Top NHL Odds, Picks & Predictions: Wednesday (1/3)
The NHL is back with a two-game slate tonight! First, the Devils square off against the Capitals in Washington, D.C., and the night concludes with a cross-conference clash between the Maple Leafs and the Ducks.
Let’s check out the odds and lock in a best bet for each contest.
Wednesday’s Best NHL Bets
(Odds courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook)
New Jersey Devils (-165) @ Washington Capitals (+140) | O/U 6.5 (-110/-110)
Washington returns home after beating Pittsburgh 4-3 last night. They’re now in sole possession of fifth place in the Metropolitan Division, sitting with 42 points. They’ll host the sixth-place Devils tonight, who come in with 40 points. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET from Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.
You won’t find me betting too many overs in Washington games this year. However, this seems like a spot where we’ll see a ton of scoring. For starters, this veteran roster of the Caps will be playing on the second night of a back-to-back. I expect the youthful, high-powered Devils to find a ton of success in this game. They’re the sixth-best offensive team this year, averaging 3.5 goals per game.
On the flip side, we saw the Caps go for four goals last night against the Penguins. Maybe they’re finally finding their footing. Washington will have another chance to explode tonight as they take on a New Jersey team that’s 27th defensively, allowing 3.26 goals per game. They’re also just 24th on the penalty kill at 77.68%. Washington’s lowly power play went 1-3 (33.33%) last night, so maybe they light the lamp on the man-advantage again. This matchup has all the ingredients of a high-scoring game, so I’ll play the over.
Bet: Over 6.5 (-110)
Toronto Maple Leafs (-190) @ Anaheim Ducks (+158) | O/U 6.5 (-130/+110)
The Leafs will also be playing on the second night of a back-to-back. They beat the Kings 3-0 in Los Angeles last night. They’ll take the short trip to Anaheim to square off against the Ducks. The NHL nightcap gets underway at 9:00 p.m. ET from the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
Toronto shut down a stout Los Angeles offense last night, so I think they’ll find success defensively against this underwhelming Anaheim team. The Ducks are just 29th offensively, scoring only 2.6 goals per game. They’ve scored just two combined goals in their last two games, losing 2-0 to the Coyotes and 7-2 to the Oilers, more recently.
That said, I’ll lay the 1.5 goals with the Maple Leafs. This roster is miles ahead of the Ducks. Even with the rest disadvantage, they should steamroll Anaheim. Toronto brings in the seventh-best offense (3.5 GPG) and boasts a power play that’s cashing 24.76% of their man-advantage opportunities (seventh). They have plenty of offensive skill to stretch this out to a multi-goal lead.
Bet: Toronto Maple Leafs -1.5 (+122)
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