Toronto Maple Leafs @ Montreal Canadiens
One of the oldest rivalries in the NHL sees another chapter on Saturday night in Montreal.
The two teams opened the season against each other, with the Leafs taking the Canadiens down.
Since then, it’s been a roller coaster for both teams. Montreal went on a tear, winning 9 of their next 11. But the coaster ride dipped hard in the past two weeks, with injuries and a couple of blowout losses taking them back to earth.
Toronto hit its own hot streak, winning 5 of 6 in late October. But a 5-game losing skid heading into this week has them scrambling for answers.
On paper, the Maple Leafs should take this one easily. They’re loaded with talent in Matthews, Tavares, and Nylander. Montreal is looking more like their own AHL team, with call-ups from the minors needed to fill the injury list.
In a rivalry filled with pride and history, play it close in what will feel like a playoff game atmosphere. And check the Over closer to puck drop. Both teams’ goalies are struggling between the pipes. The Habs came into the week 25th in GA/G, with Toronto even worse, sitting in 31st spot.
Check the Latest Odds at Lucky Rebel.
New Jersey Devils @ Florida Panthers
The Devils were one of the surprises of the NHL season so far, leading the Metropolitan Division come into mid-November.
But the hockey gods just told the Devils to hold on. Their elite forward Jack Hughes just had finger surgery and will be out 8 weeks – from a team dinner/food cutting injury. Tough break heading into Florida and the home of the reigning Stanley Cup champion Florida.
But does Jersey even need Hughes against the Panthers?
Florida’s off to a .500 start and they’re not looking like the league’s best team from the past two seasons. Wear and tear from the last 2 Cup runs maybe? They’re the only team besides Edmonton that has skated into June in each of the past two seasons.
No matter what the reason, they’ll need to do more than capitalize on Hughes’ absence. New Jersey is 5th in the league in penalty killing, so they can keep the game close without needing to rely on his team-leading 20 points. With Florida sitting 27th in the league in scoring and Hughes out on the other side, watch for the Under here if it looks like the books are still overpricing the Panthers.
Edmonton Oilers @ Washington Capitals
The Capitals find themselves last in the Metropolitan, while the Oilers are struggling to keep their heads above .500 too.
But this game isn’t about the teams. It’s about Connor McDavid vs. Alex Ovechkin.
Ovie’s name still carries weight in the league. He just scored his 900th goal all-time in the NHL, snapping a slow start to the year (doesn’t help that he’s tied for being the league’s oldest player). He’s also hit 7 points in his last six games since he hit that magical 900 number.
But McDavid sees those numbers and might tell the old man to step aside. The Oilers’ star has 16 points in his last eight games, and he looks like he’s single-handedly pulling Edmonton out of their early season issues. They came onto the week winning 3 out of their last 4 since getting embarrassed by Nathan MacKinnon and the Avalanche 9-1 two weeks ago.
Look for McDavid to bring his playoff game to show the league who the next 900-goal scorer is.
New York Rangers @ Vegas Golden Knights
This one is shouting Under for hockey betting fans.
The Rangers-Knights game set for Tuesday night should be a low-scoring affair, and the O/U is set at 6.0. The combined average goals scored in both teams’ games so far this season sits at 5.7.
The Rangers are ranked sixth in the NHL in defense, with the Golden Knights close behind them at 10th. Add in the 28th-ranked scoring output for NYR, plus a weird travel schedule that has seen them flying to Tampa, then Columbus, then home and now to Vegas, and we don’t see much scoring coming from the Rangers.
If you’re looking for a silver lining in the Rangers’ game, Mika Zibanejad has scored in each of the team’s last two games. The downside? New York has scored just two goals in their last 2 games…
The top three players for anytime goalscorer odds all come from the Vegas bench, starting with the all-star forward Jack Eichel.
The moneyline edge could come down to how you like your momentum plays. While the Rangers aren’t lighting the lamp often, it’s Vegas that has lost 5 of their last 6 games. But 4 out of those 5 losses have been by a single goal, so we can easily see a Knights team feasting on a Rangers squad that is floundering.
New York Islanders @ Dallas Stars
Matthew Schaefer, the Islanders’ star rookie d-man, is worth the price alone of tuning into NHL hockey on a Tuesday night.
The Islanders-Stars odds still lean Dallas, but the kid is making hockey in New York watchable again. He’s a long shot at +550 to be an anytime goalscorer, but his playmaking ability keeps Isles in most games. Schaef also leads the NHL Futures betting for the Calder trophy at -215. He’s a big reason why the Islanders are 4-1-0 in their last 5, all on the road.
But the Stars might be catching NYI at the right time. It’s the sixth game of a seven-game road swing for New York, a time when players’ legs start to feel the grind and hopping from city to city takes a toll. It’s why Dallas is a -172 favorite, on top of their 12-4-3 record. They’re one of the hottest teams in the NHL, losing just once in their last 10.
And if you like momentum plays, Jason Robertson is the odds-on best choice for anytime goalscorer at +132. He’s playing lights out for the Stars, with 6 goals in his last 3 games and 9 points in total over that stretch. Against a road-weary Islanders team, he could keep that streak going.