NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Here are today’s NHL predictions and best bets.
Pittsburgh Penguins (8-3-2) at Toronto Maple Leafs (6-5-1)
Betting Line: (Toronto -176, 6.5)
7:30 p.m. ET – Amazon Prime Canada, NHL Network
The Maple Leafs kick off a four-game homestand tonight as they host the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Maple Leafs have won three of their four games overall but will be without two key players tonight: defenseman Chris Tanev (upper body injury) and forward William Nylander (lower body). The injury to Nylander has opened a spot for Nick Robertson on the top line with Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies. Robertson has goals in back-to-back games and Knies has points and assists in four consecutive games. Knies has also enjoyed success playing against Pittsburgh with five goals in six games and two goals in three games versus Pens’ projected starting goalie, Tristan Jarry. John Tavares is riding a seven-game point streak and has picked up an assist in four of the last five games. Toronto has also been a very profitable team to the full game going Over the total. Their last seven games have gone Over the total. Overall, they are 10-2 this season to the Over.
The Penguins have been one of the league’s biggest surprises to start the season (8-3-2), tied with the New Jersey Devils for top spot in the Metropolitan Division and tied with New Jersey, Montreal and Detroit for most points in the Eastern Conference. Only the Winnipeg Jets (19) have more points than the Penguins to start the season. At 39 years old, Geno Malkin is telling people around the league that he still has a lot left in the tank. Malkin’s 18 points (three goals, 15 assists) lead the team in points. Sidney Crosby leads the team in goals (nine) and is second on the team in points (16). Malkin scored twice on Leafs’ projected starting goalie, Anthony Stolarz, in the three games he has faced him. He has also recorded an assist in back-to-back games and four of the last five games. Erik Karlsson is second on the team in assists (10) but is still in search of his first goal of the season. Karlsson has four goals in the previous seven games he has faced Stolarz.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Pittsburgh Penguins/Toronto Maple Leafs Over 6.5 (-110) – 1 unit
Malkin assist/Karlsson point (+228) .10 units
Matthew Knies anytime goal (+180) – .10 units
John Tavares assist (+106) – .10 units
Edmonton Oilers (6-4-3) at St. Louis Blues (3-7-2)
Betting Line: (Edmonton -145, 6.5)
8:30 p.m. ET
While the Pittsburgh Penguins have been one of the league’s pleasant surprises, the St. Louis Blues have been one of the biggest disappointments. The Blues have dropped seven straight games; they are tied with Calgary for dead last in the league and are six points out of a playoff spot. While some in the hockey world say that if you are not in a playoff spot by US Thanksgiving, you are likely not to make the playoffs, Elliotte Friedman from Hockey Night in Canada has November 1 as the cutoff point. In the salary cap era, only 10 of 72 teams (14%) that have been four points or more out of a playoff spot after games played on November 1 have made it to the postseason. The Blues, six points out of a playoff spot on November 1, were one of three teams (San Jose and Calgary) to be below the cut-off line.
Injuries to key forwards Robert Thomas and Jake Neighbours have added to the woes of the Blues, and it would be nice if goalies Jordan Binnington and Joel Hofer could make a few more saves. After giving up four or more goals in six of their first seven losses, the Blues have tightened things up a little, giving up three to Columbus on Saturday and three to Vancouver in the game prior. Early goals have been a common thread to the Blues games with the first period Over 1.5 goals cashing in six straight games. The Both Teams to Score prop has been a winner in each of their last four games. Edmonton has not scored a goal in the opening 20 minutes in their last four games. The Oilers have owned the Blues of late, winning three straight and four of the last five. Three of the last five and four of the last six times they have met have seen their games going past regulation. The Oilers have not been strangers to playing “free hockey” with three of their last four games needing extra time. The Oilers are 2-5 this season as a road favorite.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Jack Roslovic assist (+106) – .25 units
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins assist (+116) – .25 units
Regulation Draw (+330) – .10 units
Vancouver Canucks (6-7-0) at Nashville (5-6-2)
Betting Line: (Nashville -120, 5.5)
8:30 p.m. ET
There is not much to say about these two teams other than Nashville stinks and Vancouver has been decimated by injury. The Canucks could get Quinn Hughes back tonight, and if so, I will target his shots on goal prop. I have no interest in playing a side or total in this game but will target a couple of player props that are currently available.
Vancouver’s Kiefer Sherwood leads the team with nine goals, and he is playing against his former team. We are getting a nice plus price (+275) on Sherwood to score a goal tonight. A couple of Nashville props that are on my card tonight include Luke Evangelista shots on goal prop, a Matthew Wood goal prop, and possibly a Steven Stamkos anytime goal prop. Evangelista has cashed his shots prop (Over 1.5) in three straight and seven of his last 10 games. Playing on the top line and number one power play has helped make this prop play very profitable. Matthew Wood has goals in consecutive games and plays on the Preds’ number two power play. If Kevin Lankinen gets the start tonight for Vancouver, then I will be on a Stamkos anytime goal prop. Stamkos has five goals in six games against Lankinen but just one goal in seven games against Thatcher Demko.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Kiefer Sherwood anytime goal (+275) – .10 units
Matthew Wood anytime goal (+400) – .10 units
Luke Evangelista Over 1.5 shots on goal (-135) – .75 units
Luke Evangelista Over ½ point (+135) – .20 units
