Top Shelf Picks: NHL Best Bets Today (Predictions for Canadiens-Panthers, Islanders-Blackhawks, Flyers-Canucks)

Breaking down the best NHL bets on the ice for the five-game slate on Tuesday, December 30.

The Flyers are looking for their second win over the Canucks in as many weeks. / Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

We have a five-game slate in the NHL on Tuesday night ahead of a larger docket on New Year’s Eve.

The Montreal Canadiens visit the Florida Panthers in one of the early games, with the Vancouver Canucks hosting Rick Tocchet and the Philadelphia Flyers to close things out.

I’m looking at another high-scoring game in Florida and two road favorites.

Let’s build on Monday’s 3-0 night as I break down my NHL best bets – and their odds at the best betting sites – for Tuesday, Dec. 30.

NHL Best Bets for Tuesday, Dec. 30

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

• Montreal Canadiens vs. Florida Panthers OVER 6.5 (-102)
• New York Islanders (-148) at Chicago Blackhawks
• Philadelphia Flyers (-135) at Vancouver Canucks

Montreal Canadiens vs. Florida Panthers OVER 6.5 (-102)

The Capitals and Panthers combined for eight goals on Monday night, including four in the first period, to easily cash our over. I’m going right back to another Panthers over here on Tuesday night.

The Cats have now gone over the total in their last five games and eight of their past 10 contests with a goal differential of 36-31 in that span. That includes two eight-goal games in the second half of back-to-backs, which is the situation they’re in tonight.

The Canadiens have also been a high-scoring team both as of late and overall. They’ve gone over the total in their last three games with a combined 25 goals. They’re now 24-11-3 to the over this season.

Sam Montembeault is making his first start in three weeks for the Habs. He’s 5-6-1 with an .857 save percentage and 3.65 goals-against average this season. The over is 9-3-1 when he starts. It’ll be backup Daniil Tarasov for the Panthers, who has a .900 SV% and 2.97 GAA. 

New York Islanders (-148) at Chicago Blackhawks

I’m surprised that this line isn’t a lot higher for the Islanders. While they’re coming off a 4-2 loss in Columbus, they’ve still quietly gone 21-14-4 this season, including 9-7-2 on the road.

On the flip side, the Blackhawks are just 14-18-6 on the season, and haven’t been themselves since losing Connor Bedard – and then Frank Nazar – to injury. Chicago has lost seven of its last eight games, and is just 4-13-2 while getting outscored 75-42 in its last 19 games.

The Islanders are simply the much better team here, and they aren’t getting the market respect they deserve. The Blackhawks have routinely been underdogs of +175 or higher. That should be closer to the line tonight against the Isles.

Philadelphia Flyers (-135) at Vancouver Canucks

Rick Tocchet leads the Flyers into Vancouver to take on the team he walked away from this spring. It appears to be the right decision for the bench boss, as the Flyers have been a surprising 19-11-7 this season while the Canucks are just 16-19-3.

These teams met last week in Philadelphia in what turned out to be an easy win for the home side. The Flyers outshot the Canucks 39-25 en route to a 5-2 home victory.

Philadelphia once again has a favorable matchup against the Canucks, who went to a shootout last night in Seattle. It’ll be a fresh Flyers team coming off an uncharacteristic loss in Seattle against a fatigued Vancouver squad.

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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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