Top 3 NHL Odds, Picks & Predictions: Tuesday (12/31)
The Winter Classic headlines today's massive 13-game slate in the NHL. Below I'll dive into the outdoors matchup between the Blues and Blackhawks, as well as two other games from a sports betting perspective. Here are my three favorite wagers on the NHL ice tonight.
Tuesday's NHL Best Bets
Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook
St. Louis Blues (-148) vs. Chicago Blackhawks (+124) | O/U 5.5 (-108/-112)
The Winter Classic is set to renew for a 16th edition this afternoon, as the Blackhawks (12-23-2) host the Blues (17-17-4) in a Central Division showdown. Puck drop is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. ET from Wrigley Field in Chicago, IL.
I went back and looked at the list of Winter Classic contests, and 10 of the 15 games have finished under 5.5 total goals. There have been 79 combined goals over the 15 previous outdoor games, which equates to an average of 5.3 goals per game. I'll back the trend and play the Under at Wrigley Field tonight.
In addition to having history on our side, we also have a contest that features two of the worst offenses in the league. Chicago is 30th in scoring (2.5 GPG), while St. Louis is right above them at 29th (2.6 GPG). During the Blackhawks' current 0-4-0 run, they're scoring only 2.5 goals per game. The Hawks are tasked with trying to score on a Blues defense that has looked sharp since Coach Jim Montgomery took over behind the bench. In the 16 games since Monty took the reins, St. Louis is conceding only 2.6 goals per game. Six of their last eight games have featured fewer than 5.5 combined goals. Let's play the Under at the Friendly Confines of Wrigley Field.
Bet: Under 5.5 Goals (-112)
Buffalo Sabres (+180) vs. Dallas Stars (-218) | O/U 6.0 (-110/-110)
The action continues throughout the evening, and this cross-conference matchup between the Sabres (14-19-4) and the Stars (21-13-1) should be a fun one. Puck drop is slated for 8:00 p.m. ET from the American Airlines Center in Dallas, TX.
I was initially looking at Dallas' team total to go over in this game, which is sitting at 3.5 goals (-120). However, I think we may be better playing the full-game Over at a flat 6.0 goals. Buffalo should manage to contribute a couple of goals in this game, as offense is definitely their strength. During their current 3-0-0 run, the Sabres are averaging 5.7 goals per game. Overall on the year, Buffalo is a modest 13th in scoring, putting up 3.1 goals per game.
Just above Buffalo is Dallas, who comes in at 12th in the NHL in offense, averaging 3.2 goals per game. There's a good chance that the Stars explode offensively in this contest. For starters, they're coming off of a five-goal performance in a 5-1 rout of the Blackhawks last time out. Now they'll take on a Sabres squad that's 27th in both GAA (3.05) and SV% (.886). Before Buffalo's three-game winning streak, they had lost 13 straight games (0-10-3), where they conceded 4.2 goals per contest. I think a 4-2 final in favor of Dallas is the floor in this game, but the ceiling for scoring could be much higher with the way these offenses are trending. Give me the Over.
Bet: Over 6.0 Goals (-110)
Pittsburgh Penguins (+105) vs. Detroit Red Wings (-125) | O/U 6.5 (+100/-120)
Two fringe playoff teams square off in Motown tonight, as the Penguins (17-16-5) make the trip to Detroit to take on the Red Wings (14-18-4). This Eastern Conference contest gets underway at 8:00 p.m. ET from Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, MI.
Perhaps I was a little loose with my verbiage describing the Red Wings as a fringe playoff contender. Detroit is currently tied for last in the East with just 32 points. Still, it's relatively early in the season, so there's still plenty of time to make up the eight-point deficit in the Wild Card race. Regardless of how that all plays out, I am looking to fade the Wings tonight. I'll go ahead and play the Penguins on the moneyline with a plus-money payout.
The Wings have been slumping, going 1-4-0 in their last five games. They've been out-scored 20-10 over the five-game sample size. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh's offense has been finding its footing recently. They've climbed to 14th overall in scoring, averaging 3.1 goals per game. The Penguins have scored at least three goals in five of their last six games. Pittsburgh's also 10-4-1 in their last 15 games overall, so they're definitely trending in the right direction after a slow start. I definitely think it's worth a flier on the Pens as slight underdogs tonight.
Bet: Penguins Moneyline (+105)