NHL Picks: Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver Tantalizing To Bettors

Bienvenue Montreal!

The New Jersey Devils come in on a nine-game winning streak. Only the Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference have a better record on the season among teams from the East.

Then, there are the Canadiens. They are a fun team that allows lots of shots from their “middle six.” This is something the Devils figure to exploit often. Montreal allows 33.4 shots per game but takes 13.3 penalty minutes (29th in the league). Their lack of discipline might help New Jersey a little.

Both teams can easily score 3-4 goals, and these matchups have been intriguing in Montreal. Also, five of the past six meetings have gone to the Over. In this contest, Vitek Vanecek is projected to return against Jake Allen. Check back on social media often for confirmation on the New Jersey side. 

Expect a more electric effort from both teams here. New Jersey was sluggish against Arizona on Saturday. The Devils know they must develop a pace to help their goaltender. Scoring chances and opportunities could come fast and furious here. 

Toronto Maple Leafs at Pittsburgh Penguins

The most challenging game to gauge this night might be the one in Pittsburgh between the Maple Leafs and the Penguins. Barring something unforeseen, Matt Murray will start against his former team tonight, while Tristan Jarry is the projected goalie for Pittsburgh. 

It is early, but Pittsburgh needs the wins more than Toronto. It is still meandering at .500 with a mark of 6-6-3. That is below a playoff spot in the Metropolitan Division and nine points behind the first-place Devils. Many still believed Pittsburgh could still be near the top of the division. That is still possible, but Pittsburgh must get a more balanced effort. 

The same may be argued for Toronto, but yesterday's injury news had to be devastating. Jake Muzzin’s career could be over after cervical spine issues were revealed. T.J. Brodie is also on the Injured Reserve because of an oblique issue. Several players are out, including Ilya Samsonov. 

Toronto has won just twice on the road in seven games, though. That is what makes any wager with them considerably dangerous. However, the Maple Leafs are 4-1-2 overall in their past seven contests. There are many contrasts here. Their moneyline is at 1.89, and that Over of 6.5 goals (between the two teams) is at 1.76.

The fear of a three-point game is not easy to stomach also. This contest may feature minimal action other than on a few props.

Vancouver Canucks at Buffalo Sabres

In this game, we expect to see goals. Last night featured a somewhat similar scenario with Los Angeles and Calgary. Now, expect to avoid six goals crossing the red line after 20 minutes. However, Vancouver and Buffalo have a penchant for giving up 3+ goals with ease. Even better, there are opportunities galore for a team like Buffalo tonight. 

For those wondering, Vancouver’s penalty kill is still dead last in the league at 61.9%, and worse, they commit the third-most penalties in the NHL. Buffalo has a Top 10 power play at 25% with big Tage Thompson in front of the net. The Sabres’ special teams are not much better regarding the penalty kill. They rank 27th at just under 74%.

So, two teams that excel far better offensively are playing each other. Surprisingly, the Over is not 7.0 already. At 1.80, the 6.5 Over is worth a look. Do not get cute and tease the bets upward. Play it safe here. Again, look for power-play props later.

Some Picks To Consider

• Montreal Canadiens Moneyline 2.50
• Vancouver and Buffalo Over 6.5 goals at 1.80
• Detroit Over 3.5 goals at 2.10
• Auston Matthews anytime goal at Even

Good luck, and once again, thanks for reading! We will have a few more plays on social media as conditions warrant.

All odds today come from BetMGM and Sports Interaction.