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Last week, we learned the Colorado Avalanche and New York Rangers built a reputation this season as road warriors.

Now, let's scan all the way to the bottom of that list to expose the teams that bled bettors dry.

Note: Profits listed for $100 bettor

1. Detroit Red Wings, -$1,958

This is the first list that accurately reflects which teams actually were the worst, or best, in a given category. Generally, long or short average lines have a large bearing on which teams are included, but the five teams with the worst records away from home this season are the five on this list.

And no team has been worse on the road than the Red Wings, who've posted an abysmal 5-29 (14.7%) straight-up record away from home. They picked up their fourth road win Dec. 14 and were 1-16 from that point before the season was paused. Detroit hasn't been favored on the road since March 15, 2017.

2. Ottawa Senators, -$1,640

The Senators really haven't fared much better than the Red Wings, as they're 7-27 (20.6%) on the road. Notably, five of those seven wins came during a one-month stretch starting Nov. 4. They were 5-7 SU over that period, actually earning bettors $50 thanks to an average line of +166. Outside of that, Ottawa is 2-20, costing backers a hefty $1,690.

3. Buffalo Sabres, -$1,000

The season started off so well for the Sabres before taking a sharp turn for the worst - stop me if you've heard that before. Buffalo fans must feel as though they're watching the same bad movie on repeat. The Sabres were 4-3 on the road (+$215) to start the campaign and then proceeded to go 6-21 (-$1,215).

4. Los Angeles Kings, -$820

The Kings have been slightly worse than the Sabres, with a record of 10-26 compared to Buffalo's 10-24. However, thanks to a longer average line on the road (Los Angeles' +162 to Buffalo's +151), they sit fourth on this list. The Kings' struggles have been more pronounced as they travel further to visit their opponents. L.A. is a brutal 2-14 away to Eastern Conference teams this season, losing bettors a cool $1,095.

5. San Jose Sharks, -$734

When it comes to the teams on this list, the Sharks have been the most respected by oddsmakers, with an average line on the road of +140. That's largely due to the fact that San Jose entered the season with lofty expectations. Its average line on the road through the first two months of the campaign was +124, compared to +158 from January until the pause.

Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.

Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

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Last week, we looked at the five teams that were most profitable this season when it came to defending their rink.

Here, we flip the coin and break down the clubs that caused bettors all sorts of headaches with their inability to make the most of home-ice advantage.

Note: Profits listed for $100 bettor

1. Montreal Canadiens, -$1,828

Bettors who consistently backed the Canadiens to win in La Belle Province this season took an absolute bath. Not even the best atmosphere in hockey (according to several NHL player polls) could help Montreal to a good record at the Bell Centre in what was a lost year for Claude Julien's team after posting a top-five record on home ice last season.

Only the Detroit Red Wings had a worse home record than the Habs (14-23 straight up, 37.8%). But the Canadiens sit comfortably atop this list with the Red Wings nowhere to be found because of their average line of -137 on home ice, compared to +165 for Detroit.

2. Nashville Predators, -$1,167

The Predators have typically been one of the league's more consistent teams on home ice, but that wasn't the case this year, as they posted a better record on the road (18-16 SU) than at home (17-18 SU).

Nashville offers a prime example of how a bad stretch can skew season-long results, though. The Predators lost seven of eight at home between Oct. 31 and Dec. 3, most of them as large favorites, losing the $100 bettor $1,112 over that span - just $55 shy of their season total.

3. Washington Capitals, -$824

Coming into the season, the Capitals were not a team you would have expected to find on this list. Washington posted a cumulative win percentage of 66.2% over the previous three seasons, earning bettors a league-best $2,130 in profits over that span.

However, in 2019-20, the Caps compiled an 18-15 SU record (54.5%). Paired with an average line of -188, that was enough to punish bettors.

4. Toronto Maple Leafs, -$819

Besides the Capitals, the Maple Leafs are the only team on this list that owned a winning record on home ice this season, albeit barely. Toronto went 18-16 SU (52.9%) but was undone by an inflated average line of -184. Only four teams had one shorter.

Before Leafs fans blame Mike Babcock for this, it's worth noting they lost $387 (47% of $819) under Sheldon Keefe.

5. Calgary Flames, -$806

The Flames took a page out of the Predators' book, posting a winning record on their travels (20-17 SU) and a losing one at home (16-17). And like the Leafs, Calgary can't really blame its former coach. The Flames were 6-5 at home under Bill Peters and 10-12 at the Saddledome following his resignation.

Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.

Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.

A week ago, we broke down the most profitable underdogs from the 2019-20 season.

Now we visit the opposite end of that list, as we dive into the teams that just couldn't buy a win when the odds were stacked against them.

Note: Profits listed for $100 bettor

1. Detroit Red Wings, -$2,330

Sheer volume makes the Red Wings runaway winners when it comes to the least profitable underdog in the NHL this season. If you bet $100 on Detroit every game it was a 'dog this season, you would have gifted books $2,330 of your hard-earned money. Only once throughout the entire season were the Red Wings favored, as they finished 17-53 on the campaign at plus-money. Stunningly, there was one team with a worse winning percentage as 'dogs this season, but more on that later ...

2. Ottawa Senators, -$1,312

The Senators were not that team. Ottawa finished 19-41 on the season with a longer line than its opponents. As big 'dogs, the Senators were a virtual lock to lose. They posted a 1-18 record (-$1,538) at +185 or longer. They were actually profitable when priced between +100 and +184, earning bettors $262 thanks to an 18-23 record.

3. San Jose Sharks, -$889

The 2019-20 season was an unmitigated disaster for the Sharks, who entered the season with Stanley Cup aspirations. Most of the damage was done in October, with the Sharks finishing the opening month of the season 1-7 as 'dogs (-$585). After bouncing back in November (4-0), they reached rock bottom in December, losing six in a row as 'dogs to start the month. Overall, the Sharks had the fourth-worst win percentage this season at plus-money (15-29, 34.1%).

4. Arizona Coyotes, -$554

A total of 11 teams in the league had worse records as underdogs this season than the Coyotes, who were done in by a short average line of +129. Nine of their 14 victories as 'dogs came with a line between -102 and +115, failing to erase enough from their 22 defeats to get them off this list.

5. Toronto Maple Leafs, -$535

The Maple Leafs owned the league's worst winning percentage as underdogs this season, posting a paltry 2-8 record at plus-money. They started the season 0-6 as 'dogs. The fact that they were underdogs just 10 times this season is revealing of the way they're perceived by the public; oddsmakers are forced to overvalue this team because of the attention it receives in the betting market.

Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.

Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.

Last week, we broke down the favorites that made bettors the most money this season, with the Philadelphia Flyers topping the charts.

Today, we'll look at the ones that simply didn't come through and made the biggest dent in betting profits.

Note: Profits listed for $100 bettor

1. Montreal Canadiens, -$1,617

The only team with a worse winning percentage as a favorite this year is the Detroit Red Wings, who are 0-1. The Canadiens are a paltry 15-20 (42.9%) when laying juice, dealing bettors an absolute beating with an inflated average line of -150.

Two factors that have absolutely killed the Canadiens are their records as home favorites (10-16, -$1,535) and against the Red Wings (0-4, -$800).

2. Nashville Predators, -$1,324

Despite spending the duration of the season out of a playoff spot, the Predators have been constantly overvalued by oddsmakers with an average line of -157 when favored. They're 25-25 as favorites, making them one of just eight teams with a winning percentage of 50 or lower in this spot.

However, all of the bleeding came with Peter Laviolette as head coach. The Predators were 13-17 (-$1,467) as favorites before he was fired on Jan. 6.

3. Washington Capitals, -$1,024

The Capitals came in at fifth on our list of most profitable underdogs, so it's not much of a surprise to see them here. When they were favored this season, it was often by a lot, as only two teams managed to top their average line of -173.

Washington actually had a winning record as the favorite, finishing 29-24, but having to consistently lay that much juice did bettors in.

4. Vegas Golden Knights, -$762

No team on this list has a better record as the favorite this campaign than the Golden Knights, who are 34-24 (58.6%). For Vegas, it's something of a tale of two seasons: the Golden Knights were 22-19 (-$1,081) as favorites under Gerard Gallant and 12-5 (+$319) under Peter DeBoer, who took over Jan. 15.

If the season resumes, Vegas might play itself off this list.

5. Anaheim Ducks, -$697

The Ducks have been favored less often than any other team on this list and are level with the Canadiens for the second-worst win percentage when laying juice (42.9%, 9-12).

Anaheim has lost bettors nearly $1,000 less than Montreal has, though, thanks to being favored in essentially half as many games. It's also been the beneficiary of an average line of just -129 as the favorite.

Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.

Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.

Home-ice advantage is a term that's thrown around a lot in sports. While it's important to be aware of home/road splits when it comes to betting, they don't offer much of an edge, as oddsmakers generally factor them heavily into the lines.

Still, some teams did a much better job than others of defending home ice this season. If you had bet $100 on every home team this year, here are the profits that the most successful ones would have earned.

1. Philadelphia Flyers, +$1,272

No team came close to rivaling the Flyers' success at home this season. With a 25-10 straight up record, their 71.4% win percentage was the league's best. Oddsmakers never did quite adjust. Philadelphia had an average line of just -137 at Wells Fargo Center this season - 15th among home rinks - netting the $100 bettor a hefty $1,272 in profits.

2. Los Angeles Kings, +$674

Despite only having the league's 12th-best home record, the Kings rewarded their backers with a nice return, largely thanks to an average line of +112 at the Staples Center - only the Ottawa Senators (+124) and Detroit Red Wings (+165) had lower lines on home ice. What really bumped the Kings up this list, however, was rattling off six successive home wins before the season was suspended. Los Angeles earned the $100 bettor $780 in profits over that stretch, heading into it with a negative ROI on the campaign.

3. Vancouver Canucks, +$520

Home ice was kind to the Canucks this season, who sported a 22-13 SU record at Rogers Arena - only five teams had a better win percentage. Like the Flyers, oddsmakers didn't show Vancouver the respect they should have, as the Canucks sported an average line of -129 at home, which was 18th in the NHL.

4. Buffalo Sabres, +$392

The Sabres were solid at home but far from spectacular. Buffalo posted a 20-15 SU record at KeyBank Center, netting a profit thanks to its success as a home underdog. The Sabres were 10-8 as 'dogs this season, netting $397 in profit. As home favorites, however, they lost bettors $5.

5. Pittsburgh Penguins, +$361

Despite boasting the NHL's second-best home record this season, the Penguins place fifth on this list thanks to an average line of -175. Interestingly, the Pens sported the same SU record on home ice as the St. Louis Blues (23-12), who had a lower average line (-167). Pittsburgh still netted a marginally higher profit, as it picked its spots well.

Other teams to net a profit on home ice this season included the Blues (+$356), Senators (+$333), Columbus Blue Jackets (+$135), Tampa Bay Lightning (+$85), Winnipeg Jets (+$35), Minnesota Wild (+$17), and New York Rangers (+$7)

Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.

Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.

Yesterday, we dove into the favorites that were most kind to bettors this season. Today, we'll break down the teams that were most profitable as underdogs.

Note: Profits listed for $100 bettor

1. New York Rangers, +$1,323

The season's most profitable 'dog resides in the Big Apple. The Rangers were underdogs an overwhelming 54 times, as oddsmakers never quite believed in them. The team found success as a home 'dog, turning a profit with an 11-11 record, but did most of its damage on the road. Away from Madison Square Garden, the Rangers went 17-15 as underdogs with an average line of +150, turning a profit of $1,009 for the $100 bettor. That was largely thanks to a run of eight successive victories between Jan. 16 and Feb. 27 (+$965).

2. Edmonton Oilers, +$1,268

The Oilers sit just behind the Rangers in terms of profit despite a better winning percentage (23-18, 56.1%). Inconsistency and unpredictability were a common theme for Edmonton this season, as the team would lose to an opponent like the Sabres one night and then beat the Bruins the next. Like the Rangers, the Oilers experienced most of their success as 'dogs on the road, where they posted a 19-14 record for a profit of +$1,237.

3. Colorado Avalanche, +$701

The Avalanche didn't have nearly as many opportunities as underdogs, but they enjoyed plenty of success when given those chances. Additionally, with an average line of +120, the Avs weren't priced particularly high when they were 'dogs, but they were efficient when their price climbed. As underdogs of +130 or longer, Colorado went 3-1, including a 6-2 victory in Tampa at +179.

4. Dallas Stars, +$659

With an underdog record of 13-10, Dallas comes in fourth on this list. The Stars were decent early in the season as 'dogs, posting a 6-6 record (+$148). After firing head coach Jim Montgomery, they improved their play in this spot, embarking on a 7-4 underdog run (+$511) to close out the season.

5. Washington Capitals, +$611

No team produced a better winning percentage as 'dogs than the Capitals, who posted a 9-4 record (69.2%) in this spot. However, low volume relegates them to fifth on this list. Washington started the season on a 7-1 run when priced as the underdog.

There were nine other teams that returned profits as 'dogs in 2019-20: the Predators (+$521), Jets (+$498), Blues (+$431), Canucks (+$194), Hurricanes (+$160), Lightning (+$133), Blue Jackets (+$131), Penguins (+$69), and Panthers (+$27)

Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.

Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.

Everyone wants to hit on that lottery ticket, or be the one at the end of the night saying "I told you so" when that +240 underdog cashes.

But there's an art to picking favorites as well, and being able to identify which ones to back. Here are the favorites that most rewarded bettors during the 2019-20 regular season.

Note: Profits listed for $100 bettor

1. Philadelphia Flyers, +$1,136

When it comes to profitable favorites, the Flyers were in a league of their own this season. No team sported a better record or return on investment than Philadelphia, who were an astounding 23-8 (74.2%) when favored. The Flyers were an even more impressive 17-4 (81%) when laying at least -130. They were consistently profitable as home favorites, posting a 19-5 (+$1,105) record in that spot, compared to just 4-3 (+$31) on the road. They closed out the season on an 8-0 run as favorites.

2. Minnesota Wild, +$494

A surprising inclusion on this list, the Wild returned the second-highest profit as favorites this season. That being said, they were barely in the plus column entering the final week of February. However, Minnesota closed out the season on a 5-1 run as favorites to thrust it into second on this list, finishing the year with a 21-12 record when laying juice.

3. Boston Bruins, +$452

The Bruins were favored 61 times through 70 games this season and were the owners of the league's second-best win percentage as favorites, posting a 41-20 record. Still, with an average line of -182, betting $100 on the Bruins every time they were favored would have only netted a profit of $452. That's a long walk for a short drink of water.

4. Los Angeles Kings, +$220

It's probably safe to assume no one expected the Kings on this list. Los Angeles was favored 11 times this season and won seven of them, but that was enough for a small profit thanks to an average line of just -128. The Kings were 4-0 when laying at least -130.

5. Pittsburgh Penguins, +$200

It speaks to the volatility that comes with backing favorites consistently that the Penguins are so high on this list despite yielding the $100 bettor just $200 in profits over 49 games as a favorite, finishing with a 31-18 record. Road deficiencies prevented the Penguins from being higher on this list. They were just 8-7 (-$261) when favored away from home, compared to 23-11 (+$461) at PPG Paints Arena.

The St. Louis Blues (+$168), Chicago Blackhawks (+$130), Florida Panthers (+$114), and Winnipeg Jets (+$42) were the only other teams that returned a profit as favorites this season.

Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.

Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.

At a couple of points this season, I dove into the updated Stanley Cup odds and used analytics to suggest the best teams to buy low and sell high.

Depending on which advice you chose to follow, you either loved me or hated me up until the season was suspended. If you bet the Florida Panthers, you should probably stop reading now. Sorry.

The best

Nov. 28: Buy Vegas Golden Knights at 14-1

My thesis: "This is a Stanley Cup-caliber team that's playing much better than its record indicates. With a legitimate stud goalie in Marc-Andre Fleury and a deep roster in front of him, Vegas will go on a run anytime now. Once that happens, good luck finding 14-1 anywhere."

I scooped the Golden Knights up at 14-1 and never found a better price throughout the season. I was feeling great about this bet a couple of weeks ago when Vegas had won 11 of 13 games and was as short as 7-1 ... but we all know what happened next.

Dec. 4: Sell Winnipeg Jets at 20-1

My thesis: "You could do a lot better than Winnipeg at 20-1. The Jets have no business being priced alongside the likes of the Carolina Hurricanes, Dallas Stars, or Philadelphia Flyers."

From Dec. 4 on, the Jets had a losing record and were on pace to narrowly miss the playoffs. They currently have 66-1 odds to win the Cup.

Nov. 28: Buy Colorado Avalanche at 16-1

My thesis: "You can expect a deep playoff run from this team, which began the season with 12-1 odds. Those odds will be a lot shorter come January, at the latest, so hop on at 16-1 while you still can."

The Avalanche certainly looked poised for a Cup run. They went 28-13-5 after this was written and had 8-1 odds when the season was suspended. Getting them at double that? Talk about good timing.

The worst

Nov. 28: Buy Florida Panthers at 25-1

My thesis: "Sergei Bobrovsky is too good of a goaltender for these issues to continue, and Joel Quenneville is a master behind the bench. The Panthers are loaded with talent at forward and they possess a strong top four in defense. All the ingredients for a Cup run are there."

This pick was worse than any of the above selections were good. Nothing I said about the Panthers was wrong, technically, but does it really matter? Bobrovsky's struggles absolutely continued, Quenneville couldn't iron out the issues, and despite the talent on the roster, this team just never became what I expected. If you're looking for stock, the Panthers are currently at 75-1. Good thing I bought low ...

Dec. 4: Sell St. Louis Blues at 10-1

My thesis: "St. Louis is certainly due for regression, but it's hard to doubt this team. If anything, the Blues are a prime example of advanced stats telling only part of the story. They have a deep roster, a great goalie, and perhaps an even better coach. Still, it would be naive to throw these stats out the window. This isn't to say bettors should back off the Blues entirely, but they should exercise caution, especially at such a short price."

Maybe this wasn't terrible? Of course, regression never even ventured into the state of Missouri. The Blues, currently at 9-1, kept rolling and looked primed for another run at the Cup. I deserve all the slander that comes my way for blatantly ignoring my instincts and backing off the defending champions because of a couple advanced stats.

Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.

Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.

A day before the 2019-20 NHL season began, we gave out 12 fearless value bets for the campaign. It was essentially a "bold predictions" article.

Let's revisit all of those predictions, working our way from the worst of the bunch to the best.

Sharks to win the Stanley Cup (25-1)

Not only were the Sharks NOT going to win the Cup this season, but they were in pole position to finish last in the Western Conference.

Erik Karlsson to win the Norris (8-1)

A broken thumb cut Karlsson's season short, but he wasn't anywhere near the Norris conversation through 56 games.

Panthers to win the Eastern Conference (9-1)

Why do I get the feeling that while Sergei Bobrovsky struggled on the ice, his handicap drastically improved away from it?

Blues to miss the playoffs (5-2)

I led this section off by writing, "I have nothing but respect and admiration for Blues coach Craig Berube." I proceeded to bet against him. That was foolish.

John Gibson to win the Vezina (26-1)

Show this pick to the next person who tells you to bet on talent over opportunity. Gibson is one of the most talented goalies in the world, yet the Ducks made him look like Robert Esche.

Penguins to miss the playoffs (8-5)

I mean, it still could have happened, right? This is all Tristan Jarry's fault.

Coyotes to make the playoffs (6-5)

The Coyotes were on track for the playoffs before a trade for Taylor Hall curiously derailed their season. Something tells me Hall and Phil Kessel could be joining Bobrovsky on the PGA Tour soon.

Hurricanes to win the Metro Division (4-1)

The Hurricanes weren't on track to win the division, but if the season eventually resumes, I still think they're capable of big things.

Canucks to make the playoffs (9-5), Flames to miss the playoffs (2-1), Jets to miss the playoffs (10-13)

I think at least two of these bets would have cashed if the season wasn't suspended, but the point of this was to show I was higher on the Canucks and lower on the Flames and Jets than most, and I'm feeling pretty good about all of that right now.

Nathan MacKinnon to win the Hart (14-1)

MacKinnon was having an MVP-caliber season and was all the way down to +250 in the Hart Trophy odds. If not for Leon Draisaitl, he would have been a lock.

Devils to miss the playoffs (10-11), Islanders to miss the playoffs (1-1), Rangers to miss the playoffs (2-3)

The Islanders could still have thrown a wrench in this, but for the first time since 1965-66, it was looking like no New York-area team was going to make the playoffs.

Matthews to win the Rocket Richard (14-1)

Matthews had closed the gap behind David Pastrnak and Alex Ovechkin to just one goal, and given the recent pace, I think he would have claimed this honor over the final 12 games.

Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.

Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

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On Dec. 10, David Pastrnak was atop the NHL leaderboard with 25 goals. He was on an unfathomable scoring pace and appeared untouchable in the Rocket Richard race.

Of course, that pace was unsustainable. We dove into the reasons why he wasn't worth backing at the time at 5-2, and who was most likely to catch him.

Let's take a look at how we did.

David Pastrnak (5-2)

At the time, Pastrnak had 12 power-play goals thanks to a 34.2% shooting percentage with the man advantage, which was double his 18% average from the previous three seasons. He was also aided by an unsustainable 16.7% shooting percentage at five-on-five. We noted that "it's too much to expect him to continue this rate of production," and that the likely regression would open the door for those chasing him.

Pastrnak's pace predictably slowed. After scoring 25 goals through his first 27 games, he managed 23 tallies over the next 43 contests. When the season was suspended, his five-on-five shooting percentage had dropped to 13.8%, and his power-play shooting percentage experienced an even bigger dip, dropping to 25.3%. The lead he had built on Alex Ovechkin had evaporated, while Auston Matthews had pulled to within one.

Connor McDavid (7-2)

McDavid missed seven games due to injury, effectively knocking him out of the Rocket Richard race. Of course, that's somewhat of a cop-out, as his scoring rates also decreased.

The biggest culprit to McDavid's decreasing goal rate was a downtick in power-play production. He had eight power-play goals through the first 25 games, one shy of his career best of nine. When the season was officially suspended, McDavid was sitting at 11 goals with the man advantage, having managed just three through his next 39 games. That's not going to cut it.

Alex Ovechkin (7-2)

On Dec. 10, Ovechkin was Pastrnak's closest competitor with 21 goals to the Boston Bruins sniper's 25. It didn't take a genius to predict Ovechkin would be near, or at, the top of the NHL goal leaderboard at the end of the season, with the Washington Capitals captain having won the award in six of the past seven seasons.

Ovi was on pace for 54 goals and, as we pointed out, just about all of his underlying numbers were on par with his career averages, with the exception of his five-on-five shooting percentage, which was a bit lower than his average from the previous three seasons. We concluded that it was realistic to expect his scoring pace to continue and for him to finish right around 54 goals, if not a tad higher, should his shooting percentage experience some positive regression.

Ovechkin was on pace for 57 goals when the season was suspended.

Auston Matthews (7-1)

When we checked in on the race in December, Matthews was trailing Pastrnak by seven goals, but we really liked his value at 7-1.

As per his team's direction, Matthews was shooting a lot more on the power play, but his shooting percentage with the man advantage was 3% below his career average of 18.4%. We noted that with some positive regression in that area, the Toronto Maple Leafs sniper could be in for a monster second half of the season, and given the Leafs' uptick in power-play production under Sheldon Keefe, it was likely to happen.

While Matthews' power-play production remained the same over the next three months - recording five power-play goals through the first 31 games and six through the next 39 - his five-on-five production catapulted to lofty heights. His even-strength goals per game jumped from 0.42 to 0.59 as he closed the gap on Pastrnak, but he didn't do so with an elevated shooting percentage. He simply shot the puck more. His 214 shots (3.1 per game) were a lot more than the 2.8 and 2.5 per game he managed in his previous two seasons.

Let that be a lesson to all the kids out there. Shoot the puck and good things will happen.

Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.

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