Top Shelf Picks: NHL Best Bets Today (Predictions for Mammoth-Devils, Blues-Blackhawks, Panthers-Kings)

There is a nine-game slate on tap in the NHL on Tuesday night.

The Lightning blowing out the Flyers saved us from a winless start to the week last night.

I’m targeting a road favorite and a pair of high-scoring games as I look to bounce back in my NHL best bets on Tuesday night.

Let’s get right into my NHL best bets – and their odds at the best betting sites – for Tuesday, Oct. 6.

NHL Best Bets for Tuesday, Oct. 6

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

Utah Mammoth at New Jersey Devils OVER 5.5 (-135)
St. Louis Blues (-142) at Chicago Blackhawks
Florida Panthers at Los Angeles Kings OVER 5.5 (-130)

Utah Mammoth at New Jersey Devils OVER 5.5 (-135)

I’m very surprised that this total isn’t at 6.5, or at least a flat six, but it might get there before puck drop.

Utah is 2-1-0 through three games, beating the Blackhawks 6-0 and Blue Jackets 4-1 before falling to the Rangers in the second half of a back-to-back. The Devils have only played two games, beating the lowly Flyers 3-2 in overtime before getting shut out 6-0 on Long Island.

These are two young, fast-paced teams. They both finished in the top eight in shot attempts per 60 minutes at 5-on-5 play last season, per Natural Stat Trick, and I don’t trust either goaltending situation too much at this point.

Both of these teams are more than capable of scoring three goals, and possibly more.

St. Louis Blues (-142) at Chicago Blackhawks

The Blues shut out the Stars in their season opener on Friday night before a scheduled loss in Colorado the next night. They’ve now had two days off ahead of their matchup against the Blackhawks, which is the home opener in Chicago.

The Blackhawks are without Connor Bedard to begin the season, and offseason acquisition Bowen Byram is off to a poor start on the blue line. Chicago lost all three games on its season-opening road trip, 5-2 in Vegas, 6-0 in Utah, and 4-3 in Buffalo.

Chicago has a higher ceiling with Bedard, but he’s not in the lineup, and the Blues are a better team right now. They should spoil the home opener tonight.

Florida Panthers at Los Angeles Kings OVER 5.5 (-130)

For the past few seasons, the Kings have been known as a slower-paced team with Anze Kopitar and Drew Doughty leading the way. Doughty is still there, but it’s first-year head coach Peter Laviolette behind the bench. The veteran coach likes to play an uptempo style of hockey, and that’s shown in the Kings’ 8-4 and 5-4 (OT) losses to begin the season.

The Panthers losing Aleksander Barkov hurts, but Brad Marchand scored in his season debut on Sunday, and Florida still has one of the deepest teams in the league – just not necessarily in net.

Florida is also just 1 for 17 on the power play, and the Kings’ penalty kill has allowed five goals in seven tries. The Cats should be ready to pounce on the power play tonight.

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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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