NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Here are today’s NHL predictions and best bets.
Toronto Maple Leafs (5-4-1) at Columbus Blue Jackets (5-4-0)
Betting Line: (Columbus, -115, 6.5), Sportsnet 1, NHL Network
7:30 p.m. ET
The Toronto Maple Leafs visit Nationwide Arena to face the Columbus Blue Jackets in the only game on the NHL card tonight after all 32 teams were in action last night. Both teams are coming off victories on Tuesday. Columbus has won back-to-back games and four of their last five. Toronto is also on a two-game win streak after dropping their previous three games. Last night, it was Max Domi’s goal with 2:04 left in regulation that gave the Maple Leafs the win. Columbus rallied from down 2-1 to beat Buffalo on Tuesday. Miles Wood scored the tying goal and added the OT winner for the 4-3 victory.
Tonight’s goaltending matchup features Elvis Merzlikins for Columbus and Cayden Primeau for Toronto. Here is what you need to know about Primeau. Both his starts this season have gone Over the total of 6.5 (7,11), and dating back to last season, it’s 12 consecutive games going Over the total (seven goals or more). For his part, Primeau has surrendered three or more goals in all 12 starts. The opposition has scored four or more goals in nine of his last 12 starts. Columbus games have gone over the total only three times in nine games to start the season, but their last two games both had a combined seven goals or more.
The Blue Jackets’ Kent Johnson (four goals, eight points in eight games vs. Toronto) and Adam Fantilli (four goals, one assist in six games vs. Toronto) have had success playing against the Maple Leafs. Jackets center, Sean Monahan has had at least two shots on goal in three consecutive games and six of nine to start the season. He has had at least two or more shots on goal in his last five meetings against the Leafs. Teammate Kirill Marchenko has had at least three shots on goal in five straight games and all but one of the Jackets’ nine games this season.
William Nylander (six-game point streak) has 10 goals and 20 points in 22 games versus the Blue Jackets, Auston Matthews has 25 points in 18 games versus Columbus and John Tavares, one goal shy of career number 500, is on a five-game point streak.
A couple of longshot goal props on the card for today. Toronto’s Nick Robertson has four goals in seven games against Columbus, and the Jackets’ Charlie Coyle has two goals in three games against Cayden Primeau.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Kiriill Marchenko Over 2.5 shots on goal/Monahan Over 1.5 shots on goal (+152) – .25 units
Columbus Blue Jackets Team Total Over 3 (-145) – 3 units
Toronto Maple Leafs/Columbus Blue Jackets Over 6.5 (-120) – 1 unit
Matthews/Nylander/Tavares each Over ½ point (+146) – .25 units
Nic Robertson anytime goal (+550) – .10 units
Charlie Coyle anytime goal (+500) – .10 units
