NHL PrizePicks Player Predictions: Saturday (12/21)

We have a loaded sports day today, which includes 11 games in the NHL. I'm heading the PrizePicks route tonight, and I'll break down the three player predictions I already have locked in. If all three cash, they'll net us a 5x multiplier.

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Saturday’s Best NHL PrizePicks Player Predictions

Brock Nelson Less Than 0.5 Points

The Islanders (12-14-7) are looking to snap a two-game slide (0-2-0) tonight, and they'll try to do so when they take on the Maple Leafs (21-10-2) in the Great White North. This Eastern Conference tilt gets underway at 7:00 p.m. ET from Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, ON.

Head coach Craig Berube has completely turned this Leafs team around. They've been playing exceptionally on the defensive end, which is a bit of a new sight for the Toronto faithful. The Leafs enter tonight's action ranked second in GAA (2.36), third in SV% (.909) and seventh on the penalty kill (83.04%).

This should be light work for the Leafs as they host an Isles squad ranked 30th offensively (2.5 goals per game) and 29th in shooting% (9.04%). I'll take this opportunity to fade Brock Nelson, who has 20 points (10 goals, 10a assists) in 33 games played this year. He's gone scoreless in seven of his last 10 games. Give me Nelson to stay off the stat sheet tonight against a dominant Toronto defense.

Charlie McAvoy More Than 0.5 Points

The Sabres (11-18-4) are amid a disastrous 12-game losing streak (0-9-3), and they'll try to turn things around tonight when they make the trip to Boston to take on the Bruins (17-13-4). This Atlantic Division showdown is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET from the TD Garden in Boston, MA.

The biggest issue with Buffalo over this horrendous stretch of hockey is their defense. They've been lit up for four or more goals in their last four games and are conceding 4.25 goals per game over the 12-game stretch. Overall, they've dropped to 27th in GAA (3.21) and rank 28th in SV% (.882).

While the Bruins aren't great offensively, I think this is a fantastic opportunity to take a stake in them against a downward-trending opponent. I'll back top defenseman Charlie McAvoy to log a point tonight. McAvoy has only 14 points (five goals, nine assists) through 34 games, but he's notched at least one point in four out of his last five games. Furthermore, McAvoy is registering 23:48 worth of ice time each night, so there's a chance he simply lucks into a secondary assist against this abysmal Buffalo defense. Give me McAvoy to stay hot and pick up a point.

Patrik Laine More Than 0.5 Points

The Red Wings (13-15-4) and Canadiens (13-16-3) play the second leg of a home-and-home set tonight after the Habs notched a 4-3 victory in Motown last night. Tonight's contest is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET from the Bell Centre in Montreal, QC.

Montreal's Patrik Laine has produced a much-needed spark to this squad, as the team is averaging three goals per game in his eight games (5-3-0) since returning from a knee injury. Laine has eight points (seven goals, one assist) during the eight-game sample size, making him a point-per-game guy to start the year. I'll take Laine to record a point tonight. He scored a goal in last night's 4-3 victory, giving him four goals in his last two games.

Detroit's defense is a mid-tier bunch, ranking 24th in GAA (2.94) and 15th in SV% (.896). However, they're just 31st on the penalty kill (67.44%). All seven of Laine's goals this year have come on the man advantage. Talk about being a power-play merchant. But hey, we'll try to capitalize on this excellent matchup against the Wings' terrible penalty kill and back Laine to simply score a point.

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