Top Shelf Picks: NHL Best Bets Today (Predictions for Wild-Blue Jackets, Penguins-Senators, Flyers-Sabres)

Breaking down the NHL best bets on the ice for the 10-game slate on Thursday, December 18.

The Philadelphia Flyers are looking to make it two straight road wins. / Eric Bolte-Imagn Images

We have plenty of hockey action on Thursday night with 10 NHL games on the docket.

My best bets for tonight are targeting a road favorite, a high-scoring game in Ottawa, and a road underdog.

Let’s get right into the best bets – and their odds at the best betting sites – for Thursday, Dec. 18.

NHL Best Bets for Thursday, Dec. 18

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

• Minnesota Wild (-120) at Columbus Blue Jackets
• Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Ottawa Senators OVER 6.5 (-105)
• Philadelphia Flyers (+120) at Buffalo Sabres

Minnesota Wild (-120) at Columbus Blue Jackets

The Wild head into Columbus riding a five-game winning streak, including a 5-0 victory over the Capitals on Tuesday night. Meanwhile, the Blue Jackets needed overtime to beat the Ducks, who were on the second half of a back-to-back, to end their five-game losing streak.

Minnesota has now put up two impressive wins with Quinn Hughes on the roster, and there’s no signs of slowing down. The Wild now have depth at forward, defense, and in goal to make them a true contender in the Western Conference.

The Jackets are just 7-5-3 at home while the Wild are 8-6-1 on the road. I’ll take the Wild here at a low -120 price.

Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Ottawa Senators OVER 6.5 (-105)

The Penguins have come crashing back down after a hot start, losing each of their last six games. Pittsburgh has allowed 28 goals in those six losses, including 17 in its last three contests.

The Senators have also had some defensive and goaltending issues this season. They’ve gone over in 19 of 32 games thus far, allowing 3.25 goals per contest.

Both teams are capable of scoring both at 5-on-5 and on the power play, so this game should fly over the total tonight in Ottawa.

Philadelphia Flyers (+120) at Buffalo Sabres

The Flyers got back on track on Tuesday night with a 4-1 win in Montreal, and now head to Buffalo to take on the Sabres. Philadelphia lost three straight prior to that victory, but all of those losses came past regulation, so it is still on a five-game point streak.

Buffalo has had a few days off after a long road trip. The Sabres are toward the bottom of the standings at 14-14-4 this season, while the Flyers have been quietly picking up points to move to 17-9-6, including 7-4-2 on the road.

Philadelphia won the first meeting 5-2 at home earlier this month.

I’m surprised that the Flyers are underdogs here, so I’ll take the value on the road team at +120.

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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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