NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Here are tonight’s NHL predictions and best bets.
Buffalo Sabers vs. Montreal Canadiens (-155)
Buffalo (+130) at Montreal (-155) – Total 6.5 (Under, -115)
6:30 p.m. ET
After being outscored 8-1 in their previous two games, the Sabers scored five goals Monday in a 5-3 victory over the Florida Panthers. The loss came at a cost, as number one defender Rasmus Dahlin left the game due to injury after playing just over nine minutes. Dahlin did not make the trip to Montreal. For Buffalo, this will be the end of a back-to-back and the third game in four days. The Canadiens have been out since Saturday’s 1-0 shootout victory over the Detroit Red Wings, with Jacob Fowler stopping all 30 shots.
I’m going to leave aside picking a winner for this game and instead target a few player props. Montreal defender Lane Hutson has recorded at least two shots on goal in four consecutive games and five of his last six games. Hutson had 11 assists in eight games against Buffalo. Cole Caufield has 10 goals and 18 points in 18 career games against Buffalo, as well as three goals in five games against Sabers goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. His teammates Josh Anderson and Nick Suzuki also scored three goals in five games against UPL.
Tage Thompson has 12 goals in 20 games against the Canadiens.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Lane Hutson 2+ shots on goal (-110) – ½ unit
Assist Lane Hutson/point Cole Caufield (+108) – 1 unit
Cole Caufield goals at any time (+120) – ¼ unit
Josh Anderson Goal Anytime (+480) – ¼ unit
Nick Suzuki Goal Anytime (+195) – ¼ unit
Tage Thompson Goal Anytime (+150) – ¼ unit
Washington Capitals vs. Carolina Hurricanes
Washington (+135) at Carolina (-160) – Total 6 (Over, -120)
6:45 p.m. ET
This is the second meeting this season between these Metro division rivals. The Capitals beat the Hurricanes 5-2 in Carolina on Oct. 2 and have won five of the last seven meetings. I don’t like this spot for the Caps, who will be without center Pierre-Luc Dubois and possibly Alex Tuch. Both were key contributors in the previous meeting, Tuch with two goals and Dubois with two assists. One Washington prop I’ll be on tonight is Ryan Leonard and Boone Jenner both recording at least two shots on goal. Leonard has recorded two or more shots on goal in 15 straight games and 18 of 19 dating back to last season. Jenner has two shots on goal in five straight games overall and three shots on goal in five of his last seven against the Canes.
On the Carolina side, I will get their two top scorers, Sebastian Aho (six goals, 11 points) and Andrei Svechnikov (four goals, eight points), in a point parlay and Jordan Martinook who will score for the fifth consecutive game.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Leonard/Jenner each 2+ shots on goal (+177) – 1.5 units
Sebastian Aho/Andrei Svechnikov points parlay (-115) – 1 unit
Jordan Martinook goals at any time (+525) – ¼ unit
Hurricanes in regulation (+100) – 2 units
Tampa Bay Lightning vs. New York Rangers
Tampa Bay (-160) at New York Rangers (-135) – Total 6 (-110)
7:15 p.m. ET
The Lightning will look to avenge their only loss of the young season, a 5-1 defeat on October 1. Since then, Tampa Bay has won four straight in total, scoring the first goal of the first period in all four games, outscoring its opponents 7-0. Keeping it simple and taking the Bolts to win the first half and the game in regulation.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Tampa Bay Lightning 1st period washer line (+150) – 1 unit
Tampa Bay Lightning in regulation (+100) – 1 unit
St. Louis Blues vs. Ottawa Senators (-115)
St. Louis (-105) at Ottawa (-115) – Total 5.5 (Over, -120)
7:30 p.m. ET
The Sens are coming off a 4-1 win in New Jersey on Monday night and will now face the Blues in the second half of a back-to-back and their third game in four days. While Linus Ullmark will start Monday night, it will be Samuel Ersson in the Ottawa goal this evening. Ottawa is still struggling on the blue line as Jake Sanderson and Artem Zub remain out of the lineup. The guard suffered another blow in New Jersey, with Nikolas Matinpalo injured following a nasty hit from the Devils’ Anthony Mantha.
The Blues are off since Saturday’s 5-3 win over Columbus and have a clear rest advantage over Ottawa. I like this spot for the road team and I’ll catch the Blues on the money line. A few accessories work for me. I’ll exploit the Blues’ top line of Dylan Holloway, Jimmy Snuggerud and Robert Thomas for a point. The trio also makes up three-fifths of the Blues’ best power play unit. Mason McTavish has recorded at least two shots on goal in all five games this season and nine straight regular season games dating back to last season.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
St. Louis Blues money line (-105) – 1 unit
Robert Thomas/Dylan Holloway/Jimmy Snuggerud each for one point (+166) – ½ unit
Macon McTavish 2+ shots on goal (-150) – 1 unit
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Chicago Blackhawks
Pittsburgh (-150) at Blackhawks (-125) – Total 6.5 (Under, -115)
8 p.m. ET
The big storyline in Chicago tonight is the start of Blackhawks star Connor Bedard’s season after missing all of training camp and the first six games of the season with a shoulder injury. I always like to target high-end players to cash in on their shot after a long absence because they like to feel the puck on their stick and get back into rhythm as quickly as possible. You can grab Bedard to have 4+ shots with more money or follow my approach and target Bedard for 3+ shots and play him with Ben Kindel of the Penguins for 2+ shots. Kindel has had two or more shots on goal in all five games this season.
Tonight is the first of four road games for the Penguins, who have Vegas, Colorado and Utah on the horizon. A loss tonight and Pittsburgh risks getting swept on the road trip. I like the Penguins to come away with the win tonight, but will play their team total (Over 3.5, -106). Pittsburgh has scored four or more goals in two of its three wins this season (38 of 41 wins last season), and the Hawks have allowed four or more goals in each of their five losses. Finally, I’m on a points parlay between Sidney Crosby and Bryan Rust.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Penguins team total above 3.5 (-106) – 1.5 units
Connor Bedard 3+ shots/Ben Kindel 2+ shots (+138) – 1 unit
Sidney Crosby/Bryan Rust points parlay (-106) – 1 unit
Minnesota Wild vs. Winnipeg Jets
Minnesota (-110) at Winnipeg (-110) – Total 6 (Over, -122)
8:15 p.m. ET
This is simply a horrible spot for the Wild and a good opportunity for the Jets to come away with a win. The Wild are coming off a 4-2 home win Monday night against the Vegas Golden Knights and will now travel to Winnipeg for their third game in four days. So it’s back to back for the Wild, who have just won big victories against Florida and Vegas. Although the Jets are a division rival, I consider this a disappointment.
While Jesper Wallstedt will get the start Monday night, tonight will mark the season debut for backup goaltender Calvin Pickard. Still no Connor Hellebuyck for the Jets in front of the post, so it will be Stuart Skinner for Winnipeg. Interestingly, Skinner and Pickard were the goaltending tandem in Edmonton until Skinner was traded to Pittsburgh last season.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Winnipeg Jets ML (-110) – 1 unit
The best of the rest:
New York Islanders team total over 3.5 (-125) – 1 unit
Macklin Celebrini (San Jose)/David Pastrnak (Boston) each 3+ shots on goal (-112) – 2 units
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