Top Shelf Picks: NHL Best Bets Today (Predictions for Wild-Canadiens, Senators-Blue Jackets, Bruins-Stars)

The NHL had an unusually large 10-game slate on Monday for the holiday, and they’re right back at it with eight games on the docket on Tuesday night.

There are six teams on back-to-backs tonight, so there will be plenty of tired legs around the league.

I’m looking at a high-scoring game in Montreal, a home squad, and a road underdog for my best bets tonight.

Read on as I break down my NHL best bets – and their odds at the best betting sites – for Tuesday, Jan. 20.

NHL Best Bets for Tuesday, Jan. 20

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

Minnesota Wild vs. Montreal Canadiens OVER 6.5 (+100)
Columbus Blue Jackets (-105) vs. Ottawa Senators
Boston Bruins (+124) at Dallas Stars

Minnesota Wild vs. Montreal Canadiens OVER 6.5 (+100)

The Wild went into Toronto on Monday night and came away with a 6-3 win over the Maple Leafs. They were paced by Marcus Foligno’s first career hat trick, which was needed given their injuries up front.

That was the fifth-straight game for the Wild with at least seven goals, and third straight with eight or more. The Canadiens have trended that way recently as well, coming off a 6-5 win in Ottawa on Saturday night. In fact, the Habs are now 30-18-1 to the over this season.

Playing on no days rest has led to some higher-scoring games for the Wild, going 5-3-1 to the over. That includes a 5-4 shootout loss in Los Angeles a few weeks ago after beating Anaheim 5-2 the night before.

Finally, Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt has struggled after a hot start. He's allowed 11 goals on 49 shots in his last two starts against the Devils and Jets.

Columbus Blue Jackets (-105) vs. Ottawa Senators

The Blue Jackets made a surprising coaching change last week, but so far it’s working. They’ve won four straight games, including three under Rick Bowness, and are coming off a 4-3 shootout win in Pittsburgh on Saturday. Columbus has now had two days off to return home and get ready for the Sens.

Ottawa had a solid start to the season but has had its fair share of struggles, falling down to 22-19-7 on the year, which is the Blue Jackets’ exact record as well. The Senators have lost two straight and six of their last eight games. Their two wins were against the Canucks and Rangers, which aren’t very impressive in the grand scheme of things.

The Jackets should be able to ride this new coach bump for a little bit, especially at home against a struggling Sens squad.

Boston Bruins (+124) at Dallas Stars

The Bruins bring a six-game winning streak into Dallas on Tuesday night. They’ve outscored the opposition 27-7 in that span, and 40-18 during their 8-1-0 stretch.

On the flip side, the Stars have lost three in a row, scoring just one goal in each contest, and have been outscored 42-30 during a 2-6-4 skid.

The recent underlying metrics also favor the Bruins. Boston has the league’s 12th-best expected goals share at 5-on-5 in the last 10 games while Dallas has the 12th-worst, per Natural Stat Trick.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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