Media by Associated Press – Edmonton Oilers defenseman Cody Ceci (5) makes a pass during an NHL hockey game against the Dallas Stars, Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2022, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
The NHL schedule couldn’t be much lighter for Monday night. There are only four games available to get money down on.
While there aren’t too many high-profile matchups, the nightcap will feature two teams with high postseason aspirations and a deep postseason history against each other. While there isn’t a lot to take a look at for tonight, here’s a look at three bets to make.
Philadelphia Flyers at Buffalo Sabres Over 6.5
The Flyers and Sabres are two teams that have been playing solid hockey recently. Philadelphia has won six of its past ten games, while Buffalo has picked up eight wins in its past ten games. What the Sabres do especially well is score.
Buffalo averages 4.0 goals per game, which is No. 1 in the league. The Sabres are led by winger Tage Thompson, who is third in the league with 31 goals scored. He has put up at least one goal in eight of the past ten games. Buffalo’s defense, meanwhile, has struggled to stop people from scoring.
One of the drawbacks of playing an open, up-tempo brand of hockey is other teams get plenty of good scoring chances as well. The Sabres are 27th in the league on the penalty kill, only killing 72.4 percent of other team’s opportunities. Philadelphia has struggled to score this season, scoring 2.8 goals per game, but the Flyers will pick things up against Buffalo.
Seattle Kraken at Montreal Canadians (+155)
The Kraken have been heating up. Seattle have been beating up on the NHL’s team from Canada during its four-game winning streak. Over the past three games, the Kraken have outscored Ottawa, Toronto, and Edmonton by a combined score of 18-7.
Seattle’s offense has been excellent throughout the season. The Kraken have scored 3.7 goals per game, which is third in the league. Things have been difficult for Montreal lately. The Canadians have only won two of their past ten games. Montreal did beat St. Louis 5-4 during its last game.
The Canadians are toward the bottom of the league in most offensive categories. Montreal only scores 2.6 goals per game. With Seattle on its fourth game of a seven-game road trip, it’s worth taking a shot on Montreal to spring an upset to end Seattle’s tour of Canada.
Edmonton Oilers (-106) at Los Angeles Kings
The Oilers eliminated the Kings from the playoffs in seven games last season. Edmonton and Los Angeles will also be forever tied together for the famous trade between the two in the early 1990s that sent Wayne Gretzky to Tinseltown. The Oilers have a strong offense, putting up 3.5 goals per game which ranks fourth in the league.
Edmonton’s power play is also excellent, converting 32.2 percent of its attempts, which is the best in the league. The Oilers have struggled defensively, which has kept them further down the standings than they would like to be. Los Angeles is a well-rounded team that doesn’t necessarily jump off the page anywhere statistically. Edmonton will win a pick ‘em.
Make sure to stay tuned for more NHL betting picks and previews!