NHL Odds: Cup-Favoured Chicago Visits Penguins
Seven different teams have won the Stanley Cup in the nine years since the 2004-2005 NHL lockout. We’ll see two of those teams in action Wednesday night (8:00 PM ET, NBCSN) when the Chicago Blackhawks visit the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The Blackhawks won in 2010 and 2013 to end nearly 50 years of frustration, and the Penguins claimed the Cup in 2009. Chicago (28-15-1-1 going into Tuesday’s action) happens to be this year’s Stanley Cup favourite at 11/2 in the NHL futures market. But despite owning one of the league’s best goal differentials at plus-0.67, the Hawks are in minus territory on the puck line at 16-29 ATS, causing 5.84 units in losses.
Pittsburgh (26-12-3-3) is 10/1 to win the Cup and 3.14 units in the black at 19-25 ATS, with a goal differential of plus-0.55. Neither of these two clubs is particularly hot right now. Chicago has dropped five of its last eight games, and Pittsburgh is 4-7 since left wing Blake Comeau (11 goals, nine assists) was put on injured reserve with a sprained wrist, followed quickly by right wing Patric Hornqvist (13 goals, 16 assists) and his ankle/foot. Meanwhile, defenseman Olli Maatta (shoulder) has been ruled out for the remainder of the 2014-2015 season.
