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Top NHL Odds, Picks & Predictions: Saturday (12/16)

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The NHL season is underway! Let's highlight a few key games for today, Saturday, Dec. 16.

Saturday's NHL Best Bets

(Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook)

Washington Capitals (+105) at Nashville Predators (-126) | O/U 6.5 (+102/-124)

The Predators have been a streaky team for most of the season, but they are currently riding a nice wave, winning six of their last seven. The common denominator has been Juuse Saros. Nashville rides or dies with how the goalie plays, and he struggled to start the year going 4-9-0 and allowing 3.23 goals per game. However, over his last ten, he's 9-1-0 and allowing just 2.23 goals.

That's not a good sign for a Washington offense that has been mediocre all year. They're coming with their 2.50 goals per game ranked 30th, and the 47.27% of expected goals ranked 25th. Their stars are getting old; even Alex Ovechkin is not himself with just five goals for the year. Now the goaltending is taking a dip, with Darcy Kuemper allowing three or more goals in six of his last eight.

Take Saros and the Preds to contain the Caps for 60 minutes.

Pick: Predators Moneyline (-126)

Tampa Bay Lightning  (-105) at Calgary Flames (-114) | O/U 6.5 (-115/-115)

It was a shakey start for Andrei Vasillevskiy when he returned, losing three of his first four, but now he's won four of his last five. He hasn't been great, allowing ten goals in his last three, but that's where the offense comes in as they've scored 12 in that span.

The Flames can turn up the heat at times but have also gone cold, and December has not been good for them going 1-4-2 so far. The positives are they have come away with some points and kept many of these games close. Without Jacob Markstrom, the goaltending has taken a huge dip, and it's showing.

It’s weird to say you expect a high-scoring game with Vasillevskiy between the pipes, but that’s the case here.

Pick: Over 6.5 Goals (-115)

Pittsburgh Penguins  (+130) at Toronto Maple Leafs (-156) | O/U 6.5 (-130/+106)

On any given night, you don't know which Penguins team you're going to see. The largest inconsistency has come from the offense that features a group of future Hall of Famers. They have now dipped below three goals per game, and in four of their last six, they have scored just one goal. They will not have Bryan Rust for tonight, who's fourth on the team in points.

The Maple Leafs have been great, as they're sixth in goals scored per game and seventh in expected goals. We're seeing that goalie Joseph Wolf plays a large part in their success, and Ilya Samsonov has not been great with a 3.51 GAA and a -6.0 goals saved above expected.

Even with Rust out, the Pens still have the talent to exploit a struggling goalie and this will be one of those nights where the offense clicks.

Pick: Penguins Moneyline (+130)

Make sure to check out our other best bets for Saturday:


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