NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Here are tonight’s NHL predictions and best bets.
Pittsburgh Penguins at Philadelphia Flyers
Pittsburgh (+120) at Philadelphia (-145) – Total 6 (Over, -115)
7:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
The last time these two teams met was Game Six of the opening round of last year’s Stanley Cup playoffs, when the Flyers won 1-0 in overtime and eliminated their cross-state rivals from the playoffs. At 39, Sidney Crosby is entering his 22nd season, and no player has scored more goals (60) and recorded more points (139) against the Flyers than Crosby. So it should come as no surprise that Crosby has been a volume shooter when facing the Flyers, putting up three or more shots on goal in seven of the last nine games against Philly. With Bryan Rust getting injured in the final preseason game, Nick Robertson will join Crosby and Rickard Rakell on the top line. Robertson’s anytime goal prop (+375) offers great value. Dan Vladar will get the start in net for Philadelphia, and that is music to the ears of Rakell and Tommy Novak. Both have three goals in four games against Vladar. Novak is also part of the Penguins’ top power play unit.
A couple of Flyers props for me. Tyson Foerster (six goals, 10 points in 11 games vs. Pittsburgh) and Travis Konecny (30 points, 36 games vs. Pittsburgh) make up two-thirds of the Flyers’ second line. I like them both to pick up a point tonight, and I’ll parlay them to get some plus money. I am also on the Matvei Michkov train. Michkov is coming off a bad season as he was out of shape. Trained hard this summer, losing 30 pounds, and I will target his props in the early going.
I do think we will see goals and lots of them tonight. Six of the last eight meetings have had a combined six goals or more.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Over 6 (-115) – 1 unit
Foerster/Konecny point parlay (+116) – ½ unit
Sidney Crosby Over 2.5 shots on goal (+142) – 1 unit
Crosby/Rakell point parlay (-104) – ½ unit
Nick Robertson anytime goal (+375) – ¼ unit
Tommy Novak anytime goal (+400) – ¼ unit
Matvei Michkov anytime goal (+280) – ¼ unit
Matvei Michkov assist (+190) – ¼ unit
New York Islanders at Toronto Maple Leafs
New York Islanders (+105) at Toronto (-125) – Total 6 (Over, -115)
7:30 p.m. ET
The Maple Leafs will look to avoid an 0-2 start to the season when they host the New York Islanders tonight. Toronto is coming off a 3-2 loss last night on home ice to the Montreal Canadiens and face an Islanders team they have dropped three straight to and eight of the last 10 meetings. One advantage for Toronto is that they do have a regular-season game under their belt, while the Islanders will be playing their first game of the season.
Auston Matthews’ eyes seem to light up when facing the Islanders, as he has scored seven goals in his last seven games versus the Isles and has five goals in seven games against starting goalie Ilya Sorokin. Kirill Marchenko picked up an assist last night and had four shots on goal. I like Marchenko to cash his Over 2.5 shots on goal again tonight. Same for Darryn Raddysh, who cashed his shots on goal prop (Over 2.5), recording three shots.
On the Islanders side, Matthew Schaeffer has registered at least three shots on goal in eight of his last ten and sixteen of his last twenty games. Emil Heineman has goals in three straight games against the Leafs, and Callum Ritchie has two goals in three games against Toronto.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Auston Matthews anytime goal (+140) – 1 unit
Kirill Marchenko Over 2.5 shots on goal (+100) – 1 unit
Darren Raddysh Over 2.5 shots on goal (+108) – 1 unit
Matthew Schaefer Over 2.5 shots on goal (-144) – 1 unit
Toronto Maple Leafs money line (-125) – ½ unit
Emil Heineman anytime goal (+430) – ¼ unit
Callum Ritchie anytime goal (+210) – ¼ unit
