NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Here are today’s NHL predictions and best bets.
Utah Mammoth (9-5-0) at Montreal Canadiens (9-3-2)
Betting Line: (Utah -118, 6.5)
7 p.m. ET
The Utah Mammoth come into Montreal having lost three of their last four games. The Canadiens have dropped two in a row and have gone past regulation in four straight (two wins, two losses), and five of seven. The two that didn’t make it to overtime were decided by one goal. Sam Montembeault gets the start tonight for Montreal and has given up at least three goals in each of his last five starts and has been touched for four goals or more in four of the five. BetMGM offers the Utah team total at Over 3 (-120). Former Montreal Canadiens defenseman Mikhail Sergachev is on a two-game point streak and has points in four of his last five and seven of his last 10 games. He has also earned a point in four of the last five games he has faced his former team. Montreal’s Kirby Dach is on a two-game goal streak (3 goals) and has three goals in five games against Utah goalie Karl Vejmelka. Cole Caufield has put four goals past the Utah netminder.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Regulation Draw (+330) – .10 units
Utah TT over 3 (-120) – 1 unit
Mikhail Sergachev Over ½ point (-105) – .25 units
Cole Caufield anytime goal (+165) – .10 units
Kirby Dach anytime goal (+500) – .10 units
Boston Bruins (9-7-0) at Toronto Maple Leafs (8-5-1)
Betting Line: Toronto (-198, 5.5)
7 p.m. ET – CBC
The Boston Bruins head to Scotiabank Arena to face the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday with eyes on extending their win streak to six. The Maple Leafs have won four straight. Toronto has won the last three meetings with Boston, scoring four goals or more in each game. The Leafs boast the league’s second-best offense and are on a 9-0 run to the Over (full game) and 12-2 for the season. Bruins games have gone Over the total in four of the last six games.
Despite winning four straight and six of seven, the Leafs have given up the first goal in each of the seven games. The Maple Leafs’ Matthew Knies has points (three goals and seven assists) and assists in six consecutive games. In his eight games against the Bruins, he has 10 points (five goals, five points) with all five goals coming against Jeremy Swayman.
The Bruins’ Pavel Zacha has points in five consecutive games and eight of his last 10. Defenseman Charlie McAvoy has an assist in three straight and four of the last five games.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Bruins to score first goal of the game (+115) – .15 units
Bruins to score first goal of first period (+155) – .15 units
Matthew Knies anytime goal (+190) – .10 units
Boston Bruins/Toronto Maple Leafs Over 5.5 (-140) – 1.25 units
Pavel Zacha Over ½ point (-115) – .20 units
Buffalo Sabres (5-5-4) at Carolina Hurricanes (9-4-0)
Betting Line: Carolina (-265, 6.5)
7 p.m. ET
The Sabres have just one win in their past six games and are coming off a 3-0 loss to St. Louis that marked the first time in six games they did not go to overtime. Buffalo has won three of the past four meetings, but all those wins came in Buffalo. The Sabres have lost their last five trips to Carolina, and in four of the five wins, the Canes scored four goals or more and covered the puck line (-1.5 goals) in each of those four wins. Carolina has scored four goals or more in eight of nine wins this season. Hurricanes forward Nikolaj Ehlers has had four shots on goal or more in each of his last three games. Defenseman K’Andre Miller, who returned to the lineup earlier this week against the Minnesota Wild, has had at least two shots on goal in every game. Credit my buddy @bobanobets for turning me on to this prop. A Miller anytime goal prop +600 for a player on the number one power play is outstanding value.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Carolina Team Total Over 3.5 (-138) – 1 unit
Nikolaj Ehlers Over 2.5 shots on goal (-130) – .75 units
Nikolaj Ehlers Over 3.5 shots on goal (+195) – .25 units
K’Andre Miller Over 1.5 shots on goal (+110) – .25 units
K’Andre Miller anytime goal (+600) – .10 units
Anaheim Ducks (9-3-1) at Vegas Golden Knights (7-3-3)
Betting Line: Vegas (-205, 6.5)
10 p.m. ET
The Anaheim Ducks are quickly becoming must-see TV. Tonight, they will be at T-Mobile Arena to face the Vegas Golden Knights. The Ducks are riding a five-game win streak, the latest win a wild 7-5 road victory over Dallas on Thursday. Their offense is explosive, led by young stars like Cutter Gauthier (11 goals, seven assists) and Leo Carlsson (six goals, 14 assists), with veteran Chris Kreider adding timely scoring (including two goals vs. Dallas).
The Ducks have won six of nine as underdogs this year, thriving in high-event games (six of their last eight games have gone Over 6.5 goals). Anaheim is the only team in the NHL scoring an average of more than four goals per game (4.15) and have scored seven goals four times this season, becoming just the third team in 30 years to score seven goals four times in a team’s first 13 games. The Golden Knights are coming off a 6-3 home loss to Tampa on Thursday, but most importantly, they cashed our best bet, the first period Over 1.5 goals. The Knights and Ducks have each cashed the 1st period Over this season in nine of 13 games.
The history between these two teams points to Vegas and the Under. The Knights have won the last four meetings and six of eight and seven of the last eight at T-Mobile. The Under has cashed in five straight overall and six of the last seven. But this is a totally different Anaheim team. We have seen a similar streak come to an end earlier this week when the Blackhawks knocked off Vancouver 5-2, ending an 11-game losing streak to the Canucks. I also love the Anaheim team total and will spread my wager out with three different plays. Keep in mind that Vegas has given up three goals or more in four of their last six games, winning one and losing three. If Anaheim scores three goals tonight and plus money on the Ducks to win the game is available, you should consider a Ducks money line play. They are 9-1 this season, scoring three goals or more.
On to the player props. When it comes to Anaheim, players like Leo Carlsson and Cutter Gauthier make you salivate. Gauthier is on an eight-game point streak (eight goals and seven assists), goals in three straight and six of his last eight games. He has had four or more shots on goal in five of his last six games, and four times in that span, he has had at least six shots on goal. Seven times this season, he has had five plus shots on goal (season high -9). “Uncle Leo” is also riding an eight-game point streak (four goals, 10 assists) and has picked up an assist in seven consecutive games.
On the Vegas side, Noah Hanifan has had at least three shots on goal in each of the three games he has played this season. Thankfully, the books are a little sleepy on his shots prop, Over 2.5 (+162). Ivan Barbashev scored three of the Knights’ last four goals. He plays on their top line and second power play unit, and at (+290) to score a goal, there is value.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Anaheim Ducks ML (+175) – .50 units
Anaheim Ducks Team Total Over 2.5 (-125) – .75 units
Anaheim Ducks Team Total Over 3 (+125) – .50 units
Cutter Gauthier Over 3.5 shots on goal (+110) – .10 units
Cutter Gauthier Over 4.5 shots on goal (+245) – .10 units
Cutter Gauthier goal (+180) – .10 units
Cutter Gauthier point/Carlsson assist (+170) – .25 units
Noah Hanifan Over 2.5 shots on goal (+162) – .75 units
Ivan Barbashev anytime goal (+290) – .10 units
Anaheim Ducks/Vegas Golden Knights 1st period Over 1.5 (-155) – 1 unit
Colorado Avalanche (8-1-5) at Edmonton Oilers (6-5-4)
Betting Line: Colorado (-130, 6.5)
10 p.m. ET – CBC
The Avalanche have been a model of consistency early on, posting just one regulation loss this season. Their plus-13 goal differential is tied with Anaheim and Carolina for the best in the NHL. The Avs rank sixth in the league with 3.6 goals per game, and they’ve been stingy defensively too, allowing the third-fewest goals (2.5 per game). Colorado’s most recent win was a gritty 3-2 home victory over Tampa Bay on Thursday, sparked by Victor Olofsson’s two-goal performance. Olofsson recently recorded a hat trick, giving him five goals in the past four games.
Holding leads has been an issue of late for the Edmonton Oilers as they have squandered two-goal leads three times in their past four games. Thursday night, they led the Dallas Stars, 2-0 and 3-1 in the third period before losing 4-3 in a shootout. Last Monday, they jumped out to a 2-0 lead at St. Louis only to see the Blues score three unanswered to win 3-2 and snap their seven-game losing streak. Finally, a week ago, they had a 3-1 third-period lead at home against the Rangers and lost 4-3 in Overtime.
If you like Colorado to win tonight, maybe wait to see if Edmonton scores first and then jump on the Avs at a better “live line” price. So, where can we find some “plus money” props with all elite players on both sides? How about a Draisaitl/MacKinnon parlay assist prop? Leon has 25 assists in 25 games versus the Avalanche, and MacKinnon has 21 assists in 28 games versus the Oilers.
Edmonton has gone to overtime in three of their last four games and four of their last six and six times overall. The Avalanche have gone past regulation five times this season (three OT, two shootout) and have lost all five games. The last five meetings between these two teams have all been settled in regulation, but prior to that, they played five games that needed extra time to decide a winner.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Regulation Draw (+360) – .10 units
Draisaitl/MacKinnon each over ½ assist (+163) – 1 unit
