NHL Odds, Picks & Predictions: Saturday (10/26)
Hockey season is back, and things are already getting exciting at the start of the NHL season. There are a few intriguing matchups early on, so let’s look at the games to target.
Saturday’s NHL Best Bets
(Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook)
Toronto Maple Leafs (-110) at Boston Bruins (-110) | O/U 6 (-112/-108)
It’s been a tough stretch for the Bruins, as they've earned just one point in their last two games. Both sides of the puck haven't been playing well; the offense has only scored three goals, including being shut out.
Boston decided to make Jeremy Swayman the starting goalie and shipped off Linus Ullmark. Swayman had a great first start but has been roughed up in his next four by allowing 14 goals and a .900 save percentage.
Toronto hasn’t been any better, and they have been outscored 11-3 in the previous two games. This is an offense filled with stars, but everyone is averaging under a point per game. That includes William Nylander, who leads with seven and only has points in three of eight games.
Anthony Stolarz has been the only goaltender to depend on, with 1.98 goals allowed per game.
In their first-round matchup last season, this Under went 5-0-2. These two rivals play each other physically every time, and we should see another low-scoring game.
Pick: Under 6 Total Runs (-108)
San Jose Sharks (+280) at Vegas Golden Knights (-355) | O/U 6 (-102/-118)
It has been an up-and-down season for the Golden Knights. They won three straight but scored only one point in the next three games and have won the last two. The offense can score with 4.88 points per game but only gets off shy of 27 shots, bringing their expected goal percentage down to 43.8%.
Last season, San Jose was the last team to get their first win, and again, they are the only team to yet claim a victory. At 0-6-2, they are the only team scoring below two goals per game (1.88). There is some talent; Tyler Toffoli is the player they want to build around, but the team lacks depth.
The Sharks will have to wait another day for their first win because even on a back-to-back, Vegas should not have a problem against a bad team.
Pick: Golden Knights -1.5 (-135)