Top NHL Odds, Picks & Predictions: Tuesday (10/29)
If you want to get in on the NHL action tonight, you've come to the right place. Below I've listed my three favorite NHL bets from tonight's seven-game slate.
Tuesday's NHL Best Bets
(Odds courtesy of BetMGM)
Anaheim Ducks (+195) vs. New York Islanders (-250) | O/U 6.0 (-105/-115)
The Ducks (3-4-1) are in the midst of a four-game East Coast road trip, and this is shaping up to be a forgettable one as they're just 0-2-0 through the two contests. They'll try to snap their two-game slide tonight when they take on the Islanders (3-3-2). Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET from UBS Arena in Elmont, NY.
My initial thought for this game was to take Anaheim's team total to go under. Several sportsbooks have it sitting at 2.5 goals, but it's juiced heavily to the under. So, I'll pivot here and take the full game under at 6.0 goals. Keeping it with the Ducks, they bring in one of the league's worst offenses, scoring only 2.3 goals per game (31st). They're just 28th in expected goals per 60 minutes (2.72) and 31st on the power play (7.69%). Anaheim scored just three goals during their two-game slide. Their underwhelming offense is the crux of this under bet.
With that said, the Islanders have plenty of their own offensive issues. They’re 28th in overall scoring (2.5 goals per game) and on the power play (11.54%) while sitting 24th in expected goals per game (2.81). They have been reliable on the defensive side and it's confirmed Ilya Sorokin will be in the crease for this game. The netminder is 2-1-1 with a 1.74 GAA and .936 SV%. I don't see either offense breaking out in this game, so I'm jumping on the under.
Bet: Under 6.0 Goals (-115)
Minnesota Wild (-125) vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (+105) | O/U 6.5 (+100/-120)
One of the biggest storylines heading into the evening is that Marc-Andre Fleury will play his final game in Pittsburgh since he's retiring at the end of the year. Fleury won three Stanley Cups with the Pens during his time in Pittsburgh. Fleury's Wild (5-1-2) and the Penguins (3-6-1) get underway at 7:00 p.m. ET from PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA.
The Penguins could use Fleury's services right now. Pittsburgh has been a wreck defensively, ranking 31st in overall defense (4.00 GAA) and dead last in expected goals against per 60 minutes (4.15). This team is in shambles defensively. I do not see them getting things under control against the red-hot Wild.
Minnesota has been on a tear and finally suffered a regulation loss last time out against Philadelphia (7-5). They started the year with a seven-game point streak. I think they bounce back against this floundering Penguins club. The Wild enter with the 10th-ranked offense (3.6 goals per game) and the fifth-ranked power play (30.77%). They'll have Fleury in net in a big-time spot. I like the Wild to stay hot and collect the two points.
Bet: Wild Moneyline (-125)
Los Angeles Kings (-275) vs. San Jose Sharks (+220) | O/U 6.0 (-105/-115)
The NHL night wraps up out west with a Pacific Division clash between the Kings (5-2-2) and the Sharks (1-7-2). Puck drop is slated for 10:00 p.m. ET from the SAP Center at San Jose in San Jose, CA.
These teams just met in Los Angeles on the 24th, and the Kings escaped with a 3-2 victory. I'm coming right back to the under in this game. Los Angeles appears to be evolving into a team that prefers playing in low-scoring, defensive contests. Over their current 4-1-0 stretch, they've seen exactly five goals in four of the games. Their defense is conceding only 2.4 goals per contest over the five-game sample size.
Los Angeles' offense will look to stay hot against the league's worst offense. San Jose enters tonight's action ranked dead last in scoring (2.0 goals per game) and 29th in expected goals per 60 minutes (2.64). Furthermore, both of these teams rank outside of the top 10 on the power play. San Jose scored both of its goals on the man advantage in last week's 3-2 contest, so if Los Angeles can clean up their penalty, we should cruise under this total. Give me the under in what should be a physical division tilt.
Bet: Under 6.0 Goals (-115)