Penguins vs Canadiens odds offer intrigue on Tuesday

• Penguins vs Canadiens odds: a potential playoff preview
• Kings vs Senators odds: Ottawa moving forward with new coach

Penguins vs Canadiens odds: Tuesday, February 3 at 7:30 p.m. ET

The Pittsburgh Penguins and Montreal Canadiens will both try to bounce-back from weekend losses as they get set to battle in Tuesday’s NHL odds. Hockey betting fans will get a taste of what could be an enticing playoff matchup, but that’s assuming both teams make the cut in the East.

Both teams are struggling right now, each having won just four of their last 10 games, but for the Penguins—the Eastern Conference Champions—they find themselves on the outside of the playoff picture looking in. The Habs might be in a bit of a rut, losing five of their last six after winning nine of 11, but the Penguins have been mediocre all year long.

The Pens are 1-1-1 since the All-Star break, 12-11-2 at home and 12-11-3 on the road. Pittsburgh has scored 157 goals on the year while allowing the exact same amount. NHL betting fans know it’s hard to be any more mediocre than that.

The Habs are mired in a bad streak but most of those losses have come on the road. At home, they are still 16-5-4. Look for the Canadiens to extend the Pens' struggles with a win on Tuesday.

Kings vs Senators odds: Tuesday, February 3, 7:30 p.m. ET

NHL betting odds favor the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday night as they host the Los Angeles Kings. It will be Ottawa’s first contest since firing head coach Craig Hartsburg; the Senators have been one of the weakest teams in the NHL this year, ranking 28th currently, which comes as a big surprise to online sports betting handicappers.

The brand names like Dany Heatley, Jason Spezza and Daniel Alfredsson are still there, but the production has been miserable. The Sens rank dead last in the NHL with only 116 goals, which is just nine goals less than the rebuilding Kings. It may be simplistic, but if you aren’t scoring goals in the NHL you aren’t going to win.

Meanwhile, the young Kings squad currently has six more points than the Senators but their record is a little bit misleading. The Kings have played 30 home games and just 18 on the road. That’s the fewest amount of road games played in the NHL and the Kings schedule does shape up to be significantly more difficult.

Sportsbook odds have the Sens favored and NHL bettors should back them on Tuesday. Look for a spirited effort after the firing of their head coach.

For more sports betting lines and weekly hockey analysis, check out the betonline.com Betting Edge daily.

Who better to offer great sports betting and hockey tips than a native Canadian? Like any good Canuck, Don Melrose eats, sleeps, breathes and bets hockey, making him the perfect NHL handicapper. Thoughts or questions?