NHL Best Bets: Predators Hunting for a Road Win in New Jersey

The Devils have won just seven of its 23 home games this season, and now host a dangerous Predators team.

Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

It’s another light day around the NHL as the league is only a few days removed from its All-Star break. While Thursdays are usually filled with somewhere between 8-12 games, only three are on the schedule for today. The Canadiens visit the Sabres, the Devils host the Predators and the Kings play the Coyotes in what is the second game of a back-to-back for both teams.

Let’s take a closer look at two games in particular. Here are my two best bets for Thursday:

Montreal Canadians at Buffalo Sabres: Sabres Over 3 Goals (+100)

The Sabres get yet another home game on a small NHL slate. While they weren’t able to pull out a victory (for themselves or their backers) on Tuesday, there is a bet involving them that is intriguing tonight.

The Sabres score about 3.4 goals per game on home ice this season. They’ve scored three or more goals in 17 of their 24 games at KeyBank Center in 2019-20, including a 5-4 overtime victory over the Canadiens back in October.

On the flip side, Montreal ranks in the middle of the pack in goals allowed on the road. However, the average total is still hovering above three, and the Canadiens have allowed three or more goals in three of their last four and in seven of their last 10 games overall. Goaltender Carey Price has allowed at least three goals in seven of his 11 starts since the Christmas break.

Expect a bounce-back from Buffalo after losing the first game of its current five-game home stand. Even if the Sabres don’t improve their above-average home record, they should score enough for bettors to cash.

Nashville Predators at New Jersey Devils: Predators (-140)

This isn’t so much a bet in favor of Nashville as it is a bet against New Jersey.

The Devils might have been able to eke out a shootout victory over the Senators going into the break, but that stopped a dreadful three-game run in which they were outscored 17-6. The Devils have lost six of their last nine games and all but one by at least three goals. On top of that, New Jersey has won just seven of its 23 home games this season. Its 7-9-7 record is third-worst in the NHL.

Devils goaltender MacKenzie Blackwood is expected to start and has allowed an average of four goals per game in his last four starts. If interim head coach Alain Nasreddine decides to roll with backup Louis Domingue instead, he’s the netminder who allowed six goals on 37 shots in a 6-4 loss to the Predators on Dec. 7.

Nashville is saving starter Pekka Rinne for this game after starting Juuse Saros in net on Wednesday against the Capitals. Although he hasn’t been his usual stellar self this season, he already has a victory over the Devils under his belt. Even with the Predators playing on back-to-back nights, they have the advantage with less juice as a favorite than if both teams were equally rested.

Season Record: 26-25-1 (-0.84 units)