Sports Marketwatch - NHL Edition 
12/23/2009 5:00 PM EST 
by The Team at SportsInsights.com 

Welcome to the 2009 NHL Sports Marketwatch, where the Team at SportsInsights gives sports fans unprecedented insight into the sports marketplace. If you ever wanted to know what was really happening on the sportsbook side, you now have an all-access pass with Sports Marketwatch! Sports Marketwatch- NHL Edition will be published weekly on Wednesday, around 5PM Eastern Time.

Sports Marketplace – NHL Edition

We came out on top for the 5th week in a row with a victory for the Islanders over the Rangers last week. Islander Jon Sim scored mid-way through the first with assists by Jack Hillen and Richard Park. The game remained at 1-0 throughout the second period and most of the third, until Blake Comeau added on another Islander goal late in the period. Ranger Enver Lisin scored with less than a minute left in the game to bring the score to the final 2-1. The Islander's 2-1 victory over the Rangers has brought their record against their rivals to 2-0 this season.

Hockey can be a very profitable sport to bet on when you base it off moneyline odds, especially when betting underdogs. The “plus odds” is a reason that NHL moneyline dogs can show value over time. Most people like to win – thus overvaluing winning teams. Our selections on moneyline underdogs will normally hit at less than 50%, but the “plus odds” payoff makes it a profitable investment.

2009 NHL Games to Watch: 6-3, 66.6%, +5.2 units
*Source: SportsInsights.com

Sports MarketWatch – NHL Games to Watch

Florida Panthers +134 over New York Rangers

Tonight we will be taking the Florida Panthers (16-15-7) to head to Madison Square Garden  and beat the New York Rangers (17-16-3). The Panthers have won four of their past five games, with the loss coming on starting goaltender Tomas Vokoun night of rest. The Rangers, on the other hand, have had a more difficult time as of late. Going 4-4-2 in their past ten games, with only three of those wins coming in their past five. Along with their hot goaltender, Vokoun, the Panthers have received a boost from standouts Nathan Horton and Stephen Weiss. This will be the third of four meetings of these two teams, with each team taking a game in t he past two. The Panther beat the Rangers 3-2 in New York in November and the Rangers got a 2-1 shootout win in Sunrise, FL  a few day later.

The Rangers opened at -156 at Pinnacle but has since dropped down to -137. The rangers line has dropped similarly across the sportsbooks despite the public backing the Rangers with 63% of moneyline bets. The line movement has also triggered a Steam Move on the Panthers from Legendz (14-8-0, 63%, +5.01 units). Legendz is currently one of our top three triggering sportsbooks for Steam Moves. With the Strong reverse line movement that we are seeing on the this game as well as the Steam Move from a triggering book with positive units won we will take the Florida Panthers to go into New York and defeat the Rangers.

Florida Panthers +134 (Matchbook)

Games to Watch (6-3, +5.2 units)
Florida Panthers +134

We are looking forward to another exciting night in the NHL, and the sports betting marketplace.  Keep the Sports Marketwatch - NHL Edition picks handy and your browser pointed to SportsInsights.com for the latest real-time updates, using our exclusive Sports Investing tools. We'll be back Wednesday with the new edition of the Sports Marketwatch – NHL Edition.

Enjoy the games!
The Team at SportsInsights.com