Tampa Bay Lightning (-145) at Winnipeg Jets (-120) – Total 6.5 (Under, -122)
6 p.m. ET
The Jets are coming off back-to-back wins over Montreal and Vancouver, with the offense erupting for 11 goals in the two games. Tampa is coming off a come-from-behind 4-3 overtime win at Minnesota last night. Not even three minutes into the game, the Bolts were down 2-0. They trailed 3-1 early in the third period before tying the game with less than five minutes to play in regulation. Then, Nikita Kucherov snapped a six-game goal drought by scoring the winner in overtime. Look for Kucherov to score again today. He has 14 goals in 25 career games versus the Jets and four goals in six games against Winnipeg goalie Stuart Skinner. Skinner has just one win in six career starts versus Tampa.
A couple of other Tampa players on my radar for today include Brayden Point, who has goals in four of his last five games against the Jets and points in each of his last five games against Winnipeg. He is riding a seven-game points streak overall (and has points in nine of his last 10 games). Jake Guentzel has points in six of his last nine games against Winnipeg and points in 11 of 15 games overall. Anthony Cirelli has three goals on seven shots versus Stuart Skinner.
On the Winnipeg side, Kyle Connor’s 13 goals this season trail only the 16 scored by Leon Draisaitl and Kirill Kaprizov. He has scored in three straight games against Tampa. Four of Alex Iafallo’s five goals against Tampa have come on home ice. The same goes for Morgan Barron, who has scored in three of the last four Jets home games against Tampa. The Jets’ Neal Pionk has had 2+ shots on goal in nine consecutive games.
Tampa has trailed in the first period on the road following a win in seven of its last eight games.
Best Bets:
- Kucherov anytime goal (+165) – ¼ unit
- Guentzel/Point 1+ point each (-124) – 1 unit
- Point anytime goal (+195) – ¼ unit
- Pionk 2+ shots on goal (-115) – 1 unit
- Barron anytime goal (+700) – .10 units
- Connor anytime goal (+150) – ¼ unit
- Iafallo anytime goal (+650) – .10 units
- Cirelli anytime goal (+280) – .10 units
- Jets 1st period ML (+120) – ½ unit
New Jersey Devils (-155) at Toronto Maple Leafs (-130) – Total 6.5 (Under, -125)
7 p.m. ET
The Devils rallied from down 4-2 to start the third period and forced overtime, where Jack Hughes scored the winner in a 5-4 New Jersey victory. In all, the Devils erased three Islanders leads (1-0, 2-1, and 4-2), as they are now 5-1 since trading for Connor Hellebuyck and have won eight of their last nine overall.
The Devils have cashed the full-game Over in six straight and seven of their last nine games, and there is no reason why the Over trend won’t continue tonight. The Maple Leafs have gone Over the total in seven consecutive home games when facing a team on the second half of a back-to-back. The first-period Over 1.5 goals has also cashed in eight straight Leafs games when facing a team on a winning streak (the Devils have won four straight). Toronto has lost four straight first periods following a home loss (they lost at home to Montreal last night).
On to the player props, and I am going to start you off with a shots-on-goal player prop (+1000). Jack Hughes has had 5+ shots on goal in each of his last four games, five of his last six, and seven of his last 10 games versus Toronto. Auston Matthews, who has 21 goals in 23 games against New Jersey, along with 13 goals in 21 games versus Connor Hellebuyck, has been firing pucks at will this season. He has had 4+ shots on goal in eight of his last 10 meetings with New Jersey. Rookie Gavin McKenna has had 2+ shots on goal in four straight games overall, and the Devils’ Luke Evangelista has had 2+ shots on goal in 11 of 14 games this season.
Jack Hughes has seven goals and 15 points in 12 games versus Toronto and three goals in six games versus Leafs starting goalie Anthony Stolarz. Jesper Bratt has an assist in seven of his last eight games and six of his last nine games against Toronto.
It’s hard to bet against New Jersey with how well they’re playing, but it should be noted that the underdog has won six straight meetings between the two teams. I haven’t decided yet on playing the Leafs on the Money Line.
Best Bets:
- Over 6 (-122) – 1 unit
- 1st period Over 1.5 (-132) – 1 unit
- Devils 1st period -½ goal (+140) – ½ unit
- Evangelista 2+/McKenna 2+/J. Hughes 4+/Matthews 4+ SOG parlay (+1000) – ½ unit
- Matthews anytime goal (+155) – 1 unit
- J. Hughes anytime goal (+150) – ¼ unit
- J. Hughes 1+ point/Bratt 1+ assist (+117)
Philadelphia Flyers (-118) at Calgary Flames (-102) – Total 5.5 (Over, -122)
7 p.m. ET
The Flames have lost two straight and four of their last six, but this feels like a great spot for Calgary to get back to its winning ways, as they have won four straight and 13 of the last 17 head-to-head meetings with the Flyers. After losing two of their first three games in the role as the home underdog, the Flames have won four straight as a home dog.
Add to that the fact that the Flyers have dropped 11 straight Sunday night road games dating back to last season and have trailed after the first period in each of their last four road games. The first-period Over 2.5 goals has cashed in three of the last four Flames games when up against a team on a losing streak. Also, give me the Over 5.5 goals, as each of the last four meetings in Calgary has featured a combined six goals or more.
The Flyers also enter tonight having dropped each of their last two games and five of their last six. Philly has dropped seven of its eight road games this season and will turn to former Flames goalie Dan Vladar, who will be making his first career start against Calgary. The Flames will go with Devon Levi, who is making his first start since getting injured against Edmonton back on October 28.
On to the player props. Former Flyer Joel Farabee has goals in five straight at home but is still looking for a goal against his former team. He does have three assists. His linemate, Matt Coronato, has an assist in six of the last seven home games, and Mikael Backlund has goals in five straight at home versus the Flyers. Morgan Frost has an assist in five of the last six home games and two assists in three games versus the Flyers. Philadelphia forward Travis Konecny has goals in four of his last five games against Calgary.
Best Bets:
- Flames ML (+100) – ½ unit
- 1st period Over 1.5 (-120) – ½ unit
- 1st period Over 2.5 goals (+290) – ¼ unit
- Backlund/Coronato/Farabee point parlay (+240) – 1 unit
- Morgan Frost 1+ assist (+210) – ¼ unit
- Konecny anytime goal (+290) – ¼ unit
- Over 5.5 (-120) – 1 unit
