Top 3 NHL Odds, Picks & Predictions: Wednesday (11/20)
Wednesday's NHL schedule features five games, and I'm looking to stay hot after going 3-0 with yesterday's best bets. Here are my three favorite wagers on the ice tonight.
Wednesday's NHL Best Bets
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
Vegas Golden Knights (+110) vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (-130) | 6.0 (-110/-110)
The NHL action opens up with a heavyweight cross-conference matchup between the Golden Knights (11-5-2) and the Maple Leafs (11-6-2). Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET from Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, ON.
Even with dynamic offensive players like Vegas' Mark Stone (lower-body) and Toronto's Auston Matthews (upper-body) sidelined, I still anticipate us getting plenty of scoring in this game. I like this over at a flat 6.0 goals, giving us a push to fall back on just in case the offense isn't as fruitful as anticipated.
However, I believe this one will have no shortage of goals. Starting with Vegas' defense, they've been underwhelming, allowing 3.06 goals per game (22nd) while logging a .888 team SV% (19th). The Golden Knights have seen at least six goals in 15 of their 18 games this year, with 12 going for seven or more combined tallies.
Vegas' power play is humming, ranking second in the NHL, cashing 34.04% of their man-advantage opportunities. I think the floor for this game is in the 4-2 range, but I feel it's more likely that both teams will log three or more goals apiece. Give me the over.
Bet: Over 6.0 Goals (-110)
Carolina Hurricanes (-238) vs. Philadelphia Flyers (+195) | 6.5 (-110/-110)
The Hurricanes (13-4-0) open up a three-game Metropolitan Division road trip, featuring stops in Philadelphia, New Jersey and Columbus. Up first is the Flyers (8-9-2). This divisional tilt gets underway at 7:30 p.m. ET from the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, PA.
The Flyers have seen an uptick in offensive production recently, but I expect them to regress to normalcy when they take on a top-tier defense like the Hurricanes. Carolina enters tonight's action ranked third in GAA (2.24) and eighth in team SV% (.905). The Canes are also fifth on the penalty kill, killing off 85% of their penalties.
Meanwhile, Philadelphia's offense is still a bottom-half unit, sitting 18th in both overall offense (2.8 goals per game) and on the power play (17.74%). The advanced metrics suggest the Flyers have over-performed offensively, as they're ranked just 28th in expected goals per 60 minutes (2.68).
Philly's also 28th in high-danger shots (51) this season, so if they're unable to generate quality chances, Carolina's tough defense should stonewall them. Give me the under on Philadelphia's team total of 2.5 goals.
Bet: Flyers Team Total Under 2.5 Goals (-125)
San Jose Sharks (+350) vs. Dallas Stars (-455) | O/U 6.0 (-118/-102)
The Stars (11-6-0) are coming off an embarrassing 4-2 loss to the Ducks on Monday. They'll try to rebound when they host the Sharks (6-10-4) tonight. This Western Conference showdown is slated for 8:00 p.m. ET from the American Airlines Center in Dallas, TX.
After a sluggish start, the Stars are heating up offensively. They've scored 18 goals in their last four games, which equates to 4.5 goals per game. Overall, Dallas has climbed to 11th in overall offense, averaging 3.3 goals per contest. The Stars are tasked with scoring on a Sharks defense ranked 25th overall, conceding 3.20 goals per game. Dallas has seen at least six combined goals in eight of its last 11 games. I expect their offense to pave the way to another over tonight.
As for the Sharks, they've been a scrappy bunch recently. They're finding some offensive success, averaging 3.25 goals per game over their last four contests. Honestly, we just need San Jose to light the lamp twice in this game, and we should be on our way to cashing another ticket.
The Sharks have accomplished this feat in 12 of their last 13 games. They're taking on a Stars squad that just gave up four goals to the lowly Ducks. Like the initial game, I think the floor is somewhere in the 4-2 range, but there's a world where it ends up around 6-2 in favor of Dallas. Give me the over.
Bet: Over 6.0 Goals (-118)