The NHL season is effectively over. I know that by the time this goes up there will be about two days left worth of games, but look, it's over. Congratulations or condolences to you and your teams if they did or didn't make the playoffs. Good luck in the postseason or better luck next year. Whichever applies best.
With the season over, let's look at the team that was the best for hitting the first period OVER and the worst.
In the table below, you’ll see a team’s record when it comes to the OVER in the first period of their games. The percentage is how often that team’s games hit the OVER in the opening stanza.
NHL first-period betting Table
| team | overall | home | away | l10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canucks | 56-22-3 (71.8%) | 26-14-1 (65.0%) | 30-8-2 (78.9%) | 6-4 (60.0%) |
| Ducks | 51-27-3 (65.4%) | 29-10-1 (74.4%) | 22-17-2 (56.4%) | 6-3-1 (66.7%) |
| Flames | 49-30-2 (62.0%) | 26-13-1 (66.7%) | 23-17-1 (57.5%) | 6-3-1 (66.7%) |
| Sabres | 45-29-6 (60.8%) | 22-16-2 (57.9%) | 23-13-4 (63.9%) | 5-4-1 (55.6%) |
| Senators | 44-30-7 (59.5%) | 20-16-5 (55.6%) | 24-14-2 (63.2%) | 7-2-1 (77.8%) |
| Sharks | 47-32-1 (59.5%) | 26-14-1 (65.0%) | 21-18 (53.8%) | 9-1 (90.0%) |
| Kraken | 48-33 (59.3%) | 26-14 (65.0%) | 22-19 (53.7%) | 6-4 (60.0%) |
| Red Wings | 45-33-3 (57.7%) | 22-17-2 (56.4%) | 23-16-1 (59.0%) | 7-2-1 (77.8%) |
| Lightning | 46-34-1 (57.5%) | 23-17 (57.5%) | 23-17-1 (57.5%) | 6-3-1 (66.7%) |
| Oilers | 44-33-4 (57.1%) | 23-15-2 (60.5%) | 21-18-2 (53.8%) | 6-4 (60.0%) |
| Coyotes | 46-35 (56.8%) | 22-18 (55.0%) | 24-17 (58.5%) | 7-3 (70.0%) |
| Canadiens | 42-35-3 (54.5%) | 22-17-1 (56.4%) | 20-18-2 (52.6%) | 5-3-2 (62.5%) |
| Avalanche | 43-37 (53.8%) | 23-17 (57.5%) | 20-20 (50.0%) | 6-4 (60.0%) |
| Flyers | 42-36-3 (53.8%) | 23-17-1 (57.5%) | 19-19-2 (50.0%) | 3-6-1 (33.3%) |
| Maple Leafs | 41-36-4 (53.2%) | 19-20-2 (48.7%) | 22-16-2 (57.9%) | 4-5-1 (44.4%) |
| Stars | 42-37-1 (53.2%) | 20-19-1 (51.3%) | 22-18 (55.0%) | 5-5 (50.0%) |
| Devils | 41-37-3 (52.6%) | 18-23 (43.9%) | 23-14-3 (62.2%) | 6-4 (60.0%) |
| Blues | 42-38 (52.5%) | 20-20 (50.0%) | 22-18 (55.0%) | 6-4 (60.0%) |
| Penguins | 40-37-4 (51.9%) | 25-14-2 (64.1%) | 15-23-2 (39.5%) | 4-5-1 (44.4%) |
| Golden Knights | 41-38-2 (51.9%) | 16-23-2 (41.0%) | 25-15 (62.5%) | 8-2 (80.0%) |
| Blue Jackets | 40-38-2 (51.3%) | 22-15-2 (59.5%) | 18-23 (43.9%) | 6-3-1 (66.7%) |
| Rangers | 41-40 (50.6%) | 21-19 (52.5%) | 20-21 (48.8%) | 6-4 (60.0%) |
| Predators | 40-40 (50.0%) | 19-20 (48.7%) | 21-20 (51.2%) | 4-6 (40.0%) |
| Panthers | 38-38-5 (50.0%) | 19-18-3 (51.4%) | 19-20-2 (48.7%) | 4-3-3 (57.1%) |
| Blackhawks | 40-41 (49.4%) | 21-19 (52.5%) | 19-22 (46.3%) | 4-6 (40.0%) |
| Kings | 40-41 (49.4%) | 22-19 (53.7%) | 18-22 (45.0%) | 4-6 (40.0%) |
| Hurricanes | 40-41 (49.4%) | 17-24 (41.5%) | 23-17 (57.5%) | 5-5 (50.0%) |
| Bruins | 38-42-1 (47.5%) | 21-20 (51.2%) | 17-22-1 (43.6%) | 4-6 (40.0%) |
| Capitals | 38-42-1 (47.5%) | 18-22 (45.0%) | 20-20-1 (50.0%) | 5-5 (50.0%) |
| Jets | 36-45 (44.4%) | 18-23 (43.9%) | 18-22 (45.0%) | 6-4 (60.0%) |
| Wild | 34-46-1 (42.5%) | 14-26-1 (35.0%) | 20-20 (50.0%) | 6-4 (60.0%) |
| Islanders | 32-49 (39.5%) | 13-27 (32.5%) | 19-22 (46.3%) | 1-9 (10.0%) |
Vancouver Canucks First-Period Betting: OVER
In 72 percent of their games, the Canucks and their opponents have hit the OVER in the first period. That's the best rate in the league.
You’d think the sportsbooks would adjust but they really haven’t. Last night as the Canucks played the Ducks in South Cali, I got O1.5 first-period goals at -160. It was the first of my three weekly NHL expert bets.
As you probably know if you follow results from around the league, the bet hit. Brock Boeser, Andrei Kuzmenko and Mason McTavish all scored in the final seven minutes of the first. That's $62.50 worth of profit on a $100 bet. Excellent stuff.
How does Vancouver do it? By scoring the sixth-most first-period goals (82) in the NHL and allowing the second-most first-period goals (95). It's an awesome combination of endless scoring matched by their inability to defend. Again, excellent...at least from a betting perspective.
New York Islanders First-Period Betting: UNDER
When it comes to the "worst" that honor falls to the New York Islanders with a 40% OVER rate. But how about we flip that because you can bet the UNDER just as much as the OVER.
The Islanders are the best team in the NHL at hitting the first-period UNDER at 49-32. Over their last 10 games, they're 9-1 hitting the UNDER. The only exception in those last 10 games is an unfortunate meltdown against the Washington Capitals where the Islanders allowed three goals in the opening 20.
But otherwise, the Isles have been the Kings of locking it down in the opening 20. Although I'm sure GM Lou Lamoriello and Head Coach Lane Lambert wouldn't mind if the OVER hit more frequently, so long as they were the reason it hit.
With 54 goals scored in the first frame, New York holds the second-worst first-period offense. Only the tanking Chicago Blackhawks are worse at 50 first-period goals.
