Top NHL Betting Picks for Monday, February 28th (2022)
We start the week with a small three-game slate tonight. Despite the lack of games, there are still a couple of betting angles to attack. I give out my best bets below.
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Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
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Vancouver Canucks (+110) vs. New Jersey Devils (-130), o/u 6
The Vancouver Canucks enter their second half of a road back-to-back following yesterday’s tilt against the New York Rangers. This article was written before that game.
The over has been a hot bet for the Canucks as there have been six or more total goals scored in seven of their last eight games. Tonight should be no different as Vancouver is starting backup goaltender Jaroslav Halak.
Halak got shelled in his last start, allowing five goals on just 12 shots to the very average Islanders offense. Halak’s save percentage is now down to 0.899 on the season, and he faces a hot Devils offense tonight.
New Jersey has scored an average of five goals per game over their last six, but this offensive surge should not come as a shock to those following the Devils this year. New Jersey ranks ninth in the league on the season in 5-on-5 expected goals for per 60 minutes (xGF).
Vancouver’s offense has also found a groove lately as they are averaging 5.25 goals scored per game over their last four. The Canucks should also have no difficulty in finding the back of the net tonight as the Devils are projected to start Jon Gillies.
To put it bluntly, Gillies has been awful recently. Over his last six starts, Gillies has a brutal 0.862 save percentage and a 4.33 goals against average.
Like the Canucks, the over has been a hot bet for the Devils. Over their last nine games, there have been six or more total goals scored in eight of them.
Best Bet: Canucks/Devils o6 (-110)
Boston Bruins (-120) vs. Los Angeles Kings (+100), o/u 5.5
I like another total tonight as the Boston Bruins travel to Los Angeles to take on the Kings. Tonight’s nightcap features two of the hottest teams in hockey as the Bruins have won four straight games while the Kings have won five straight.
Boston has seen their games go under 5.5 goals in six straight road contests, with the main reason being tonight’s projected starter Jeremy Swayman. The Bruins’ young goaltender has been outstanding recently, allowing just two or fewer goals in each of his last five starts.
Over those five games, Swayman boasts an absurd 0.964 save percentage. While Swayman has been fantastic, the Bruins’ blue line has also continued to prove why they are the league’s best.
This season, Boston ranks first in the league in 5-on-5 expected goals against per 60 minutes (xGA) and first in average expected goal value of opposing 5-on-5 shot attempts. The Kings’ blue line, led by Drew Doughty’s resurgent season, has also been impressive and tough to play against this season.
Los Angeles ranks first in the league in opposing shots on goal per game and sixth in opposing goals scored per game. Los Angeles is projected to have Jonathan Quick between the pipes tonight, and he has quietly been one of the better starting goaltenders in the league this year.
Quick has produced a quality 0.913 save percentage and currently ranks third amongst starting goaltenders in 5-on-5 goals saved above expected per 60 minutes (GSAx). I like the total to stay under tonight with two good goaltenders and defenses.
Best Bet: Bruins/Kings u5.5 (-110)
All betting information was gathered from puckline.org and TopDownHockey.
Best of luck tonight!
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Tony Sartori is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Tony, check out his archive and follow him @tony_sartori.