The Puck Line is the most popular market to bet on in an NHL game and is the direct equivalent of betting on the Point Spread in the NFL or the 'Run Line' in baseball.
When it comes to the MoneyLine betting odds to win, games are rarely perceived to be totally evenly matched. The Puck Line is used by the sportsbooks to ensure that the odds for those backing the favorite are more attractive.
The NHL Puck Line is always set at +/-1.5 (the half-point is sometimes referred to as a “hook”, which ensures there is no possibility of a push, or tie).
What that means in basic terms is that you have to subtract 1.5 goals from the team’s final score that was favorite going into the game to see if they still win the game on the Puck Line. Or to put it another way, the favorite going into the game will need to win by a minimum of a two-goal margin for a Puck Line wager on them to be a winning bet.
For a wager on the underdog on the Puck Line to win, they would have to either win the game or to lose it by no more than a one goal margin.