NHL Best Bets: Expect Lots of Goals in Toronto

There are a dozen games for hockey fans to choose from on the NHL’s Saturday slate. A pair of high-quality matinee games (Capitals vs. Islanders and Blues vs. Avalanche) start the day, while the night ends with the Stars and Wild doing battle in St. Paul and the Canucks playing host to the Sharks.

There’s plenty to wager on, but here is what our two experts think are the best bets to cash for Saturday.

St. Louis Blues vs. Colorado Avalanche: Over 6 goals (-105)

The two top teams in the Central Division square off for the second time in a little more than two weeks. The last meeting was a goalfest, with Colorado winning by a final score of 7-3. Could we see another offensive repeat?

The Blues have found plenty of success offensively since the start of the New Year. They’ve scored at least three goals in each of their last seven contests and are averaging four goals per game in January. Even dating back to mid-December, the Blues are scoring at a clip of 3.9 goals per game in their last 16. St. Louis also has an advantage on the power play in this matchup. It ranks fourth in power-play percentage at 25.4% and are facing a Colorado team that takes the ninth-most penalties in the NHL and ranks 20th on the penalty kill.

The Avalanche rank No. 3 overall in the NHL in scoring with an average of 3.6 goals per game this season. Their January total is only slightly below that mark at 3.4 goals per game and are coming off a four-goal victory over the Sharks on Thursday.

These two teams are averaging a combined 6.8 goals per game this season. Expect that number to rise by the time the final buzzer sounds. —Jaime Eisner

Chicago Blackhawks vs. Toronto Maple Leafs: Over 6.5 goals (-120)

This should be an exciting matchup full of goals for the national audience watching on NHL Network. We all know what the Maple Leafs and Blackhawks do well: Score. We also all know what they don’t do well: Defend. There’s no better recipe for success for over bettors than that.

Since Dec. 12, an average of 6.6 goals per game have been scored in games involving the Blackhawks. In that same time frame, an average of 7.1 goals per game have been scored in Maple Leafs games. That doesn’t even include the 5-4 game between these two teams that Chicago won back on Nov. 10.

Both teams rank in the bottom half of the NHL in goals against, each allowing more than three goals per game this season and a combined 6.3 in total. On the offensive side, the two teams have combined for an average of 6.5 goals scored per game this season.

If everything above wasn’t enough, consider that this will be Toronto’s third game without its top defenseman Morgan Rielly, who was injured against the Panthers on Jan. 12. Goals shouldn’t be at a premium in this contest. —Jaime Eisner

Chicago Blackhawks at Toronto Maple Leafs

Puck Line: Maple Leafs -1.5 (+115) | Blackhawks +1.5 (-135)

Moneyline: Maple Leafs (-210) | Blackhawks (+180)

Goal Total 6.5: OVER -125 | UNDER +105

Game Details: 7:00 p.m. ET - Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, ON, CA

Records To Date: Chicago 22-20-6 | Toronto 25-16-7

NHL Original Six foes meet for the second and final time this season when Chicago visits Toronto. Moving past a slow start, the Blackhawks are 9-4 over the last 13 games and have won three straight. The winning run has moved Chicago to within five points of a Western Conference Wild Card berth. Following wins over Anaheim (4-2) and Ottawa (3-2 OT) the Blackhawks cruised past the Canadiens 4-1 in Montreal during their last match on Wednesday.

Slow out the gate, sitting with a 9-10-4 record on Nov. 19, Toronto fired head coach Mike Babcock and replaced him with Sheldon Keefe. The Maples Leafs responded well to the change, as Toronto is 16-6-3 since Keefe took over and sit third overall in the Atlantic division. Closing out a three-game home stand, the Leafs enter this contest following a 7-4 demolition of the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday and a 2-1 loss in a shootout to the Calgary Flames on Thursday.

Blackhawks vs. Maple Leafs Final Thoughts and Prediction

Chicago won the first meeting against Toronto 5-4 at home back on Nov. 10. The Hawks jumped out to 4-1 first-period lead and then halted a third-period surge by Toronto to secure the win. Despite allowing four goals, Blackhawks goaltender Robin Lehner played well as Toronto fired a season-high 57 shots on goal. Toronto is 12-7-5 at home this season while Chicago is 11-9-3 overall as visitors—including wins during four of its last five on the road.

These teams played a pair of high-scoring contests last season as the Maple Leafs won 7-6 (OT) in Chicago and the Blackhawks posted a 5-4 win in Toronto. Toronto is second overall scoring 3.60 goals per game but sit in the bottom nine allowing 3.23 GPG. Chicago is in the middle of the pack in both categories as the Hawks are scoring 2.90 GPG while giving up 3.10 GPG. The Leafs are without top defenseman Morgan Rielly, who is sidelined with a foot injury.

Pick: Chicago +1.5 (-135)—Roy Larking

Buffalo Sabres at Nashville Predators

Puck Line: Predators -1.5 (+130) | Sabres +1.5 (-150)

Moneyline: Predators (-190) | Sabres (+170)

Goal Total 6: OVER -115 | UNDER -105

Game Details: 8:00 p.m. ET - Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, TN

Records To Date: Buffalo 22-19-7 | Nashville 21-18-7

Buffalo rolls into Music City riding a three-game winning streak. Playing well at both end of the ice, the Sabres defeated the Red Wings in Detroit (5-1) and Vegas at home (4-2) before taking down the Stars 4-1 in Dallas during their last game on Thursday. The Sabres are led by superstar Jack Eichel, who has posted at least one point in 27 of the last 29 games. Buffalo sits fifth in the Atlantic and five points out of an Eastern Conference playoff position.

Nashville enters this contest with a 3-6-1 record over its last 10 contests. Struggling at both ends of the ice, the Predators were outscored by a 37-28 combined count during their recent slide. Following road wins over Chicago (5-2) and Winnipeg (1-0), Nashville lost 4-2 in Edmonton and 4-2 at home to Anaheim during its last two contests. The Predators are sixth overall in the Central division and six points out of a Western Conference playoff position.

Sabres vs. Predators Final Thoughts and Prediction

Buffalo and Nashville are meeting for the second of two contests this season. Trailing 2-1 after the first period, Jack Eichel scored twice in the second frame and the Sabres posted a 4-3 win at home during the first contest on December 12, 2019. In a pair of low-scoring matches, Nashville won 2-1 at home and 3-2 in Buffalo during two meetings last season. The Predators are 10-9-4 at home while the Sabres have struggled to an 8-13-4 record as visitors this year.

Nashville sits eighth overall on offense, scoring 3.33 goals per game, but the Predators are bottom eight on defense allowing 3.26 GPG. Buffalo sits in the bottom half of the league averaging 2.98 GPG on offense and it is allowing 3.10 GPG on defense. Linus Ullmark (2.72 GAA) is expected to start in goal for Buffalo while Pekka Rinne (3.02 GAA) is projected to start in net for Nashville. Tempted by the Sabres moneyline, take the puckline and back Buffalo.

Pick: Buffalo +1.5 (-150)—Roy Larking

San Jose Sharks at Vancouver Canucks

Puck Line: Canucks -1.5 (+155) | Sharks +1.5 (-175)

Moneyline: Canucks (-160) | Sharks (+140)

Goal Total 6: OVER -115 | UNDER -105

Details: 10:00 p.m. ET - Rogers Arena in Vancouver, BC, CA

Records To Date: San Jose 21-24-4 | Vancouver 26-18-4

Pacific division rivals meet when San Jose visits Vancouver to close out the Saturday night NHL schedule. Apart from a solid 11-2-0 run in November, it’s been a disappointing season for the Sharks who are fifth on the Pacific division and nine points out of a playoff position in the Western Conference. Following a pair of losses in Arizona (6-3) and Colorado (4-0) San Jose closes out a three-game road trip here. The Sharks are 8-13-3 as visitors this season.

After being tagged with +4250 long-shot odds to win the Stanley Cup in the preseason, Vancouver is playing well above expectations. Running hot, the Canucks are on a 10-3-0 roll since the middle of December. The winning run has moved Vancouver into third place in the Pacific division and the Canucks are on pace to make the NHL playoffs the first time since 2015. Vancouver has been tough to beat at home as the Canucks have posted a 15-5-3 record at Rogers Arena.

Sharks vs. Canucks Final Thoughts and Prediction

This is the third of five meetings between these teams and the season series is knotted at one win apiece. Vancouver jumped out to the 4-0 second period lead and won the first game 5-2 in San Jose on November 2. Meeting at the Shark Tank once again, San Jose posted a 4-2 win back on Dec. 14. While both teams are playing at a different level at this point, the Sharks have dominated the Canucks posting a 13-2-1 record over the last 16 meetings.

Struggling on offense and defense, San Jose is bottom four in scoring just 2.59 goals per game and fifth from the bottom allowing 3.31 GPG. Vancouver is averaging 3.23 GPG on offense while allowing 3.06 GPG on defense. A big hit to the offense, the Sharks are without leading scorer Logan Couture, who is sidelined with a broken ankle. Vancouver enters this contest at full health and playing much better than the Sharks. Lay the puckline and bet on the Canucks.

Pick: Vancouver -1.5 (+155)—Roy Larking

Eisner's Season Record: 23-22-1 (-0.53 units)

Larking's Season Record: 9-12 (-5.70 units)