NHL Odds, Picks & Predictions: Tuesday (2/3)
We’re three days from the Olympic break and have seven games to bet on. We’ve been on a roll lately, so let’s keep it going.
Tuesday’s NHL Best Bets & Picks
Ottawa Senators @ Carolina Hurricanes
The Senators (27-21-7) head to Carolina to take on the Hurricanes (34-15-6), who are currently tied with the Lightning for most points in the Eastern Conference. Ottawa has a four-game winning streak and has gone 6-2-2 in its last 10 games, but going into Carolina is a different animal. The Canes are 20-8-2 on home ice with a +23 goal differential, while the Sens struggle on the road in every meaningful category. I think Carolina just has too much firepower for Ottawa to keep up.
Pick: Carolina -1.5 (+145)
Toronto Maple Leafs @ Edmonton Oilers
Heading north of the border, Toronto (26-21-9) takes a trip to Alberta to face Edmonton (28-20-8) in what should be a very high-scoring contest. Six of the last seven matchups between these two teams have gone OVER the total, including their first meeting in December. Neither team is known for its defensive prowess at this point. The Maple Leafs allow the third-most goals per game in the NHL at 3.44; the Oilers aren’t far behind, allowing 3.25 and continuing in goalie purgatory. The fun fact is that these numbers are completely the opposite for their offenses. Edmonton scores 3.45 goals per game, Toronto scores 3.25. It’s what you’d expect from teams led by Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews, I suppose, but still. If you want to get fancy on it, taking the OVER on 7.5 goals is a great payday. But the 6.5 isn’t terribly priced, either. Your pick. Hockey Betting Golden Rule is in full effect.
Pick: OVER 6.5 (-120)
Lean: OVER 7.5 (+160)
Connor McDavid + Nikita Kucherov Over 1.5 Points Each (+190)
I like to do points parlays because you can often get plus money by pairing two players with extremely high chances of picking up a point. Occasionally, though, it’s fun to pair two superstars with excellent matchups in a different way. There are very few players who are hotter than Nikita Kucherov is right now. In his last 15 games, he has scored 2+ points in 12 of them. Connor McDavid hasn’t been on as much of a tear, but he has tallied 2+ in three of his last four. He also likes to show up against the most popular team in Canada, and I expect him to have a great night tonight.