks won the Cup last season with Antti Niemi in goal but their front office thought they could do without Niemi so they took the cheap route and went with Marty Turco. Mistake?
Turco is Not the Answer in Goal – Forget the numbers and the stats. Turco is not going to win big games for Chicago. He was just an average goalie in Dallas who played in front of a very good defensive team. He is not nearly as good as Niemi and the Blackhawks made a terrible mistake in not re-signing Niemi. If you have watched Turco over the years you will understand why Chicago is in trouble. You can make a case that Turco is the reason the Blackhawks lost their first two games.
Sabres a Win and a Loss – The Sabres are 1-1 this season but they did not play well on Saturday night when they were routed 6-3. Goaltender Ryan Miller allowed five goals but it was not all his fault. Buffalo simply did not play well. They should be focused on playing better on Monday. Miller has never lost to the Blackhawks in his career. Last season he did not play against them as Buffalo won 2-1 at home.
Monday NHL Bet Trends – The Blackhawks have lost four of the last five meetings with the Sabres and haven’t won in Buffalo since 2001. The Blackhawks are 8-0 in their last 8 Monday games. The Blackhawks are 12-2 in NHL betting in their last 14 games as a road underdog. The Blackhawks are 12-4 in their last 16 road games. The Sabres are 8-3 in their last 11 games as a favorite. The Sabres are 5-2 in their last 7 home games.