College Hockey Betting Picks: Michigan vs Michigan State & UMD vs WMU Preview
We're closing in on the final stretch of the first half, as there are only a couple more weekends of play before the holidays. We're fortunate to draw a fantastic weekend of college hockey, featuring a matchup between the No. 1 Michigan Wolverines and the No. 3 Michigan State Spartans in addition to a clash between the No. 4 Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs and the No. 7 Western Michigan Broncos. You're not going to want to miss this slate, so gear up for all your betting odds with the tips below.
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College Hockey Thursday Betting Insights
Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Minnesota Golden Gophers
Minnesota has proven they can beat anyone and lose to anyone, as they took down No. 6 Denver 6-5 in overtime last week, split with No. 9 Penn State two weeks ago, and split with unranked Long Island three weeks ago. Defense has been the biggest issue for this young team, as it has allowed the second-most high-danger scoring chances in the nation. Their offense has been lethargic at times, too, but it certainly has enough talent once it puts everything together. After all, Denver hadn't allowed a team to score more than four goals all year.
The Buckeyes are a defensively sound team with a slumping backstop in Kristoffer Eberly, who has a .904 save percentage this season but has allowed 18 goals over his last four starts. With Eberly's recent struggles and Minnesota's shot of life lately, it feels wise to jump on the Golden Gophers' bandwagon with the over in tow.
- Minnesota ML (-115 BetMGM)
- Over 6.5 Goals (-110 DraftKings)
College Hockey Weekend Matchups to Watch
No. 2 Wisconsin Badgers vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Wisconsin is off to a blistering start with a 10-2-2 record, including a split against No. 1 Michigan and a sweep against No. 3 Michigan State. The Badgers rank tied for third in the nation with 3.9 goals per game and 12th with 2.4 goals against per game. Now, they'll get defenseman Luke Osburn – who has six points in 10 games – back in the fold after he missed the Michigan State series with an illness.
The Fighting Irish have received excellent goaltending from Nicholas Kempf, but they have provided him with brutal defensive help and limited offensive support (2.8 goals per game). There could be a bright future in South Bend for this team that has eight draft picks on board, especially with Cole Knuble's recent tear of five points in two games, but they haven't been able to hold off high-powered offenses yet. Overall, this team is outmatched by the depth and top-end talent of the Badgers. We're going to roll with the over here based on the Badgers' high-scoring offense.
- Wisconsin -1.5 (+140 DraftKings)
- Over 6.5 Goals (+100 DraftKings)
No. 7 Western Michigan Broncos vs. No. 4 Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs
If Michigan and Michigan State weren't facing off this weekend, this would easily be the game of the week between these two NCHC foes. The Bulldogs rank 20th in the nation with a 52.1 Corsi For percentage, which measures high-danger scoring chances. They have reveled in the emergence of sophomore forward Max Plante, who ranks second in the nation with 13 goals through 16 games. However, their offense dried up over the last two weekends, splitting against Omaha and Colorado College while scoring 10 total goals over four games. Despite their recent offensive struggles, this team has been outstanding in their own zone, sitting tied for fourth with just 1.9 goals allowed per game. They enjoyed a week off to get right as they set their sights on Western Michigan.
The Broncos have won four straight games against Miami and Omaha, scoring a whopping 22 goals in the process. They only have one win against a ranked opponent, coming back in October against now No. 1 Michigan. However, they rank third in the nation with a 59.7 Corsi For percentage with a deep set of scorers and role players. Overall, this series looks like it will be a split on paper, but the sportsbooks aren't giving that level of respect to Duluth. Let's roll with the Bulldogs and take the overs with these high-scoring offenses.
- Minnesota Duluth ML (+154 BetMGM)
- Over 5.5 Goals (-125 BetMGM)
No. 3 Michigan State Spartans vs. No. 1 Michigan Wolverines
All eyes will be on these two in-state rivals this weekend. Michigan State has been dominant all year, losing only to No. 2 Wisconsin (twice) and to New Hampshire in the season opener. Michigan has also lost to Wisconsin, with its other loss coming to No. 7 Western Michigan. Michigan leads the nation by a wide margin with 5.1 goals per game, while Michigan State sits at 11th with 3.9. On the other side of the ice, Michigan State is third in the country with a 1.7 GAA while Michigan has a 2.0 mark (ninth).
Both teams are star-studded, as Michigan State has 14 draft picks and three first-rounders compared to Michigan's 13 and two, respectively. The main difference here is how these two teams play. The Spartans' talent is unmatched, and their physicality is unrivaled for teams with this level of raw ability. They play a defensively sound game with wise stick positioning and one of the country's best goaltenders in Trey Augustine. Meanwhile, the Wolverines lean heavily on their talent while often showing vulnerability in the defensive zone, especially after defenseman Henry Mews went down with an injury. They were exposed and rattled by Wisconsin's physicality a few weeks ago, while the Spartans absorbed it and responded well despite losing Saturday's game in overtime. I expect the Spartans to get under their skin early and come away with the sweep.
- Michigan State ML (-130 DraftKings)
- Over 6.5 Goals (-125 DraftKings)
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