Here are today’s NHL best bets from Jonathan Davis:
I’ve corrected spelling, grammar, punctuation, and sentence flow while keeping your original voice, betting terminology, formatting, and conversational sports-analysis style intact. I’ve also standardized player and team references where appropriate.Writing
Montreal Canadiens (-120) at Toronto Maple Leafs (+100) – Total 6.5 (Over, -120)
7 p.m. ET
It’s Saturday night, so all eyes will be on the Canadiens’ Cole Caufield, “Mr. Saturday Night.” Caufield scored 21 of his 51 goals on Saturdays last season and has had a pair of two-goal games this season on Saturdays (two Saturday games without a goal). He has currently scored in back-to-back games (three goals total). For his career, Caufield has 11 goals in 21 games against the Habs. His 54 shots on goal lead the team, and he has had 3+ shots on goal in 12 of 16 games this season and in 10 of his last 13 games versus the Leafs. Caufield has also had at least three shots on goal in three of four Saturday games this season.
On to the props. The first-period Over 1.5 goals has cashed in 10 straight Habs road games versus Eastern Conference opponents (3-0 this season). In addition to the Caufield props, Habs defenseman Lane Hutson has recorded points and assists in four straight games and eight of his last 11. The Maple Leafs’ Jack Roslovic is riding a seven-game point streak. William Nylander has points in six of his last eight games overall and 13 of his last 16 versus Montreal (3 of his last 4 versus Montreal with 2+ points). He also has goals in four of his last five against the Habs. The Canadiens have won four straight over the Leafs, including a 3-2 setback in the first game of the season for both teams. Toronto has lost eight straight home games to division opponents.
Best Bets:
- 1st Period Over 1.5 (-145) – 1 unit
- Caufield 3+ shots/Hutson 1+ point (+122) – 1 unit
- Caufield anytime goal (+130) – ½ unit
- Jack Roslovic 1+ point (-125) – ½ unit
- Caufield/Suzuki/Matthews/Nylander 1+ point each (+232) – 1.5 units
Utah Mammoth (-120) at Ottawa Senators (+100) – Total 6.5 (Over, -115)
7 p.m. ET
The Utah Mammoth are coming off a 5-4 overtime loss at Montreal on Thursday and have now alternated wins and losses over their past 10 games. The Mammoth are a perfect 6-0 this season following a loss and have scored 4+ goals in nine of their 10 wins this season. The Sens are coming off a 2-1 win at Buffalo, and for the second consecutive game, goalie Samuel Ersson gave up just one goal after surrendering four or more goals in his first three starts.
There is something in the air with Utah and its offense taking off when playing on Saturdays. The first-period Over 1.5 goals has cashed in all five Saturday games this season and is on a 10-0 run dating back to last season. The full-game Over has cashed in four of their five road games this season. Utah defenseman Mikhail Sergachev has points in nine consecutive games, and Clayton Keller has points and assists in seven of his last eight games.
A couple of goal props to look at: Logan Cooley has goals in four of his last five games (8 total), and teammate Dylan Guenther has three goals in four games against Ottawa’s projected starting goalie, Samuel Ersson. Ottawa’s Shane Pinto has goals in four of his last five games.
Best Bets:
- Utah Team Total Over 3.5 (+110) – ½ unit
- Utah Money Line (-120) – 1 unit
- Utah 1st Period Over 1.5 (-140) – 1 unit
- Sergachev point/Keller assist (+138) – ½ unit
- Guenther anytime goal (+175) – ¼ unit
- Cooley anytime goal (+200) – ¼ unit
- Pinto anytime goal (+280) – ¼ unit
New Jersey Devils (-148) at New York Islanders (+125) – Total 5.5 (Over, -130)
7 p.m. ET
The Devils have won four of five since trading for Connor Hellebuyck, with the only loss coming in the second half of a back-to-back at Colorado with Jake Allen in goal. For whatever reason, the Islanders have been the Devils’ kryptonite, as New Jersey has dropped six straight to its in-state rivals, including a 6-0 pummeling on October 3. Hellebuyck has won two of his last three head-to-head meetings against the Isles but has lost six of the last nine and given up at least three goals to the Islanders in four straight.
The first-period Over 1.5 goals has cashed in six straight Islanders night games, and the full-game Over has cashed in eight straight Devils night games. I will parlay the two for some plus money.
On to my favorite player props. The Islanders’ Bo Horvat has goals in four straight versus New Jersey and seven goals in 17 games versus Jake Allen, who gets the start tonight. Horvat has also picked up points in four straight and five of the last six meetings versus Jersey. Simon Holmstrom has goals in four straight home games against the Devils. He has also cashed his Over 1.5 shots-on-goal prop in four straight games and seven of his last eight.
Best Bets:
- Holmstrom 2+ shots on goal (-125) – ½ unit
- Holmstrom anytime goal (+340) – ¼ unit
- Islanders Money Line (+128) – ½ unit
- 1st Period Over 1.5/Over 5.5 (+133) – ½ unit
- J. Hughes/Horvat point parlay (+103) – 1 unit
San Jose Sharks (+240) at Dallas Stars (-300) – Total 6 (Over, -115)
8 p.m. ET
After getting thumped by the Los Angeles Kings 7-2 on Wednesday, the Sharks held a players-only meeting following the game. However, the message didn’t carry over into Friday’s game at Minnesota, as the Sharks lost 4-1 to the Wild. They have now dropped four straight, six of seven, and scored two goals or fewer in five of those six losses.
The Stars have won nine of the last 10 versus San Jose, six of the last seven at home, and seven straight over the Sharks following a Stars game that has gone to overtime. The Sharks have also struggled to get off to a good start versus Western Conference opponents, trailing after 20 minutes in eight of their last nine meetings against Western Conference teams.
The Stars’ Mikko Rantanen has goals in three straight games and in six straight home games against the Sharks. Joel Kiviranta and Jason Robertson each have goals in five of their last six against the Sharks. For Robertson, that trend extends even further, with goals in nine of his last 12 games. Roope Hintz has an assist in six straight versus San Jose.
Best Bets:
- Hintz 1+ assist (+110) – ¼ unit
- Kiviranta anytime goal (+700) – ¼ unit
- Robertson anytime goal (+110) – ¼ unit
- Rantanen anytime goal (+160) – ¼ unit
- Stars 1st Period -½ goal (+110) – ½ unit
Vancouver Canucks (+260) at Edmonton Oilers (-325) – Total 7 (Under, -130)
10 p.m. ET
The Oilers are coming off a 5-4 loss at home to Anaheim on Thursday and face a Canucks team against which they have won three of the last four, scoring 5+ goals in all four games. The Oilers have covered the first-period puck line (-½ goal) in four straight games following a loss and covered the full-game puck line (-1.5 goals) in each of their last six games against Vancouver following a home loss. Ten of Vancouver’s 15 losses this season have been by 2+ goals.
On to the player props, and we must start with Connor McDavid. McDavid has recorded an assist in all 17 games this season (34 total) and has had 2+ assists in 10 of those 17 games. He also has 12 multi-point games, including a two-point and a five-point game against the Canucks earlier this season.
Leon Draisaitl has goals in six of his last seven games versus Vancouver (9 total), including two-goal games. He also has seven goals in eight games against Vancouver goalie Kevin Lankinen. Vasily Podkolzin has been a shot-volume producer versus Vancouver, recording 3+ shots on goal in six of his last seven meetings with the Canucks. Vancouver’s Brock Boeser has points in six of his last eight and 13 of his last 18 meetings with the Oilers, including a point in each of the two meetings this season.
Best Bets:
- Oilers 1st Period -½ goal (-104) – ½ unit
- Oilers (full game) -1.5 goals (-140) – ½ unit
- Oilers Team Total Over 4.5 (+102) – ½ unit
- Podkolzin 3+ shots/Oilers -1.5 goals/McDavid 2+ points (+436) – ½ unit
- Podkolzin 3+ shots on goal (+225) – ½ unit
- Draisaitl anytime goal (-135) – 1 unit
- Draisaitl 2+ goals (+400) – ¼ unit
- Boeser 1+ point (-113) – 1 unit
