The record setting run for the Chicago Blackhawks ended Friday in Colorado but they are still 11-0-1 at home and it’s going to be another Madhouse on Madison Sunday when the Edmonton Oilers stop by looking to snap a five-game losing streak
Chicago has won six-straight times when forced into Sunday action, proving the Windy City is more than just a football town
The Chicago Blackhawks started this season with a 21-0-3 record, a new all-time record for longest point streak to start the season. All good things must come to an end but now that the pressure is off for Jonathan Toews and company, the Hawks could be an even more dangerous. Opening NHL odds for tonight’s game started at Chicago -210 but heavy public betting has driven the price as high as -230 at some books.
THE STREAK
Chicago’s unbeaten streak to start the season was impressive but they did technically ‘lose’ three times along the way. All three were in shootouts but however you look at it, they were certainly not wins.
Chicago opened the season with six-straight wins, lost in a shootout at Minnesota (Jan. 30) and then played in Vancouver two days later, losing 2-1 to the Canucks in a shootout. Road teams in that situation have historically struggled to ‘get up’ for a game after seeing a long streak end and the Vancouver Canucks usually have no trouble getting amped for a game against their bitter rival.
The Hawks’ next run was four-straight wins before a home shootout loss to Anaheim. On Feb. 15th the Hawks started a new run of 11-straight wins that ended Mar. 8 in Colorado. There have been only three previous occurrences since 2006 where the home fave’s win streak before the road loss reached double-digits. In those three games the home team was 2-1 and totals were 1-1-1 O/U.
When the win streak was seven games or more the combined record for home teams is 5-5-4 and 5-7-2 O/U. Not only were goals dead even at 2.9 per side, but average goals per period is identical at 1.8 per period.
ANY GIVEN SUNDAY?
If you fine tune the moneyline favorites of -190 or more the home team’s record in this spot is 2-1-3. Not a lot to go on but by sheer coincidence, this is Edmonton’s third time in this exact situation since 2010. The Oilers are 0-12 ATS after playing four consecutive road games the last two seasons and they’re 19-40 ATS when playing their fourth game in seven days. Edmonton is coming off back-to-back shutouts and their power play is zero for seven during this five-game skid. Chicago should be able to get back on track but with moneyline prices on the rise it is probably a safer bet to tackle the total Over 5.5 for plus-money.
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