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NHL Betting Odds, Picks & Predictions: Friday (1/20)

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We have a small two-game slate of hockey on Friday with a couple of good matchups. Below, I give out my two best bets for Friday’s NHL slate.

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Check out our other top picks for Friday:

Today’s Best NHL Bets

Here are my two favorite bets for Friday’s small slate.

Ottawa Senators (+135) @ Pittsburgh Penguins (-165) | O/U 6 (-137/+114)

Facing each other for the second time in three days, the Metropolitan Division’s Pittsburgh Penguins host the Atlantic Division’s Ottawa Senators. Wednesday’s matchup saw an abundance of goals scored early and often, a result likely to reoccur on Friday.

There have now been six or more total goals scored in eight of Pittsburgh’s last 12 games, a trend that is likely to continue with goaltender Casey DeSmith slated to start between the pipes once again for the Penguins as Tristan Jarry is still on IR with a lower-body injury.

It has been an underwhelming campaign for DeSmith, who is 6-9-3 with a .904 save percentage (SV%) and 3.21 goals against average (GAA). Based on his metrics, positive regression is unlikely for the Penguins’ netminder.

If he qualified, DeSmith would rank in the bottom half among starting goaltenders in goals saved above expected per 60 minutes (GSAx/60) at 5-on-5. In front of DeSmith is a defense that strongly feels the absences of Kris Letang and Jeff Petry.

At 5-on-5, Pittsburgh ranks just 21st in the league in expected goals against per 60 minutes (xGA/60). The good news for this leaky blue line and DeSmith is that they should get plenty of goal support as the Penguins rank seventh in the league in expected goals for per 60 minutes (xGF/60) at 5-on-5.

In a similar situation, at 5-on-5, Ottawa ranks just 17th in the league in xGA/60 but 10th in xGF/60. Projected to start in the crease for the Sens is goaltender Anton Forsberg, who is 8-9-2 with a .902 SV% and 3.25 GAA this season.

Forsberg enters this contest in especially poor form and possesses a troubling .806 SV% and 5.78 GAA over his last three starts. With two below-average defenses, two struggling goaltenders, and two strong offenses, six or more goals should not be difficult to come by once again.

Best Bet: Over 6.5 (-103 at SugarHouse)

Colorado Avalanche (-155) @ Vancouver Canucks (+125) | O/U 6.5 (-130/+110)

In Friday’s nightcap, there is a Western Conference tilt with the Pacific Division’s Vancouver Canucks hosting the Central Division’s Colorado Avalanche. The embarrassing 3-2 loss to the tanking Chicago Blackhawks seemed to kick things back into gear for the Avs as they have rattled off three straight victories with a +13 goal differential.

This win streak will likely continue in Vancouver as goaltender Alexandar Georgiev is slated to start between the pipes for Colorado. Through 31 appearances in the crease this season, Georgiev is 17-11-3 with a .916 SV% and 2.69 GAA.

Based on his metrics, regression is unlikely for the Avs’ netminder as he ranks 11th among starting goaltenders in GSAx/60 at 5-on-5. In front of Georgiev is one of the better blue lines in hockey, as Colorado ranks sixth in xGA/60 at 5-on-5.

Part of the reason the line is so low for the Avs is that superstar defenseman Cale Makar could potentially miss another game with an undisclosed injury. However, they still beat the Calgary Flames 4-1 without him on Wednesday. Either way, this defense should be fine even if Makar misses the game, as the Canucks’ offense is primed for regression.

At 5-on-5, Vancouver ranks eighth in the league in GF/60 but just 25th in xGF/60. The Canucks will need as much goal support as possible since goaltender Spencer Martin is slated to get the start between the pipes.

Through 25 appearances in the crease this season, he possesses a troubling .877 SV% and 3.89 GAA. Back the road team that boasts the better offense, defense, and goaltender.

Best Bet: Avalanche ML (-155 at BetMGM)

Best of luck!

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Tony Sartori is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Tony, check out his archive and follow him @tony_sartori.