The second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs resumes on Tuesday with a couple of high-stakes matchups. First, we have the Sabres (1-2) hoping to even up their series on the road against the Canadiens (2-1). Then, we shift out West to Sin City, where the Ducks (2-2) and Golden Knights (2-2) will square off in a pivotal Game 5.
I've got you covered if you're looking to get in on the action tonight. We cashed our lone bet in last night's Avalanche vs. Wild betting preview, and I'm looking to stay hot. Below, I'll touch on the odds, metrics, and important information to get you primed to bet on tonight's NHL slate. Here are my top NHL bets for Tuesday, May 12th.
Tuesday's NHL Best Bets
Odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook
Buffalo Sabres (+115) vs. Montreal Canadiens (-140) | O/U 6.5 (+100/-120)
The Canadiens (2-1) cruised past the Sabres (1-2) 6-2 on Sunday, taking a series lead. They're now out to -250 favorites to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals, where the top-seeded Hurricanes are patiently waiting. Puck drop for Game 4 is set for 7:00 p.m. ET from the Bell Centre in Montreal, QC.
The sportsbooks set totals of 5.5 goals for the first three games of this series, and personally, I was on the Over in each of those contests. In fact, these teams have seen their last 11 head-to-head matchups produce at least six goals.
With that being said, I think it's time to buy back and play an Under, especially since we're seeing the total shift a goal higher into the 6.5-goal range. Interestingly, six of their last nine head-to-head games have finished with exactly six goals.
For Buffalo, they're desperate to find some defense and goaltending, otherwise this series may be over. They've actually done a decent job defensively this postseason, conceding only 15 high-danger shots on goal during 5-on-5 play. They also finished the regular season with the fourth-best penalty kill (81.90%), and that rate has increased to 82.76% during playoffs.
As for Montreal, they've been very sound defensively, ranking third in team GAA (1.69) during 5-on-5 play. Jakub Dobes is locked in, entering the night at 6-4-0 with a 2.13 GAA and a .918 SV%. I think there's enough data to warrant a play on the Under, especially at this inflated number of 6.5 goals.
Pick: Under 6.5 Goals (-120)
Anaheim Ducks (+125) vs. Vegas Golden Knights (-155) | O/U 6.0 (-120/+100)
This back-and-forth series between the Ducks (2-2) and the Golden Knights (2-2) has lived up to the hype. Anaheim knotted up the series with a 4-3 home win over Vegas on Sunday, and divisional foes will battle it out in a pivotal Game 5 tonight. This one is set for 9:30 p.m. ET from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV.
With a total of 6.0 goals, I'll be on the Over. This feels like a game with a 4-2 floor, but the more I think about it, I believe we'll land in the 4-3 or 5-2 range.
Ultimately, I have a distrust for Anaheim's defense and goaltending. Across their last 20 games, including the regular season and playoffs, the Ducks are just 8-10-2 and allowing 3.75 goals per game. Lukas Dostal has been shaky during the postseason with a 3.43 GAA and a .874 SV%.
Overall, these have been two of the worst defensive teams in the 2025-26 Stanley Cup Playoffs. During 5-on-5 play specifically, the Ducks are 14th in GAA (2.83), while the Knights are 15th (2.87). They've conceded 21 (16th) and 17 (11th) high-danger SOG during even-strength play, respectively. Let's play the Over in this matchup of questionable goaltenders.
Pick: Over 6.0 Goals (-120)
