Top NHL Odds, Picks & Predictions: Tuesday (1/21)
With college football wrapped up and the NFL coming to a close, it's time for the NHL to take center stage as we enter the depths of the winter season. Tonight's NHL schedule features eight games. I've narrowed in on three of the contests from a sports betting perspective.
Here are my three favorite wagers on the ice tonight.
Tuesday’s NHL Best Bets
(Odds courtesy of BetMGM)
Tampa Bay Lightning (-150) vs. Montreal Canadiens (+125) | O/U 6.0 (-110/-110)
The Lightning (25-17-3) enter tonight's Atlantic Division showdown on the second night of a back-to-back after they dropped a 5-3 contest to the Maple Leafs last night. Up next is the Canadiens (23-19-4). This game gets going at 7:00 p.m. ET from the Bell Centre in Montreal, QC.
With Patrik Laine back in the mix for Montreal, this team has all of the necessary pieces to be a juggernaut offensively. In the 18 games the winger has played this year, the Habs are averaging 3.4 goals per game. One of those games was a 5-2 victory over the Bolts back on December 29th. That game cleared this threshold of six goals, so I'm going right back to it here. Give me the over.
Meanwhile, Montreal's defense has still been suspect this season. They're just 29th in both GAA (3.15) and high-danger shots against (192) while ranking 28th in SV% (.885). Tampa has scored at least three goals in three straight games, and they've seen at least six combined goals in their last five outings. At a flat six goals, I love this bet on the over.
Bet: Over 6.0 Goals (-110)
Carolina Hurricanes (+110) vs. Dallas Stars (-130) | O/U 6.0 (-105/-115)
Two of the top-four Stanley Cup favorites meet up tonight in the Lone Star State, as the Stars (29-16-1) host the Hurricanes (28-16-3) in a cross-conference clash. Puck drop is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. ET from American Airlines Arena in Dallas, TX.
These are two of the best defensive teams in the NHL, so being that there are flat sixes out there in the betting market, this feels like a no-brainer to play the under. As for the raw numbers, the Stars are fourth in GAA (2.35) and third in SV% (.907), while the Canes are eighth (.260) and 20th (.891), respectively.
While the SV% isn't too great for Carolina, they're still a top-tier defensive unit due to the overall amount of shots they face. Only the Kings (1,097) have faced fewer shots on net than the Canes (1,183) this season. In terms of expected goals against per 60 minutes, the Stars are third (2.76), while the Canes are ninth (2.85). Finally, from a trends perspective, a hypothetical total of six goals has finished under at a rate of 8-1-2 in Dallas' last 11 home games. Let's lock in the under.
Bet: Under 6.0 Goals (-115)
Washington Capitals (+115) vs. Edmonton Oilers (-135) | O/U 5.5 (-120/+110)
The Capitals (31-10-5) continue to play excellent hockey, and they'll try to win their fifth straight game tonight when they take on the Oilers (29-14-3) in the Great White North. This cross-conference showdown is slated for 9:00 p.m. ET from Rogers Place in Edmonton, AB.
If you haven't heard the news, allow me to be the first to break it to you that Connor McDavid is starting a three-game suspension due to cross-checking Vancouver's Conor Garland on Saturday. This was already a top-heavy Edmonton team, and when you take away their best (or second-best) player, I just can't pass up on the plus-money payout that comes with Washington.
The Capitals boast the best offense in the NHL (3.6 goals per game) and they're fifth-best defensively (2.35 GAA). They've also won four straight games, out-scoring their opponents 12-2, while logging two shutouts during the stretch. With their defense this dialed in, I don't see the McDavid-less Oilers keeping pace in this one. I think the Capitals grind out a low-scoring victory in Alberta tonight. Let's play the Caps as slim underdogs.
Bet: Capitals Moneyline (+115)