NHL Predictions – Expert Picks on Monday, December 16:
Tonight, it’s a rematch of last year’s Stanley Cup Final between the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers that highlights the three-game NHL card. The Oilers are hot winners of five straight, while the Panthers are coming off being blanked in back-to-back games and have scored just one goal in the last 141 minutes and 9 seconds. The night concludes in Vancouver, where Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet ripped into his team for players not coming ready to play. They better be ready tonight with Nathan MacKinnon and the Avalanche in town. The Avs have won the last four meetings between the two teams. Enjoy the night on ice. Here are tonight’s NHL predictions.
Florida Panthers at Edmonton Oilers (-135, 6)
8:30 p.m. ET
It’s the Stanley Cup rematch tonight in Edmonton, with the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers meeting for the first time since the Panthers won Game 7 and hoisted Lord Stanley.
“It’s a regular-season game in the middle of December, so it’s not as though it’s some type of rematch for the Stanley Cup or anything,” Oilers forward Connor Brown said. “But with that being said, it will be on everybody’s minds on both teams. We’re all going to be aware of that elephant in the room, and I think the intensity and the energy will be up for sure.”
“We went five or six games, and we put up [33] goals, and we put up one on this trip,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said Saturday. “I’m not concerned about our offense or lack of it. Florida was 6-0-1 in the seven games prior to the back-to-back shutouts. Sasha Barkov did not play in Saturday’s loss to Calgary as he was dealing with an illness. Barkov is expected to return for tonight’s game.
The Panthers being shut out in their previous game triggers our systems play of jumping on Goal in the first 10 minutes (37-16) and the first period Over 1.5 goals (33-20). In addition, Florida is 11-4 in first-period Overs on the road and is on a 10-2 run with Goal scored in the first 10 minutes. Florida scored just one goal in the last 141:09.
On the Edmonton side, Leon Draisaitl is tied for the league lead with 22 goals and has five goals in his last five games. Draisaitl leads the Oilers in scoring with 45 points, has five consecutive multipoint games, and has recorded at least two points in 12 of his last 16 games. Draisaitl’s running mate, Connor McDavid, has seven goals and 20 points in his last 11 games.
The Oilers have won five straight and eight of their last nine games. Edmonton is coming off a 6-3 win over Vegas on Saturday. The Oilers were outshot 41-34 and outchanced 89-55 but took advantage of virtually every good scoring chance.
NHL Predictions: Florida Panthers/Edmonton Oilers Goal in the 1st 10 (-154) – 1.5 units
Florida Panthers/Edmonton Oilers 1st Period Over 1.5 Goals (-130) – 1.5 units
Leon Draisaitl Over 1.5 points (+125) – ½ unit
Connor McDavid Over 1.5 points (+100) – ½ unit
Colorado Avalanche (-135, 6) at Vancouver Canucks
10:30 p.m. ET
Rick Tocchet pulled no punches after the Canucks 5-1 loss on Saturday and doubled down following Sunday’s practice regarding the state of his team. “We don’t have the team to have three or four or five passengers,” Tocchet said. “We just don’t have it. Edmonton, they can have four or five guys sleeping, and they’ve got guys that can win the game for him. We are a team that needs everybody to play. That was kind of the most disheartening thing yesterday, you know we had some guys that weren’t ready.”
The Canucks have lost three of their last four and four of their last six games, scoring two goals or less in three of the four losses. Ten of Vancouver’s 15 wins have come away from Rogers Arena. Of their five wins on home ice, only one has come in the situation they find themselves in tonight as a home dog. The Canucks are 1-5 as the home dog this season, giving up four goals or more in each of the five losses. Their opponent tonight, the Colorado Avalanche, has won four of five overall and four straight over Vancouver. The Avs are 8-0 as the road-betting favorite, and they have won all eight games in regulation. Five of the eight wins have been by one goal, and Colorado scored four or more goals in four of the eight wins. Early goals in games involving the Avalanche have been the trend of late. Sixteen of their last 20 games have had a goal scored in the first 10 minutes of the game.
There are a couple of player props that have grabbed my attention. The Canucks Pius Suter has five goals in four games against Colorado goalie, Mackenzie Blackwood. J.T. Miller has 17 points in 20 career games versus the Avs.
On the Colorado side, Mikko Rantanen has 15 assists in 18 career games against Vancouver, and Ross Colton has six points in seven games.
NHL Predictions: Colorado Avalanche/Vancouver Canucks Goal 1st 10 (-160) – 1 unit
Colorado Avalanche in Regulation (+115) – 2 units
Mikko Rantanen Over ½ assist (-148) – ½ unit
J.T. Miller Over ½ assist (+120) – ¼ unit
Ross Colton Over ½ point (+115) – ¼ unit
Pius Suter anytime goal (+340) – ¼ unit
Best of the Rest:
Washington Capitals/Dallas Stars Under 6 (-110) – ½ unit
Washington Capitals/Dallas Stars Regulation Draw (+330) – ¼ unit
