Top 3 NHL Odds, Picks & Predictions: Tuesday (11/19)
The NHL is back with a seven-game schedule tonight, which provides us with plenty of different ways to get in on the action. Below I've listed my three favorite bets on the ice.
Tuesday’s NHL Best Bets
(Odds courtesy of BetMGM)
Anaheim Ducks (+130) vs. Chicago Blackhawks (-155) | O/U 6.0 (-115/-105)
We have a matchup of two up-and-coming Western Conference foes tonight, as the Ducks (7-8-2) take on the Blackhawks (6-11-1) in the Windy City. Puck drop is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET from the United Center in Chicago, IL.
These teams met back on November 3rd in southern California - Chicago escaped with a 4-2 victory. Since then, the Blackhawks have played five more games. Each of those contests featured five or fewer goals. Including the game against the Ducks, the Blackhawks are averaging 4.5 combined goals per game over the six-game stretch. I'm not overthinking this one, I'm taking the under.
These are two of the worst offensive units in the NHL. Chicago is dead last in overall scoring, averaging a measly 2.3 goals per game (GPG). Anaheim is 27th (2.5 GPG).
On the flip side, the Ducks have been getting excellent goaltending all year. They boast the fifth-best team SV%, making saves on 91.2% of shots faced. The Blackhawks are a middle-of-the-pack 14th (.899) in the same category. Both netminders should hold up well against the bottom-tier offense they'll be facing. Give me the under.
Bet: Under 6.0 Goals (-105)
New York Islanders (-110) vs. Calgary Flames (-110) | O/U 6.0 (+100/-120)
The Islanders (7-7-4) are in the midst of a five-game road trip. The next stop is Alberta to take on the Flames (9-6-3). This cross-conference clash gets underway at 9:00 p.m. ET from the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, AB.
While these two clubs are better than the Ducks and Blackhawks offensively, it's not by much. They both rank toward the bottom-third of the league in scoring, with the Flames sitting in 21st (2.7 GPG) and the Isles ranking 24th (2.6 GPG). They've both been horrendous on the power play, with Calgary ranking 30th (13.46%) and New York coming in at 31st (12.96%).
Meanwhile, both defenses continue to be top-half units. Calgary is 10th in GAA (2.61) and sixth in SV% (.909), while New York is 14th (2.78) and 15th (.897), respectively. The Flames have seen each of their last four games feature five or fewer goals. Nine of their last 10 contests have seen six or fewer tallies. I'm rolling with the under at the Saddledome tonight.
Bet: Under 6.0 Goals (-120)
New York Rangers (-115) vs. Vancouver Canucks (-105) | O/U 6.0 (-120/+100)
The night wraps up out west with a heavyweight contest between the Rangers (11-4-1) and the Canucks (9-5-3). Puck drop is slated for 10:00 p.m. ET from Rogers Arena in Vancouver, BC.
It's not very often we get away with laying such a slim price with the Rangers, so I'm going to lock them in to win this road contest. The Blue Shirts have been very impressive away from Madison Square Garden this year, going 6-1-0 in road games.
They continue to be a force on both ends of the ice, ranking fifth in scoring (3.6 GPG) and fourth in GAA (2.25). New York also boasts the seventh-best power play (25.58%) in the NHL.
I think the injury to Brock Boeser (upper-body) is massive for the Canucks. In five games without him, Vancouver is 2-3-0, scoring a modest 3.0 GPG.
Vancouver's defense has also been shaky during the five-game stretch, conceding 3.8 GPG. The Rangers are the more fine-tuned of the teams right now. I love that we're getting them at a discounted price. Let's ride with New York tonight.
Bet: Rangers Moneyline (-115)