Hockey season is in full swing. There are some intriguing matchups today, so let’s look at the best games to target.
Monday’s NHL Best Bets
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
Pittsburgh Penguins (+160) vs. Los Angeles Kings (-192) | O/U 5.5 (-118/-102)
The Penguins have to decide soon which direction they want this season to go. They've been inconsistent throughout the year and are coming into this game with a recent record of 2-5-3. The defense has been a large problem. They have tried to shake up the goaltending, which included placing Tristan Jarry on waivers. The offense has been regressing and is now scoring fewer than three goals per game, but there could be some optimism as Evgeni Malkin is set to return from injured reserve (IR).
The Penguins could have trouble getting through a Kings defense that is one of the best in the league, as they allow the fewest goals (2.42) and shots per game (24.7). They play aggressively, they'll fight you in the neutral zone and they've allowed the fewest high-danger shots, so opponents are not getting through this blue line. The offense doesn't score a ton, but that defense allows them to be more dominant, which is why they have a 53.1% expected goal percentage (sixth).
That could be different tonight against the Penguins, who have allowed four or more goals in six of their last eight. Los Angeles should do enough while containing Pittsburgh's offense.
Pick: Kings 60-Minute Moneyline (-115)
Minnesota Wild (+190) vs. Colorado Avalanche (-230) | O/U 5.5 (-130/+110)
Colorado made a huge turnaround this season and looks like a contender. They already had the offense set in place but couldn't support the mediocre goaltending. They made a huge move and swapped their primary and secondary goaltenders for two new ones. It's worked well; they have gone 15-5-1 since making the change. It doesn’t hurt when you have one of the best offenses in the league, which includes reigning Hart Trophy winner Nathan MacKinnon, who could win back-to-back Hart Trophy awards thanks to his league-leading 73 points and 56 assists.
The Wild have been in a bit of a rut as they've dropped three straight. They have Filip Gustavsson in net, one of the most valuable goaltenders in the league, as he's sixth in goals saved above expected. The reason for this is that the blue line has been terrible this year and is 27th in shots allowed. It's starting to come undone lately. During this three-game losing streak, they have allowed 37 shots on goal and five goals per game. It's made the offense look worse with a 43% Corsi rate.
That's a good spot for the Avs, who are one of the best at facilitating the puck. They will be able to maneuver past this defense and grab high-danger shots.
Pick: Avalanche -1.5 (+114)
