NHL Predictions – Expert Picks on Saturday, December 21:
Here are tonight’s NHL predictions:
Columbus Blue Jackets at Philadelphia Flyers (-140, 6.5)
7 p.m. ET
The Flyers have been freefalling of late with just two wins in their past eight games, but one of those wins came against the Columbus Blue Jackets (5-3, Dec. 10). Philly has won five of the last seven meetings between the two teams and has scored four or more goals in five of the wins. The first period Over 1.5 goals has cashed in five of the last six meetings and six of the last nine. Seven of the last meetings have featured a combined seven or more goals.
Philadelphia’s Noah Cates and Travis Konecny appear to have the number of Columbus goalie Elvis Merzlikins. Cates has four goals in five games and Konecny has six goals in eight games versus Elvis.
The Jackets, like the Flyers, have been going through struggles of their own, losing five of six and eight of ten games.
NHL Predictions: Columbus Blue Jackets/Philadelphia Flyers 1st period Over 1.5 (-135) – 1 unit
Columbus Blue Jackets/Philadelphia Flyers Over 6 (-135) – 1 unit
Noah Cates anytime goal (+550) – ¼ unit
Travis Konecny anytime goal (+170) – ½ unit
Matvei Michkov anytime goal (+235) – ¼ unit
NY Islanders at Toronto Maple Leafs (-135, 5.5)
7 p.m. ET
The Islanders travel to Toronto off a pair of losses and have dropped three of their past four games, scoring a goal or less in two of three defeats. The Isles have won the last four meetings against Toronto but have been able to score at least three goals in all four victories.
The Maple Leafs have won three straight and five of their last six games. Toronto finds itself on the second half of a back-to-back tonight following their 6-3 win over the Sabres in Buffalo on Friday. The Leafs have given up three or more goals in four straight and six of the last eight meetings with the Islanders.
These two teams have gone past 60 minutes in two of their last three and six of their last eight contests.
NHL Predictions: New York Islanders TT over 2.5 (-130) – 1 unit
Regulation Draw (+330) – ¼ unit
Detroit Red Wings (-120, 6.5) at Montreal Canadiens
7 p.m. ET
This is the back end of a home and home between the Red Wings and Canadiens, with Montreal winning last night in Detroit 4-3. I am going to stay away from the side in this one as I don’t trust either goalie, especially when it comes to Montreal goalie Cayden Primeau. What I do trust is that we will see goals, goals and more goals tonight.
I tweeted it out earlier: in all 11 games that Primeau has either started or come off the bench, we have had seven or more combined goals. Eight times we have had eight or more goals and seven times we have had nine or more goals.
The Canadiens are on a 9-2 run to the first period Over 1.5 goals. The two teams have gone to Overtime in seven of the last 10 meetings.
A couple of player props to consider. Patrick Laine scored all seven of his goals on the power play. Detroit’s Joe Veleno has four goals in 10 games against the Habs and two goals in three games against Cayden Primeau.
NHL Predictions: Detroit Red Wings/Montreal Canadiens 1st period Over 1.5 (-140) 1 unit
Patrik Laine anytime goal (+185) – ¼ unit
Patrik Laine Power Play Point (+270) – ¼ unit
Lane Hutson Over ½ assist (+110) – ¼ unit
Lane Hutson Power Play point (+350) – ¼ unit
Joe Veleno anytime goal (+650) – ¼ unit
Detroit Red Wings/Montreal Canadiens Over 6 (-135) – 2 units
Detroit Red Wings/Montreal Canadiens Over 7 (+165) – ¼ unit
Detroit Red Wings/Montreal Canadiens Over 8 (+300) – ¼ unit
Best of the Rest:
Dawson Mercer (NJ) anytime goal +310 – ¼ unit
Bryan Rust (Pitt) anytime goal (+190) – ¼ unit
Penguins 1st period ML (+145) – ½ unit
Tim Stutzle (Ottawa) Over ½ assist (+110) – 1 unit
Vegas Golden Knights in Regulation (-135) – 1 unit
Pavel Dorofeyev Over 2.5 SOG (-125) – 2 units
