NHL Odds, Picks & Predictions: Monday (2/3)

Hockey season is in full swing, but there is just one game on the ice today. Let’s dissect it and settle on our best bet.

Our NHL Prop Bet Cheat Sheet assists bettors by comparing lines from leading sportsbooks with our daily projections >>

Monday’s NHL Best Bet

(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)

Ottowa Senators (+100) vs. Nashville Predators (-120) | O/U 5.5 (+115/-105)

The Senators are red hot right now and are coming into this game 9-2-1 over their last 12 games after losing six of their previous seven. This has helped them climb into playoff contention. We've seen the Red Wings and Lighting struggle recently, which has helped Ottawa move into third place in the Atlantic division.

There's a lot of offensive talent, but they've been inconsistent during this run. They've had explosive efforts, including four games with five or more goals, but they've also been shut out twice. The defense has been stepping up, allowing 27.4 shots on goal per game. Anton Forsberg and Leevi Merilainen have stepped up massively in Linus Ullmark's absence, allowing just 1.83 goals per game.

The Predators are trending in the opposite direction, having dropped four straight. Their offense looks terrible on the surface, as they are 30th in goals scored per game (2.61). However, when you look back at the numbers, they could be much better, and their expected goal percentage is 13th (51.51%).

They picked up a lot of talent in the offseason, including Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault, who have performed well, but there hasn't been much support beyond them and Filip Forsberg.

Predators goalie Juuse Saros has been solid, but his .902 save percentage would be the lowest of his career, and it's not enough to support an underperforming offense.

The Senators’ defense should contain Nashville’s struggling offense and the Senators’ offense should get plenty of opportunities against a Predators team allowing nearly 30 shots on goal per game.

Pick: Senators Moneyline (+100)

Make sure to check out our other best bets for Monday: