NHL Predictions – Monday, November 18:

The countdown continues tonight in Utah as Alexander Ovechkin continues his chase of Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goal mark of 894. The Great Eight had the 31st hat trick of his NHL career on Sunday night in Vegas and is 29 goals shy of taking the mantle from the Great One. Ovi’s 13 goals for the season ties him with Leon Draisaitl and Sam Reinhart for the most goals in the NHL. The Colorado Avalanche are in the City of Brotherly Love tonight when they face the Flyers and a highly motivated Nathan MacKinnon. MacKinnon was held without a point and a shot on goal in the Avs loss to Washington on Friday. Finally, in Montreal, Connor McDavid continues the chase to 2000 points, just 997 points away. Don’t believe Connor gets to 2000 tonight, but he faces a Canadiens team that is 31st in goals against and gives up just under four goals a game. Enjoy the night on ice. Here are tonight’s NHL predictions.

 

Colorado Avalanche (-160; 6.5) at Philadelphia Flyers 

7:00 p.m. ET 

The Avs three-game win streak ended last Friday at the hands of the Washinton Capitals. For the first time in 78 games, Nathan MacKinnon was held without a shot on goal and was held pointless for only the second time this season. In his last nine games after being held without a point, MacKinnon has followed up with a multi-point game six times, including his four-point night and seven shots on goal against the Carolina Hurricanes just nine days ago. The Avs are getting healthy bodies back as both Jonathan Drouin and Val Nichushkin returned to the lineup in Friday’s loss to the Caps. Both looked a little rusty and were held without a point. Drouin was a (-2) and Nichushkin a (-3). The first game back can be tough for the returning player trying to adjust to the speed of the game and their teammates thinking that everything will immediately go back to normal. Look for better results from both players tonight. 

The Flyers have won three straight and four of their last five following a 5-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres. Rookie Matvei Michkov has responded to his two-game benching with two goals, six points and a shootout winner in the following three games. Sixes are wild for Flyers leading scorer, Travis Konecny. Konecny has six goals and six assists on his current six-game point streak. For his career, Konecny has 11 points in 11 games versus Colorado. 

Goalie Ivan Fedotov finally appears to be adjusting to life in the NHL. After losing his first three starts of the season and giving up 14 goals in the process, Fedotov has won three straight and given up just seven goals, with four coming in a win over Ottawa. 

Both the Flyers and Avalanche have had the majority of their games going Over the total. The Avs have flown over the total in eight of their last 10 games and 12 of 18 for the season. The Flyers have gone Over in four straight and 11 of their 18 games. Seven of the last 10 meetings between the two have also gone Over the total. 

NHL Predictions:  Colorado Avalanche/Philadelphia Flyers Over 6.5 (-120) – 1 unit
Nathan MacKinnon Over 1.5 points (-120) – 1 unit
Nathan MacKinnon 4+ SOG (-125) – 1 unit
Travis Konecny over ½ assist (+120) – 1 unit
Matvei Michkov over ½ point (+100) – 1 unit 

Edmonton Oilers (-260; 6.5) at Montreal Canadiens

7:30 p.m. ET 

The Edmonton Oilers are not only coming off an overtime loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Still, they now must deal with the loss of defenseman Darnell Nurse, who is out indefinitely after a Ryan Reaves head shot. For his part, Reaves was given a five-game suspension. Edmonton has recalled Josh Brown from their AHL affiliate to fill the spot of the injured Nurse. The Oilers are already thin on the blueline beyond their top pair of Mattias Ekholm and Evan Bouchard. They will be put to the test defensively until Nurse returns or GM Stan Bowman can make a trade or find some help on the waiver wire. 

Edmonton is well-equipped to outscore teams, with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl leading the way. The two superstars are on four-game multi-point streaks; McDavid has 11 points and Draisaitl has eight. The Canadiens rank 31st out of 32 teams in goals against, giving up just under four goals a game. 

Montreal’s dynamic duo of Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield both got back on the scoresheet Saturday after being held pointless in five of their previous six games. 

NHL Predictions: Connor McDavid Over 1.5 points (-120) – 1 unit
Leon Draisaitl Over 1.5 points (+120) – 1 unit
Cole Caufield/Nick Suzuki Over ½ point (parlay) (+133) – 2 units 

Anaheim Ducks at Dallas Stars (-355; 6) 

8:00 p.m. ET 

The Dallas Stars have owned the Anaheim Ducks over the years. Dallas has won nine of the last 12 and 12 of the last 14 meetings between the two teams. The Stars are coming off a hard-fought 2-1 win against the Wild in Minnesota. Fun fact number one of the day: Four of the last five teams to knock off the Wild have lost their next game. Fun Fact number two: NHL home favorites (-200+) coming off a win are 20-2 this season and have scored four or more goals in 21 of the games, covered the puck line in 15 of the 21 wins and won 17 of the 20 games in regulation. 

The Ducks erased a 3-1 deficit and rallied for a 6-4-win last Friday over the Detroit Red Wings. It was just the sixth time this season the Ducks have scored three goals or more. Anaheim has scored two goals or less in 10 of the last 11 meetings versus the Stars. 

NHL Predictions: Dallas Stars -1.5 goals (-142) – 1 unit
Dallas Stars in regulation (-215) – 1 unit
Anaheim TT under 2.5 (-160) – 1 unit
Tyler Seguin Over ½ assist (+140) – 1 unit
Matt Duchene Over ½ assist (+110) – 1 unit 

Washington Capitals (-115; 6) at Utah HC 

9:00 p.m. ET 

There is no denying that the Washington Capitals are for real. The Caps are coming off impressive wins over the Colorado Avalanche and a 4-2 win at Vegas last night. Alexander Ovechkin continues to chip away at Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goal record, recording his 31st career hat trick on Sunday, giving him a team-best 13 goals for the season, 866 for his career and is just 29 goals away from shattering Gretzky’s mark of 894 career goals. Dylan Strome had a pair of helpers, including an assist on Ovechkin’s first goal but was not involved in the final two Ovi goals. Strome’s run of having an assist on Ovechkin’s goals ended at 11. 

The Utah HC has traded wins and losses the last five games and is coming off a disappointing 4-2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights last Friday in a game they had a 2-0 lead. I believe this is a great spot for the Utah HC to come away with a win tonight. The Caps are on the second half of a back-to-back, the third game in four nights and haven’t had time for their bodies to adjust to the high elevation of Utah. This also sets up as a letdown game for Washington after big wins over Colorado and Vegas, two teams that have won two of the last three Stanley Cups. 

NHL Predictions: Utah HC 1st period ML (-120) – ½ unit
Utah HC 1st period -1/2 (+185) – ½ unit
Utah ML (-105) – 1.5 units 

Detroit Red Wings at San Jose Sharks (-147; 6.5) 

10:30 p.m ET 

No deep dive into this contest tonight between the Red Wings and Sharks, who are 26th and 31st overall, respectively. Both teams come into tonight having lost four of five. Three of the last five meetings between the two teams have gone past 60. Two of the last three and three of the last six Sharks games this season have needed overtime to settle a winner. 

San Jose’s Macklin Celebrini has been held off the scoresheet in four straight games. Celebrini has had at least three shots on goal in five of his seven games to start the season. Detroit’s Alex DeBrincat has 16 points (12 assists) in 16 games against the Sharks. 

NHL Predictions:  Macklin Celebrini 3+ SOG (-125) – 1.5 units
Macklin Celebrini anytime goal (+240) – ½ unit
Regulation Draw (+370) – ¼ unit 

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