Top NHL Odds, Picks & Predictions: Saturday (2/24)
We are now in the second half of the season. Let's analyze today's matchups and give you the best bets.
Saturday's NHL Best Bets
(Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook)
Dallas Stars (+114) at Carolina Hurricanes (-135) | O/U 6.5 (-115/-105)
The Stars are in the throes of a rough patch as they have earned two of a possible eight points. The big concern is they've put up just one goal in each of the last two games; you can give a pass against the Rangers, but the Senators are 27th in goals allowed per game. There are no major injuries; they're just not scoring. Also, it doesn't help that Jake Oettinger has fallen off after such a great run.
The Hurricanes have no problems at the moment, as they've won four straight. The offense led them in the first three games with 14 goals in that span, and then they played some outstanding in a 1-0 win against the Panthers. They certainly didn't expect the tandem of Pyotr Kochetkov and Spencer Martin to be successful between the pipes, but they've done well filling in for Antti Raanta. This offense makes it easy when they're third in over-expected goals.
Despite the Stars struggling recently, they are still one of the best teams in the league, and they could make this game into a competitive matchup. Still, the Hurricanes should get it done at home.
Pick: Hurricanes Moneyline (-135)
Toronto Maple Leafs (+100) at Colorado Avalanche (-120) | O/U 6.5 (-135/+114)
This will be one of the games you will want to watch if you want to see the lamp light up like the Fourth of July. The Maple Leafs have been on fire recently, winning six straight. They've also been smashing their opponent, winning five of those by multiple goals, and have scored 34 goals compared to allowing 14. Almost everybody is contributing on offense; over the last ten games, Bobby McCann has seven goals, John Tavares has five, William Nylander has eight, but most notably, Auston Matthews has an unreal 13.
On the other side, the Avalanche has a few playmakers themselves that can keep up. Most notable is Nathan MacKinnon, the odds-on favorite to win the Hart Trophy, who is second in both points and assists. With him are some top-line stars, including Mikko Rantanen, Cale Makar, Devon Toews, and Valeri Nichushkin.
They could be without Nichushkin or Toews, as they are listed as day-to-day. Even with a fully healthy squad, the Leafs are fantastic right now, and possess a deeper roster, while most of Colorado’s production just comes from the top line.
Pick: Maple Leafs Moneyline (+100)
Washington Capitals (+180) at Florida Panthers (-218) | O/U 6.5 (+100/-120)
The Panthers suffered a tough 1-0 loss against the Hurricanes, but other than that, they've won ten of their previous 11, with seven of those wins by multiple goals. Anthony Stolarz will likely be between the pipes, but he's been an incredible backup with 1.97 goals allowed per game and 8.1 goals saved above expected in 17 games. The offense has been great, especially Matthew Tkachuk, who's coming in with nine points in his last five games, and Carter Verhaeghe, who has four goals in his last four.
The Capitals were on a brutal stretch and hadn't won three straight for over two months, but they are coming in having done just that. The big reason for their struggles has been the offense, as their 2.53 goals game is 30th, but they've surged with 15 in their past three games. After what has been a brutal season, Alex Ovechkin has finally picked up, as he has scored seven goals in the last eight games while having just nine before that for the season.
The Panthers are heavily favored for a reason, and while the Caps went on a nice run, Florida is top-notch at the moment.
Pick: Panthers -1.5 (+114)
Make sure to check out our other best bets for Saturday: