NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Here are today’s NHL predictions and best bets.
Los Angeles Kings (8-5-4) at Toronto Maple Leafs (8-8-1)
Betting Line: LA Kings (-120, 6)
7 p.m. ET
The Los Angeles Kings take the league’s second-best road record (7-1-2) into Toronto and face a banged-up Maple Leafs team that saw both Auston Matthews (upper body) and Anthony Stolarz (lower body) forced to leave Tuesday’s loss to Boston with injuries. The Leafs have announced that Matthews will miss a couple of games, and the team has recalled goalie Artur Akhtyamov. Toronto is without defenseman Chris Tanev and forward Scott Laughton. Dennis Hildeby, who came off the bench in each of the last two games to replace Stolarz, will get the start. Tonight is the first time since December 19, 2015, that the Kings are a road betting favorite in Toronto, and it is the first time in 13 home games this season that the Maple Leafs are a home underdog. Over the past two seasons, Toronto is 8-5 in the role of a home dog.
In Tuesday’s Kings game at Montreal, we rode the Adrian Kempe/Anze Kopitar point parlay prop, and with it being available again today at plus money, I will run it back again for tonight’s game. Corey Perry has yet to go consecutive games without a point, so I will take both his goal and assist prop and look to at least go 1-1. As long as he cashes one of the two, it is more profitable than just taking Perry to pick up a point. Defenseman Brandt Clarke has had at least two shots on goal in three consecutive games, four of five and eight of the last 10 contests. Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly is on a six-game point and assist streak.
Though the absence of Auston Matthews potentially affects this game going Over the total (6 goals), who am I to pass on a Leafs team that has gone Over in 12 straight and 15 of their 17 games this season? Lastly, I will be playing the regulation draw in this and every game tonight and in the future until the results say otherwise. If you played every game to go to overtime this season, you would be up well over 30 units, including 26 units in the month of November. 28 of the 91 games this month have gone past regulation. The average payout for wagering on a game to go to overtime is +320. If you take the 28 wins and multiply that by 320, that equals 8960. You then subtract the 63 losses (based on $100 wager) and you are ahead 2660.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Adrian Kempe/Anze Kopitar point parlay (+104) – 1 unit
Los Angeles Kings Team Total Over 3.5 (+135) – .50 units
Morgan Rielly Over ½ assist (+138) – .20 units
Corey Perry anytime goal (+300), Over ½ assist (+230) – each .10 units
Brandt Clarke Over 1.5 shots on goal (-144) – .50 units
Regulation Draw (+340) – .10 units
Dallas Stars (10-4-3) at Montreal Canadiens (10-4-2)
Betting Line: Montreal (-115, 5.5)
7 p.m. ET
Dallas rides a three-game win streak into this matchup, including a 3-2 OT victory over Ottawa on Tuesday, rallying from down 2-0. The Canadiens are coming off a 5-1 loss on Tuesday to the Los Angeles Kings and have now dropped three of their last four games. Jakub Dobes starts tonight for Montreal. Dobes saw his six-game winning streak to start the season come to an end in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Devils last Thursday. He has given up three or more goals in each of his last four starts and four each in his previous two games. He has also given up the first goal of the game in 19 of his 24 career starts. Montreal has gone to overtime in seven of their last 13 games. The Dallas Stars have gone past 60 minutes in four of their last seven games. Montreal has also played eight consecutive games that have gone Over the betting total.
When it comes to Dallas, defenseman Miro Heiskanen has become such a giver with four consecutive multi-assist games (2,2,2,4) and is on a five-game point streak with a goal and 10 assists. Heiskanen is also doing it at the defensive end, cashing his blocked shots prop (Over 1.5) in six straight games. Roope Hintz and Jason Robertson are on a roll on both the Stars’ second line and top power play unit. Hintz has points in four straight, seven of his last 10 games, as well as seven points in 10 games against the Canadiens. Jason Robertson has points in back-to-back games and four of his last five, and seven points in eight games against the Canadiens.
The road team is 8-1 in the last nine meetings.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Dallas Stars/Montreal Canadiens Over 5.5 (-120) – 1 unit
Miro Heiskanen Over 1.5 blocked shots (-120) – .50 unit
Miro Heiskanen Over ½ assist (-115) – .50 unit
Miro Heiskanen Over 1.5 pts (+370) – .25 units
Miro Heiskanen Over 1.5 assists (+500) – .20 units
Roope Hintz/Jason Robertson point prop parlay (+109) – .35 units
Dallas to score the first goal of the game (-110) .25 units
Dallas Team Total Over 2.5 (-146) – .35 units
Regulation Draw (+320) – .10 units
Boston Bruins (11-7-0) at Ottawa Senators (8-5-4)
Betting Line: Ottawa (-170, 6)
7 p.m. ET
The Boston Bruins head into Ottawa tonight, owners of the NHL’s longest current win streak (seven games). They face a Senators team that they defeated 3-2 in overtime just seven days ago in Boston. Ottawa won the previous meeting on home ice, 7-2. The Sens are coming off a disappointing 3-2 overtime loss to the Dallas Stars on Tuesday, giving up three unanswered goals and putting an end to a mini two-game winning streak. It was the fifth time in the last six games the Sens have gone to overtime, and they are 2-3 in those games. With Ottawa going to overtime with this type of frequency and just one regulation win in their last seven games, the Bruins are worth a shot at a good “plus price.” Leevi Merilainen will get the start tonight for Ottawa. He has given up just two goals (both victories) in each of his last two starts, including the 7-2 win over these same Bruins.
Let’s talk about player props. The Bruins Viktor Arvidsson has 11 points (eight goals, three assists) in 11 games versus the Senators, Tanner Jeannot has nine points (four goals, five assists) in 12 career games against Ottawa, Morgan Geekie (four goals, four assists) has eight points in 12 games versus the Sens and Charlie McAvoy who is on a four game assist streak has 13 helpers in 22 career games versus Ottawa. Joonas Korpisalo gets the start tonight. He is 7-2-1 in his career against Ottawa.
On the Ottawa side, Drake Batherson (17 points/16 games) and Tim Stutzle (15 points/16 games) have both had their way with the Bruins in their career. Former LA Kings defenseman has made an impact when given the chance to play this season for Ottawa with seven points (one goal, six assists) in eight games. I have not seen an assist or point prop available for Jordan Spence, so I will grab his anytime goal prop.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Boston Bruins ML (+145) – .25 units
Viktor Arvidsson anytime goal (+250), Over ½ assist (+255) – .10 units each
Tanner Jeannot anytime goal (+850) – .10 units
Morgan Geekie anytime goal (+190), Over ½ assist (+164) – .10 units each
Charlie McAvoy assist (+112) – .10 units
Tim Stutzle/Drake Batherson point parlay prop (-112) – .50 units
Jordan Spence anytime goal (+1100) – .10 units
Michael Amadio anytime goal (+450) – .10 units
Regulation Draw (+350) – .10 units
Anaheim Ducks (11-4-1) at Detroit Red Wings (9-7-0)
Betting Line: Detroit (-145, 6.5)
7 p.m. ET
The Ducks come to Detroit looking to start a new winning streak after the Colorado Avalanche snapped Anaheim’s seven-game heater on Tuesday night with a 4-1 victory over the Ducks. This is the second meeting between the two teams, with Anaheim coming away with a 5-2 win, spoiling the return of Ducks goalie John Gibson. Gibson will get another shot at his former team tonight.
After starting the season with eight wins in their first 11 games, the Red Wings have lost three straight and four of their last five games, scoring four goals in the losses. Their last two wins have come in a shootout. To try and shake things up, head coach Todd McLellan has shuffled his lines, moving Alex DeBrincat to the top line with Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond, and he slid rookie Emmitt Finnie to the second line with Patrick Kane and J.T. Compher. The net must look 20 feet wide when DeBrincat plays Anaheim, as he has 16 goals in 19 games against Anaheim and six goals in six games versus Ducks projected starter, Lukas Dostal.
The Ducks’ Leo Carlsson has not slowed down for a minute. He is tied for second in the league in points (26) with Connor Bedard and Macklin Celebrini, aided by his 11-game points streak (9 goals, 11 assists). He also has goals in four straight (6 total). Carlsson’s linemate, Troy Terry is on a five-game assist streak (seven). Michigan native Jacob Trouba has four goals in his last 10 games.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Alex DeBrincat anytime goal (+155) – .10 units
Leo Carlsson anytime goal (+200) – .10 units
Chris Kreider point/Terry Assist (+176) – .20 units
Jacob Trouba anytime goal (+1200) – .10 units
Regulation Draw (+350) – .10 units
Buffalo Sabres (5-7-4) at Colorado Avalanche (11-1-5)
Betting Line: Colorado (-380, 6.5)
9 p.m. ET
Not a deep dive for me when it comes to this game. The Sabres are depleted with injuries, as I mentioned yesterday when breaking down their game against Utah. Now they come into the thin air of Denver without any rest and face an Avalanche team that averages an NHL-best four goals a game. With the Avalanche being almost a 4/1 favorite on the Money Line and the Puck Line (-1.5 goals,-148) not offering much value either, here is how I will approach the game. I will take the Avalanche on the first period Puck Line (-1/2 goal) with the thought process being that the Avs will have fresh legs and Buffalo will have a tough time adjusting to the thin air of Denver, even after playing in altitude last night in Utah. The Sabres have lost three consecutive games, all by three goals, so if you wanted to grab Colorado on the alternate Puck Line (-2.5 goals, +124) that is not a bad option, but I will stick with Colorado to win the first period. In this game, I will not bet the draw. My luck it cashes. I will toss in a Sabres prop play. Former Colorado defenseman Bowen Byram faces his former team for the fourth time. He has a goal and an assist in the three previous games.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Colorado Avalanche 1st period -1/2 goal (-110) – 3 units
Bowen Byram Over ½ point (+135) – .10 units
