Why as gamblers are we often times hesitant to pull the trigger on a bet?
Case in point last week. I noticed when I wrote this column that all five games that I handicapped were available on DraftKings Sportsbook to place wagers. And, yours truly happened to be in New Hampshire, a state where making such wager would’ve been legal.
I talk about the five-team parlay each and every week in the column. The reality, though, is that I’m aware it’s a sucker bet.
Well, this sucker should have bet it as I went a perfect 5-0. If I had placed that $100 wager, I’d be $1,794.50 richer. What’s the old cliché? You can win if you don’t play. Oh well.
We only had one real upset last weekend – Ohio State over Minnesota on Friday – so there wasn’t a lot of upside unless you want with a multi-way parlay. And over the last few weeks, at least on the games we preview here, upsets have become a little to rare for this degenerates likings.
This week’s slate is interesting as all five games feature conference opponents battling and one – Minnesota Duluth at North Dakota – has both teams putting forth negative odds. We do have a couple of heavy underdogs (Notre Dame at +235, anyone?). But it should be a pretty fun week to handicap.
As usual, a disclaimer:
Understand, this is for entertainment purposes only. USCHO.com is not a licensed gambling platform and no money may be wagered through this site or any subsidiary of USCHO.
All games are the first games when they occur in a two-game series.
Enjoy and, if you bet, may you be successful.
* Games marked with asterisks indicates odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook
No. 13 Notre Dame (+235) at No. 1 Michigan (-300) *
On paper, this matchup looks lopsided. But there is one factor bettors should take into account: history.
Notre Dame has won four of the last six games between these two squad played at Yost Ice Arena. The Irish, in fact, were an excellent road team last season, going 9-2-1 away from home and just 5-11-1 at Compton Family Ice Arena.
And Michigan has two blemishes on their schedule this season – losses to Western Michigan and Wisconsin – both coming at home. Coach Mel Pearson acknowledged that home ice can often come with distractions in the USCHO Spotlight podcast.
Michigan Tech (+105) at No. 20 Bemidji State (-125)
Bemidji State’s season started with three losses against top ten teams, but a 4-3 overtime win against North Dakota on October 15 turned things around. Since that time, the Beavers are 6-1-0 and one of the hottest teams coming into the weekend.
Michigan Tech is hardly as hot, but has been steady, playing near .500 hockey (5-4-0) and finding ways to salvage splits the last two weekends after dropping the opening games of series.
Historically, Bemidji State has been the stronger of the pair, including last season with the Beavers won 5-of-6 games, including a two-game sweep of Tech in the WCHA playoffs.
Clarkson (+185) at No. 5 Quinnipiac (-250)
Last season’s crazy ECAC schedule, where only four of 12 teams fielded teams, Clarkson and Quinnipiac had a scheduling anomaly likely to never be duplicated.
The Golden Knights and Bobcats played six times IN A ROW over a 17-day span in January. To say there was some animosity between the clubs is an understatement. And it’s unclear if much of those feelings will remain as Quinnipiac hosts a single game between these clubs on Friday.
If last season was a Stanley Cup playoff series, Friday would be the must awaited game seven as the two clubs split the six-game slate last year, 2-2-2 (each team won one shootout).
No. 4 Minnesota Duluth (-105) No. 6 North Dakota (-115)*
This weekend’s heavyweight battle is also the most difficult to handicap, hence why DraftKings lists both teams as negative money line favorites.
Many will remember the last meeting of these two teams, a five-overtime classic in the NCAA regional that produced the longest game in tournament history. That game was won by Minnesota Duluth after the teams skated to a 2-2 tie and a 2-1 North Dakota victory during the NCHC bubble.
If there is one consolation to this game? It will be decided a whole lot quicker than last year’s regional. Although the hockey was so good in that game, many of us would be happy to watch another six-hour bout with this pair.
No. 2 St. Cloud State (-200) at No. 12 Western Michigan (+165)*
St. Cloud State and Western Michigan feel like two teams heading in different directions.
Sure the Huskies lost in 3-on-3 overtime to Omaha last Friday but still haven’t lost in regulation since October 16. The Broncos, on the other hand, started the season red hot and enjoyed a victory over No. 1 Michigan back in October, but last weekend’s sweep at the hands of Denver has Western on the three-game skid.
These clubs met six times over the course of last season: twice in the NCHC pod, and twice at each campus. Western Michigan had the best of the series, winning four of six including four of the last five.
Pick records to date (last week):
Jim Connelly – 23-7 (5-0)
Dan Rubin – 21-9 (3-2)
Chris Lerch – 20-10 (4-1)
Ed Trefzger – 18-12 (3-2)
Drew Claussen – 18-12 (3-2)
Paula Weston – 18-12 (4-1)
Matthew Semisch – 17-13 (2-3)
Jack Hittinger – 16-14 (1-4)
Nate Owen – 16-14 (3-2)
John Doyle – 16-14(4-1)
