NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Here are today’s NHL predictions and best bets.
Colorado Avalanche (15-1-5) at Chicago Blackhawks (10-7-4)
Betting Line: Colorado (-240) at Chicago (+195) – Total 6.5 (Under, -120)
7 p.m. ET
The Avalanche head into Chicago, fresh off a 3-0 shutout over Nashville on Saturday, extending their winning streak to eight games (six of the eight by two goals or more) and sitting atop the NHL standings with 35 points. The Avs have just six losses on the season, but only one of those has come in regulation. The Blackhawks will look to rebound from a 9-3 trouncing by the Buffalo Sabres on Friday night and have now dropped back-to-back games. Defenseman Connor Murphy labeled the effort against the Sabres “unacceptable,” adding, “there’s no excuse for how we played.” A couple of total plays that are on my card for today. Since opening the season with three straight Unders, the first period Over is on a 13-2 run in Colorado games, while the full game Under between the two teams is 9-1.
On to the player props. The Avs’ Brock Nelson has points in five straight games and captain Gabriel Landeskog (birthday boy) has 34 points in 39 career games against Chicago. Victor Olofsson has eight goals in 10 games against the Blackhawks. Ross Colton has had at least three shots on goal in three consecutive games and seven of his last 10 games.
Chicago’s Tyler Bertuzzi is riding a six-game point streak and has become a goal-scoring machine. Bertuzzi has goals in back-to-back games (three) and nine goals in his past six games, only held without a goal once during this incredible run. He has 19 shots on goal over the six games, and only once has he had fewer than two shots on goal. Frank Nazar has points and assists in four consecutive games.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Chicago Blackhawks/Colorado Avalanche 1st period Over 1.5 (-148) – .75 units
Chicago Blackhawks/Colorado Avalanche Under 6.5 (-120) – .75 units
Regulation Draw (+370) – .25 units
Tyler Bertuzzi anytime goal (+230) – .20 units
Tyler Bertuzzi 1st Hawks goal (+650) – .05 units
Tyler Bertuzzi 1st goal of the game (+1400) – .05 units
Tyler Bertuzzi Over 1.5 SOG (-154) – .25 units
Nelson/Landeskog point parlay (+195) – .25 units
Ross Colton Over 2.5 SOG (+154) – .25 units
Frank Nazar Over ½ assist (+154) – .10 units
Boston Bruins (13-10-0) at San Jose Sharks (10-9-3)
Betting Line: Boston (-135) at San Jose (+115) – Total 6 (Over, -120)
8 p.m. ET
If you are a history major, you are aware of how the Bruins have simply owned the San Jose Sharks over the years, winning 14 of the last 15 meetings. The Sharks put an end to their futility against Boston in their final meeting of the season, a 3-1 win on home ice last March. Low-scoring games have been the norm, with eight of the last 10 meetings having a combined six goals or fewer.
Boston’s Morgan Geekie leads the Bruins with 16 goals, adding two more to the goal totals, scoring both Boston goals in their 2-1 overtime win at LA on Thursday. The Bruins forward has six goals in the B’s last five road games. More importantly, he made readers of this column proud on Thursday as he scored the Bruins’ first goal of the game for the seventh time this season. He scored the Bruins’ first road goal in back-to-back games and four of the last five away from TD Garden as we swept the board with his various goal props.
The Bruins’ David Pastrnak has also enjoyed success against the Sharks with nine goals in 15 games. I am anticipating the Bruins will be firing away with frequency at Sharks goalie Yaroslav Askarov, who has had to make 26 or more saves in eight of his last 10 games. With that, I am on Askarov, over 24.5 saves today. Staying with the Sharks, I am going to stick with their dynamic duo of Will Smith and Macklin Celebrini, each to pick up a point today.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Celebrini/Smith point parlay (-110) – 1 unit
Macklin Celebrini anytime goal (+135) – .10 units
Macklin Celebrini 1st Sharks goal (+430) – .05 units
Yaroslav Askarov Over 24.5 saves (+100) – .50 units
David Pastrnak anytime goal (+105) – .10 units
Morgan Geekie anytime goal (+130) – .20 units
Morgan Geekie 1st Boston goal (+470) – .05 units
