NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Here are today’s NHL predictions and best bets.
Ottawa Senators (6-5-2) at Boston Bruins (8-7-0)
Betting Line: Bruins (-134, 6.5)
7 p.m. ET
The Ottawa Senators visit the Boston Bruins, wrapping up a quick rematch after Ottawa’s dominant 7-2 rout of Boston on October 27. This Atlantic Division clash pits Ottawa’s high-octane offense against Boston’s resurgent form, with the Senators favored despite the road tilt. Both teams rank in the top 10 for goals scored but struggle defensively, setting up a potential shootout. Three of the last four meetings between the two teams have had a combined nine goals or more. Ottawa enters off a 4-3 OT loss to Montreal and has hit the over in five straight and 10 of 13 games. Boston has won four straight, including a 4-3 SO thriller over the Islanders. They have cashed the Over in four of their last five games. Boston is 4-2 this season as the home underdog.
When it comes to player props, Ottawa’s Drake Batherson leads the team with 10 assists and has assists in five consecutive games. Ridly Greig and Dylan Cozens play together on the Sens’ second line and top power play. Stacking their point prop, we get a plus money return. With Ottawa owning the league’s worst power play, the Bruins’ Viktor Arvidsson has outstanding value for a point playing on the top unit. Arvidsson is also a strong goal prop, with eight goals in 10 games against the Senators, including a goal in their only meeting this season. Pavel Zacha is riding a four-game point streak, centers the B’s second line and plays on the top power play. I like a Zacha points along with Charlie McAvoy assist prop parlay with McAvoy playing on the top defense pair and number one power play unit. Tanner Jeannot had an assist in the previous meeting this season and has eight points in 11 career games versus Ottawa. I haven’t seen a point prop listed as of this writing, but I would check back later today with your sportsbooks.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Ottawa Senators/Boston Bruins Over 6.5 (+105) – .50 units
Drake Batherson Over ½ assist+108) – .20 units
Ridly Greig/Dylan Cozens point prop (+217) – .20 units
Marat Khusnutdinov anytime goal (+360) – .10 units
Viktor Arvidsson anytime goal (+310) – .10 units
Viktor Arvidsson Over ½ power play point (+450) – .10 units
Pavel Zacha point/Charlie McAvoy assist (+256) – .10 units
Montreal Canadiens (9-3-1) at New Jersey Devils (9-4-0)
Betting Line: New Jersey (-155, 6.5)
7 p.m. ET
The Montreal Canadiens (9-3-1) head to New Jersey to face the Devils, looking to avoid their first two-game losing streak of the season. After winning eight straight, the Devils have lost three of four. Montreal sits atop the Atlantic Division despite a 5-4 shootout loss to Philadelphia, extending their point streak to four games. The Devils are returning home from a four-game western road trip, dropping three of four and giving up 17 goals in the three losses. The Devils are perfect at 5-0-0 at home, but the first game home after an extended road trip is always a tough spot for the home team.
Jakob Markstrom will get the start for New Jersey tonight. In his four starts this season, he has given up 13 goals in his two losses (8,5) and four goals in his two wins. Montreal will go with Jakub Dobes between the pipes. Dobes is 6-0-0 this season, but he has given up three goals in each of his last two starts after giving up just six goals in his first four games. If you have BetMGM available to you, the Canadiens team total Over 3 (+105) is my favorite play in this game. The Devils have won four straight and six of seven versus the Habs, and four of the six games have gone Over the total.
This game does present the Cheesecake Factory menu of player props. Montreal’s Nick Suzuki is riding high with a league-high, 12-game point streak that includes 16 assists. Habs rookie, Ivan Demidov, plays on the Canadiens’ top power play unit and has goals in three of the last four games. Cole Caufield has assists in three straight and at plus money to record a “helper,” I am in. Lane Hutson has assists in six consecutive games. On the Jersey side, Dawson Mercer has points in four straight and eight of the last 10 games. Timo Meir has points in five of his last six and six of his last eight games against the Canadiens. In all, Meier has 14 points in 15 games versus the Habs.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Montreal Canadiens Team Total Over 3 (+105) – 2 units
Ivan Demidov point/Hutson assist (+152) – .10 units
Cole Caufield assist (+130) – .10 units
Ivan Demidov anytime goal (+370) – .10 units
Juraj Slafkovsky point (-114) – .10 units
Timo Meier/Dawson Mercer point parlay (+171) – .20 units
Washington Capitals (7-5-1) at Pittsburgh Penguins (8-4-2)
Betting Line: Washington (-115, 6.5)
7:30 p.m. ET – HULU
The Washington Capitals visit the Pittsburgh Penguins, reigniting one of the NHL’s fiercest rivalries in the first of three Metropolitan Division meetings this season. This will be the 74th regular-season meeting and 99th all-time between Alexander Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby. Ovi, who scored career goal 900 last night against St. Louis, has 38 goals and 30 assists versus Pittsburgh in the regular season. Crosby has 33 goals and 62 assists vs. Washington.
The Capitals snapped a four-game skid last night with a 6-1 demolition of St. Louis last night but now face back-to-back fatigue against a Penguins squad reeling from three losses in four games, including a 4-3 heartbreaker in Toronto on Monday, giving all four goals in the third period. Penguins first-round draft pick, Ben Kindel, scored twice in the loss, including once on the power play. He has five goals in the season. Early this morning, I grabbed his power play point prop (+575), and I am now seeing the odds drop to (+400), which still has excellent value. Veteran forward Geno Malkin has picked up an assist in eight of his last nine games and 11 of 14 overall. Malkin has also picked up a power play point in three straight and four of five games. Defenseman Erik Karlsson has 27 assists in 39 career games against the Capitals.
On the Washington side, Tom Wilson is doing his best to earn a spot on Team Canada for the Olympics in February. Wilson has six goals in his last 10 games, and his eight this season lead the team.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Sidney Crosby/Alex Ovechkin each to score a goal (+482) – .10 units
Alex Ovechkin/Dylan Strome each Over ½ point (-106) – .20 units
Tom Wilson anytime goal (+210) – .10 units
Geno Malkin Over ½ assist (+102) – .25 units
Ben Kindel Over ½ power play point (+400) – .10 units
Ben Kindel anytime goal (+340) – .10 units
