NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Here are today’s NHL predictions and best bets.
Dallas Stars (17-5-5) at New Jersey Devils (16-9-1)
Betting Line: Stars (-115) at Devils (-105) – Total 5.5 (Over, -130)
7 p.m. ET
The Stars make the short trip from Manhattan to Jersey following a 3-2 overtime loss to the Rangers. They face a Devils team that has lost back-to-back games by identical 5-3 scores. The Stars lost more than the game last night; word just came out that Tyler Seguin, who exited last night’s game before its conclusion, could be done for the season with an ACL injury. Seguin has seven goals and 17 points for the Stars. Look for Sam Steel to be elevated to the second line in Seguin’s spot.
Dallas has won their last four trips to Jersey and scored four or more goals in each of those victories. Jacob Markstrom gets the start for New Jersey, and that is music to the ears for Jason Robertson, who doesn’t need any help to score but does have seven goals in the nine games he has gone up against Markstrom. Wyatt Johnston has points in each of his last three games and has enjoyed success against both Markstrom and the Devils. Johnston has four goals in six games against Markstrom and four goals and eight points in six games versus New Jersey. Roope Hintz is right there with his teammates, registering 11 points in 11 games versus the Devils.
The Devils’ top line of Nico Hischier, Jesper Bratt and Timo Meier has been carrying the Devils this season. Both Hischier (six goals, six assists) and Meier (five goals, three assists) are riding six-game point streaks. Bratt has eight assists in the past six games. Meier has 18 points in 18 games versus the Stars and four goals in five games against Jake Oettinger. Meier has also scored goals in back-to-back games. Hischier has nine points in 13 games against the Stars, and Bratt has 11 points in 13 games versus Dallas.
The first period Over 1.5 goals has cashed in each of the last four games with Markstrom between the pipes and in each of the last three games for Jake Oettinger. When it comes to the full game Over, Markstrom’s last five games have combined for six or more goals in four of the last five and in four consecutive games involving Jake Oettinger.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Sam Steel anytime goal (+600) – .05 units
Jason Robertson anytime goal (+140) – .20 units
Wyatt Johnston anytime goal (+175) – .20 units
Johnston/Robertson point parlay (+106) – .40 units
Hischier/Bratt/Meier point parlay (+122) – .40 units
Timo Meier anytime goal (+160) – .20 units
Timo Meier first Devils goal of the game (+500) – .05 units
Luke Hughes Over ½ assist (+162) – .15 units
Dallas Stars/Devils Over 5.5 (-130) – .50 units
Dallas Stars Team Total Over 3 (-105) – .50 units
Winnipeg Jets (13-12-0) at Montreal Canadiens (13-9-3)
Betting Line: Jets (-120) at Canadiens (+100) – Total 6 (Over, -120)
7 p.m. ET
It’s been rough sledding in Winnipeg for the Jets since Connor Hellebuyck went down with an injury. The Jets have lost five of the six games since Eric Comrie has had to assume the role as the number one goalie, and five of the six games have had a combined six goals or more. Winnipeg is coming off a 5-1 loss at Buffalo on Monday that led to a player-only meeting following the game.
The Canadiens are coming off a 5-2 loss last night at home to Ottawa and have been outscored 12-4 in their past two games. Jakub Dobes gets the start for Montreal after Samuel Montembeault played last night against Ottawa. A Dobes start on most nights would have us play the opposition to score first (given up the first goal in 20 of 28 career starts), but with Eric Comrie at the other end, I could easily see the Canadiens opening the scoring.
The Habs have been one of the best first-period and full game Over teams this season. Montreal is on a 12-5 run to the first period Over 1.5 goals and the full game Over has cashed in 15 of their last 17 games. When it comes to player props, the Canadiens’ Cole Caufield is riding an eight-game point streak and a seven-game assist streak, while teammate Nick Suzuki has points in six consecutive games and an assist in five straight. Suzuki also has 16 points in 19 games versus Winnipeg.
The Jets’ top two point producers, Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor, continue to stay hot. Connor has 26 points (13 goals) in 22 games versus the Canadiens, and Scheifele is on a four-game points streak and has points in eight of his last nine games. Veteran Jets forward Jonathan Toews has eight goals and 16 points in 18 games against the Canadiens, while Gabe Vilardi has points in each of his last four games against Montreal (three multi-point). Defenseman Josh Morrissey has points in 15 of his last 20 games overall and points in three straight against the Canadiens.
A couple of bottom-six forwards caught my eye for the Canadiens when it came to goal props. Josh Anderson has 11 goals in 23 games against Winnipeg and has goals in two of his last three and three in his last five meetings against the Jets. Brendan Gallagher has three goals in the three games he has gone head-to-head with Jets goalie Eric Comrie.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
1stPeriod Over 1.5 goals (-145) – 1 unit
Jets/Canadiens Over 6 (-120) – 1 unit
Josh Anderson anytime goal (+625) – .05 units
Brendan Gallagher anytime goal (+575) – .05 units
Kyle Connor anytime goal (+145) – .15 units
Jonathan Toews anytime goal (+475) – .10 units
Jonathan Toews Over ½ assist (+300) – .10 units
Caufield/Suzuki/Connor/Scheifele pt parlay (+209) – .25 units
Vilardi point/Morrissey assist parlay (+250) – .10 units
Utah Mammoth (12-12-3) at Anaheim Ducks (16-9-1)
Betting Line: Mammoth (-110) at Ducks (-110) – Total 6.5 (Over, -115)
10 p.m. ET
This is stop number four on a six-game road trip for Utah that has seen them drop the first three games of the road trip. Their losing streak extends to four games overall. This is also five games in eight days for the Mammoth, who are also trying to help Clayton Keller cope with the sudden death of his father during the road trip.
The Ducks returned home after a mini two-game road trip that opened with a 5-3 loss at Chicago, in a game they led 2-0 just 47 seconds into the game and gave up five of the next goals of the game. Anaheim rebounded the next day with a 4-1 win at St. Louis and have traded wins and losses in their past seven games. The Ducks last won consecutive games in mid-November with wins over the same Utah Mammoth, followed by a victory over the Boston Bruins.
With goalie Lukas Dostal out till at least the end of the month, veteran goalie Ville Husso will continue to get the bulk of the starts. He has looked good for the most part, but not having been an NHL starter for the majority of his career makes you wonder when he will wear down. Anaheim’s Beckett Sennecke has enjoyed home cooking with points in eight consecutive games at Honda Center. Sennecke has an assist in five consecutive games and eight of his last ten games overall. His linemate, Cutter Gauthier has an assist in three consecutive versus the Mammoth.
I will post additional Ducks player props later today once I know who will start in goal for Utah. The Mammoth’s Mikhail Sergachev has a six-game point and assist streak versus the Ducks. Forward Nick Schmaltz has three goals in five games versus Ville Husso and Nate Schmidt has scored in each of the two games he has faced the Ducks netminder. Both these teams have been strong in the first period, Over 1.5 goals. Utah has cashed in six of their last eight, while Anaheim has done so in five of their last seven.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Mammoth/Ducks 1stPeriod Over 1.5 goals (-150) – .50 units
Sennecke/Gauthier each Over ½ assist (+490) – .25 units
Mikhail Sergachev Over ½ assist (+126) – .25 units
Nick Schmaltz anytime goal (+250) – .10 units
Nate Schmidt anytime goal (+1100) – .05 units
Nate Schmidt Over ½ assist (+240) .05 units
