NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Here are today’s NHL predictions and best bets.
Vegas Golden Knights (24-13-12) at Toronto Maple Leafs (24-17-9)
Golden Knights (-125) at Maple Leafs (+105) – Total 6 (Under, -115)
7 p.m. ET
It is arguably the most anticipated return of a former Maple Leafs player to Toronto as Mitch Marner and the Golden Knights play the Leafs for the second time in eight days. A single ticket for the game tonight on StubHub was listed at $8,311 (Canadian). When the two teams met in Vegas last week, the Golden Knights rallied four times down by two goals, tying the game with seven seconds left in regulation and then winning in overtime on a Mark Stone goal for the 6-5 victory.
Maple Leafs goalie Anthony Stolarz returns tonight and will be making his first start since November 11 in a 5-3 loss to the Boston Bruins. Adin Hill gets the nod for Vegas. Let’s get an early “cash” with the first period Over 1.5 goals. Vegas games have cashed the first period Over in 12 of their last 17 games, and the Maple Leafs in five of their last seven.
On to the player props. The Knights’ Pavel Dorofeyev has had three shots on goal or more in six of his last seven games, and in three straight and five of seven on the second half of back-to-backs. Dorofeyev had four shots on goal when the two teams met last week in Vegas. He has found the back of the net in four of his last six games and scored twice last week against the Leafs. Tomas Hertl has points in four consecutive games, seven of the last nine, and has back-to-back multi-point games against Toronto. Jack Eichel has 17 goals in 22 games versus Toronto.
On the Toronto side, Auston Matthews has 11 goals in 13 games against the Golden Knights and has five shots on goal or more in four of the last six games against the Golden Knights. Matthew Knies has been struggling to get open for a shot on goal. He has had one shot on goal or fewer in 10 consecutive games.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
1st period Over 1.5 goals (-130) – 1 unit
Marner assist/Hertl point (+146) – .25
Vegas Golden Knights Over ½ PPG (-110) – .25
Pavel Dorofeyev anytime goal (+210) – .10
Pavel Dorofeyev Over ½ PP point (+230) – .10
Pavel Dorofeyev Over 2.5 shots on goal (-148) – .25
Jack Eichel anytime goal (+170) – .10
Matthew Knies Under 1.5 shots on goal (-118) – .25
Auston Matthews Over 3.5 shots on goal (+125) – .25
Auston Matthews Over 4.5 shots on goal (+265) – .10
St. Louis Blues (19-23-8) at Dallas Stars (28-14-9)
Blues (+135) at Stars (-160) – Total 5.5 (Over, -125)
8 p.m. ET
Keeping this one simple. The Blues’ Jimmy Snuggerud has had three shots on goal or more in seven consecutive games and at least four shots on goal in five of the past seven. He had four shots in his only meeting against Dallas. The Blues are dead last in the NHL in goals scored, and I am going to pair them up with the Calgary Flames (31st in offense) and play both teams on their alternate team total line.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Jimmy Snuggerud Over 2.5 shots on goal (+100) – 1 unit
Jimmy Snuggerud Over 3.5 shots on goal (+245) – .25
St. Louis Blues TT Under 3.5/Calgary Flames TT Under 3.5 (+100) – 1 unit
Washington Capitals (24-21-6) at Calgary Flames (21-24-5)
Capitals (-130) at Flames (+110) – Total 5.5 (Over, -125)
9 p.m. ET
The Capitals are coming off a loss on Wednesday to the Vancouver Canucks, snapping the Canucks 11-game losing streak. The Flames have dropped back-to-back games, scoring one goal in each of the losses. One Flames player who has been able to find the back of the net is Yegor Sharangovich. Not only has he scored in three of the last four games, but all three goals opened the scoring for Calgary. I gave out Sharangovich on Wednesday for the Flames’ first goal (+1000) and will come back with him again. The price is not as good as Wednesday but still gives us a nice return. The Capitals’ John Carlson has a point in seven of his last nine games and in five straight versus the Flames.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Yegor Sharangovich anytime goal (+275) – .10
Yegor Sharangovich 1stFlames goal (+850) – .05
John Carlson Over ½ point (-105) – .50
St. Louis Blues TT Under 3.5/Calgary Flames TT Under 3.5 (+100) – 1 unit
