NHL Betting Returns to 'Hawks, Caps and Canucks

Frank Doyle hails the return to form of the Blackhawks, Capitals and Canucks over the weekend.

How about those Chicago Blackhawks? After being more or less flatlined and forgotten about all season, they’ve only gone off and won eight straight to put themselves right back in contention for the playoffs.

Chicago was an NHL betting home underdog against Calgary and Carolina on Wednesday and Friday but those wins saw the Blackhawks travel to Toronto as road favorites. Chicago won again, and is surely feeling very good about a relaxing trip to Florida tomorrow night.

If the Cubs and White Sox were in the Grapefruit League maybe they’d even have time to catch a ball game while they’re down there. The Panthers have lost five straight and are cooked.

The Panthers’ last loss was last night, against the Capitals. Just as the Blackhawks are on the rise in the West so the Caps are on the rise in the East. How long could that much talent stay down?

That said though, the Capitals have a tough trip tonight to Tampa, the team that’s just one point behind them in the Southest standings. The Lightning lost all three games they played last week, but the Bruins are good and the Devils are red hot – sorry, Habs. The Lightning needs a win tonight and sometimes divisional games bring out the best in a team. Only question is: which team?

Bet here on Washington at Tampa Bay!

Vancouver returned to winning ways over the weekend with good road wins at the Kings and Ducks on Saturday and Sunday respectively. Vancouver has three more games on the road this week, at Phoenix, San Jose and Calgary. One of those will be easier than the other two, but Vancouver is still on course for a memorable year.

Finally, the biggest upset of the weekend was Philly getting mugged 7-0 by the Rangers in Madison Square Garden last night. It was the first time the Flyers have lost four straight this season and the Flyers’ worst beating in seventeen years. That’s a long time ago.

On the bright side for Philly? Edmonton, dead last in the West, is on its way to the Wells Fargo Center tomorrow night. If there’s any bounce back in the Flyers, they’ll bounce back against Edmonton.