How to Handicap an NHL Game

Start following the game. Before you ever place a bet, you should know what you're betting on. Start by following one team or one division of teams. This will make it easy to follow a team's progress and track its statistics.

Don't ignore the underdogs. Unlike other sports, underdogs in hockey have as much chance to win as the favorite. Look at the travel schedule and where the underdog came from and where it's going. Check out how many times the underdog going to play this particular opponent and how it's done against them in the past. Always look at home and away records as well.

Goaltending is probably the most important aspect of a hockey team. If a team has a good goaltender, it has increased its chances of winning. Look at the save percentages and look at how many goals each team has scored in the past week. If a certain goalie has been shelled lately, his confidence is going to be down and that could affect the mentality of the rest of the team.

Don't discount coaching. A coach has to determine line changes and strategy on the fly. Check out how a certain coach has previously performed against the team he's facing. If the teams aren't in the same division, determine whether this coach has ever coached in that division either as an assistant or head coach.

Read about the team chemistry during the year. Check out whether there are feuding players on the team or a star player on the trading block. Because hockey is so fast and everything is done on the fly, team chemistry plays a big role in how a team will perform on any given night.