Three Early Props

Steve Quinne’s early take on Super Props

Travis Kelce first to score a touchdown – +700

The Chiefs tight end scored 12 touchdowns during the regular season, which is a phenomenal pace. He’s been even better in the postseason, crossing the goal line three times in two games. He’s the favorite in this category, but +700 is still good value. Take Kelce as insurance and then throw a couple of longshots for fun.

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Neither team will score three straight times – +160

During the regular season, the Chiefs were the highest scoring team in the NFL (29.2 points per game), while the Eagles were third (28.1). Thus, most people are expecting the scoreboard operator to be busy on Sunday. Not so fast. Philadelphia had the league’s third-ranked defense, while Kansas City was 11^th. So back-to-back-to-back scoring drives by either team won’t be easy.

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There will be one missed extra point – +330

Jake Elliott led the NFL in extra points made this season, drilling 51. However, he did miss two along the way. Meanwhile, Harrison Butker missed three of the 41 he attempted this season. All told, the two kickers combined to drill 94.7% of their extra-point attempts in 2022. But it’ll be fun to root against them every time they try on Super Sunday. At more than 3/1, it’s worth the roll of the dice.

Three suggestions for early-in-the-week action

Tampa Bay Lightning at Florida Panthers
FLA Live Arena – Sunrise, FL
7:00 PM ET
SuperBook Line: Tampa Bay -125

Just like last year in the playoffs when Tampa Bay swept Florida, the Lightning have owned the Panthers so far this season. They’re 2-0 against their in-state rival, including a 3-2 overtime win on the road back in October. The other victory came at home by a score of 4-1 on Dec. 10.

Tampa Bay was hot entering the All-Star break, winners of three in a row before the pause in the action. The Bolts are also 8-2 over their last 10 games and 12-4 during the last 16. It feels like the Lightning are finding their groove that makes them a Stanley Cup contender year in and year out.

Meanwhile, last year’s Presidents’ Trophy winner, the Panthers, are in danger of flat out missing the playoffs this season. They have 54 points and are currently three points back of the Penguins for the final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference. They’ll also have to jump the Sabres and Islanders, so the task is a tough one.

They didn’t exactly enter the break with momentum, losing three of their last four games before hosting the All-Stars in Sunrise. Those defeats included giving up six goals to the Rangers and seven to Pittsburgh.

The Lightning will be the latest team to light the lamp early and often, once again dispatching little brother on Monday night with yet another win.

Norm LaChatlier’s pick: Tampa Bay M/L (-125)

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Vancouver Canucks at New Jersey Devils
Prudential Center – Newark, NJ
7:30 PM ET
SuperBook Line: New Jersey -260

In their lone meeting earlier this year, New Jersey easily disposed of Vancouver, earning a 5-2 win on the road back on Nov. 1. And the Canucks actually had hope then, but now might be the biggest mess in the NHL.

Since getting to 16-15–3 on Dec. 27, Vancouver has fallen apart. They’re only 4-11 over their last 15 games and just traded one of their best players, Bo Hovart, to the Islanders.

That’s called waving the white flag on the season. Even though they have a little more than two months left in the regular season, Vancouver could be a team to fade as the players count down “1-2-3, Cancun!”

The Devils finished the first half on a tear, going 8-1-1 over their last 10 games before the All-Star break. That included three-straight home wins over the Rangers, Penguins and Golden Knights with a long five-game road trip sandwiched in the middle.

They haven’t played since Friday Jan. 27, a 3-2 victory over Dallas, so you can expect them to be fresh and flying around as they begin their journey again toward making a Stanley Cup run.

This could not be two teams going in more opposite directions, so don’t overthink it. Take the Devils with extreme confidence.

Norm LaChatlier’s pick: New Jersey M/L (-260)

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Minnesota Wild at Arizona Coyotes
Mullett Arena – Tempe, AZ
9:00 PM ET
SuperBook Line: Minnesota -225

It’s another long season in the desert for Arizona, as they went just 3-12-1 over their last 16 games before the All-Star Break, including a nine-game losing streak. They didn’t win a game from New Year’s Eve until Jan. 17.

In two meetings this year with Minnesota, the Coyotes couldn’t find a way to win either one, falling 4-3 on Nov. 27 and 2-1 during that losing streak back on Jan. 14. Arizona has just 38 points, third to last in the Western Conference ahead of only the hapless Ducks (37 points) and pathetic Blackhawks (34 points).

For Minnesota, this game is huge. They find themselves in a dogfight for a playoff spot, currently sitting at third place in the Central Division with 58 points, just one ahead of the surging Avalanche who hold the final wild card spot in the Western Conference.  The Wild could earn a postseason spot for being third in their division or miss the playoffs completely.

They ended the first half on a high note, scoring back-to-back 3-2 wins against the Flyers and Sabres. The first came in overtime, the second in a shootout, so the Wild took their nine days off with a good feeling about where they’re at.

If they want to make the dance, they can’t be losing to bad teams. Minnesota will improve to 3-0 this year against Arizona after beating them with ease on Monday night.

Norm LaChatlier’s pick: Minnesota M/L (-225)