Hockey season is in full swing. There are a few good matchups today. Let’s look at the best games to target.
Sunday’s NHL Best Bets
(Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook)
Colorado Avalanche (+100) at New York Rangers (-120) | O/U 5.5 (-122/+100)
The Avalanche made a blockbuster trade this week. In a surprising move that some might believe was because he was seeking a new contract, they sent Mikko Rantanen to the Hurricanes in a three-way trade. The biggest return for Colorado was Martin Necas, who has three straight years of 50+ points.
We'll have to see how he fits in with an offense that ranks eighth in goals scored per game (3.29) and how he fits in with Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar.
The Rangers could be amid a major turnaround. Their season looked bleak when they went on a 4-15-0 run, and there were rumors of turmoil inside the locker room. Winning solves everything, and they are starting to get better as they are 6-0-2 in their last eight. They are getting production from both sides, scoring 3.50 goals per game and, importantly, allowing just 1.25 goals per game.
The Rangers are improving on the power play, which they excelled at last year but struggled to start this year. Over the last three games, they have been 4-for-8 in power play chances.
The Rangers also benefit from a rest advantage, as the Avs played on Saturday. Colorado is struggling a little with the adjustments, so this is a good spot to take the red-hot Blue Shirts.
Pick: Rangers Moneyline (-120)
Florida Panthers (+105) at Vegas Golden Knights (-126) | O/U 5.5 (-130/+106)
The last two Stanley Cup champions will square off. The Panthers are finishing up their West Coast trip, and they'll be playing on the second leg of a back-to-back.
They're on a 10-9-1 run. That's fine for an average team, but maybe not for the defending champs, whose roster is mainly intact. The offense has been decent with an impressive 57.3% Corsi percentage. The defense has let them down on occasion, though, and Sergei Bobrovsky has hit a rough patch. He's won only one decision in his last four starts with a .848 save percentage.
The Golden Knights have been on an awful stretch as of late. They are currently 2-6-1, and both sides aren't playing well, as they're scoring 2.66 goals per game and allowing 3.44 goals per game during this stretch. Now they won't have William Karlsson. While he hasn’t played well this season, it's still a significant loss.
Defensive inconsistencies will play a large part in a game between two teams that can pass the puck well and find quality shots.
Pick: Over 5.5 Goals (-130)
