Wednesdays are usually one of the quieter nights on the weekly NHL schedule, but we’ve got nearly a full dance card to work with this week.
There are a whopping 14 games on the docket as the league prepares for American Thanksgiving, set to serve up 15 games on Friday (7 of them in the afternoon) and another 11 on Saturday. Even if you aren’t in the United States, that’s a whole lot of puck to be thankful for over the next few days.
Today, we’re trying something a bit new- with only one game on the schedule Tuesday and no squads slated to play back-to-backs, we were able to get our handicapping notes for every game completed one day in advance. So, rather than waiting until a few hours before puck drop to share the game breakdowns with our picks and opinions, we’re throwing these breakdowns up a full day in advance.
If you’re interested in our picks and leans, they should be posted tomorrow afternoon once we know a bit more about the goaltending matchups. We’ll tweet out the link when our personal bets and opinions have been added.
UPDATE: We have now added our 5 bets and 4 leans for tonight’s action, now that goalie info is more reliable and betting lines are widely available.
Good luck and enjoy a jam-packed Wednesday of NHL action!
Odds below are at the time we made the pick. Be sure to check out our live odds page for updated odds on today’s games.
Reasons to bet Chicago: The Blackhawks are 2-0-2 in their last 4 games. Washington has scored just 4 goals in its last 3 games at home, where the Caps are 2-2-1 in their last 5.
Reasons to bet Washington: The Capitals have won 7 straight home games versus the Blackhawks, outscoring Chicago 23-5 in the last 5. Chicago has scored 6 regulation time goals in its last 5 games, excluding empty netters.
Other things to know:
- Chicago has scored 2 goals or less in 8 of its last 10 games
- Chicago has allowed 2 regulation time goals in its last 3 games and 4 in its last 4
- Chicago is 0-4-1 in its last 5 road games
- Washington has scored 2 regulation time goals or less in 5 of its last 7 games
- Washington has allowed 2 regulation time goals or less in 6 of its last 8 games
- The Over is 3-0-2 in the last 5 meetings
Probable goalies: Crawford (confirmed), Holtby (confirmed)
Reasons to bet Toronto: The Leafs are 9-1 on the road this season. Carolina has lost 4 straight home games versus Toronto.
Reasons to bet Carolina: The Hurricanes should be motivated to avenge an 8-1 loss to Toronto in the teams’ most recent meeting last season. Toronto has allowed an average of 41 shots per game in its last 3.
Other things to know:
- Carolina is 5-4-2 at home
- The road team has won 5 of the last 6 meetings and 7 of 9
- Toronto has scored 3+ goals in 6 of its last 8 games
- Toronto has held 8 of its last 10 opponents to 2 goals or less, excluding empty netters
- Carolina has scored 5 regulation time goals in its last 3 games
- Carolina has allowed 3+ goals in 7 of its last 9 games
- The Under is 11-3-2 in Toronto’s last 16 games
- The Under is 9-3 in the last 12 meetings and 5-1 in the last 6 in Carolina
- The Under is 11-4 in Carolina’s last 15 games
Probable goalies: Andersen (confirmed), McElhinney (confirmed)
Reasons to bet Boston: The Bruins have won 7 straight meetings and 6 of their last 8 trips to Detroit. The Red Wings have scored 3 regulation time goals in their last 2 games and 2 regulation time goals or less in 4 of 6.
Reasons to bet Detroit: The Red Wings have won 5 of 6 at home and are 8-2 in their last 10 overall. Boston’s already been decimated with injuries and is now without Bergeron as well.
Other things to know:
- Boston beat Detroit 8-2 Oct. 13 in Boston
- Boston has allowed 1 goal or less in 4 of its last 5 games and 6 of 8
- Boston has 3 regulation time wins in its last 8 games
- Detroit has allowed 5 goals in its last 3 games and 3 or less in 9 of 10
- The Under is 11-2-1 in Boston’s last 14 games
- The Under is 6-2-4 in the last 12 meetings in Detroit
Probable goalies: Rask (confirmed), Howard (confirmed)
Reasons to bet Florida: The Panthers have won 6 of their last 8 games. Tampa has 1 regulation time win in its last 5 games.
Reasons to bet Tampa Bay: The Lightning has won 5 straight home games against Florida. The Panthers are playing their 5th straight road game.
Other things to know:
- Tampa beat Florida 2-1 in a shootout Oct. 6 in Tampa
- Tampa has won 5 of the last 6 meetings
- Florida has scored 3+ goals in 7 of its last 8 games
- Florida has allowed 16 goals in its last 3 games after allowing 7 in its previous 5
- Florida’s power play is 12 for 34 in its last 9 games
- Tampa has scored 13 goals in its last 3 home games
- Tampa has scored 4+ goals in 7 of its last 9 games
- The home team has won 8 of the last 9 meetings
- The Over is 14-5 in the last 19 meetings in Tampa
Probable goalies: Luongo (confirmed), Domingue (confirmed)
Reasons to bet Vegas: The Golden Knights won 4 of 5 meetings with Arizona last year. The Coyotes have lost 5 of their last 7 and have 2 regulation time wins in their last 8.
Reasons to bet Arizona: The Coyotes have won 5 of 7 at home while the Knights have lost 9 of their last 12 on the road. Vegas has allowed 30 goals in its last 7 road games.
Other things to know:
- Vegas lost 7-2 Monday in Calgary
- Vegas has scored 1 goal or less in 3 of its last 5 games
- Vegas is playing its 3rd game in 4 days and 4th in 6
- Arizona has allowed 2 goals or less in 3 of its last 4 games
Probable goalies: Fleury, Kuemper
Reasons to bet Montreal: The Canadiens are 5-3-2 on the road and have won 10 of their last 14 trips to New Jersey. The Devils have lost 5 of 7 and 11 of 15.
Reasons to bet New Jersey: The Devils are 6-1-2 at home. Montreal has allowed 4+ goals in 5 of its last 7.
Other things to know:
- Montreal has won 5 of the last 7 meetings
- New Jersey is 2-0-2 in the last 4 meetings
- 5 of the last 10 meetings went to OT
- Montreal has scored 3+ goals in 7 of its last 8 games
- New Jersey has scored 5 goals in its last 3 games (excluding empty netters) and 2 or less in 6 of its last 7
- New Jersey has allowed 6 regulation time goals in its last 4 games
- The Over is 4-1-3 in the last 8 meetings in New Jersey
Probable goalies: Price (confirmed), Kinkaid (confirmed)
Reasons to bet Islanders: The Isles have dominated this series of city rivals, winning 9 of the last 10 meetings and 17 of the last 22. The Rangers have lost 6 of their last 7 division games.
Reasons to bet Rangers: The Rangers are 8-1-1 in their last 10 games overall and have won 6 straight at home. The Islanders have allowed 4+ goals in 5 of their last 6 games.
Other things to know:
- The Islanders beat the Rangers 7-5 Nov. 15 at NYI (Rangers outshot Islanders 41-24)
- The Islanders have won 7 of their last 8 games at the Rangers
- The Rangers have scored 4+ goals in 4 of their last 7 games
- The Over is 9-4-2 in the Islanders’ last 15 road games
- The Under is 8-3 in the Rangers’ last 11 home games
- The Over is 7-3-1 in the last 11 meetings and 4-1-1 in the last 6 at the Rangers
Probable goalies: Lehner (confirmed), Georgiev (confirmed)
Reasons to bet Dallas: The Stars have allowed 6 goals in their last 4 games and just 12 regulation time markers in their last 6 on the road. Pittsburgh has lost 9 of 10, allowing 4+ goals in 7 of those games.
Reasons to bet Pittsburgh: The Penguins’ recent issues aren’t related to their offense, which has scored 19 goals in its last 5 games. Dallas has scored 1 goal or less in 3 of its last 4 games and 5 of 8.
Other things to know:
- Dallas is 4-5-1 on the road
- Pittsburgh is 3-5-2 at home
- The home team is 8-2 in the last 10 meetings and 16-5 in the last 21
- Dallas has won 6 of the last 8 meetings
- Dallas is playing its 3rd game in 4 days and 4th in 6
Probable goalies: Khudobin (confirmed), DeSmith (confirmed)
Reasons to bet Philadelphia: The Flyers are 5-3-1 on the road, where they’ve scored 3+ goals in 7 of 9 outings this year. The Sabres are playing their 4th game in 6 days.
Reasons to bet Buffalo: The Sabres have won 6 straight, including a come-from-behind 5-4 OT win in Pittsburgh Monday. The home team is 7-1-2 in the last 10 meetings.
Other things to know:
- Philadelphia has scored 3+ goals in 7 of its last 9 games
- Buffalo is 6-2-1 at home
- The Over is 35-17-2 in the last 54 meetings
- The Over is 9-2-2 in Philadelphia’s last 13 road games
Probable goalies: Lyon (confirmed), Hutton (confirmed)
Reasons to bet St. Louis: The Blues are playing their first game since head coach Mike Yeo was fired.
Reasons to bet Nashville: The Predators are 7-2-1 in their last 10 games and have lost in regulation just 5 times in their first 21. St. Louis has lost 4 of 5 games, scoring just 6 goals during the skid.
Other things to know:
- Nashville has won 5 straight meetings and 7 of the last 8
- St. Louis has scored 9 goals in the last 7 meetings
- St. Louis has lost its last 8 visits to Nashville
- St. Louis is playing its 4th game in 6 days
- Nashville has scored 4+ goals in 6 of its last 10 games
- St. Louis is 2-3-2 on the road
- The Under is 7-0 in St. Louis’ last 7 games
Probable goalies: Allen (confirmed), Rinne
Reasons to bet Ottawa: Ottawa has won 3 of its last 5 games and scored 3+ goals in 6 of 8. Minnesota has lost 3 of 4 after a 12-game stretch in which it went 10-2.
Reasons to bet Minnesota: The Wild is 6-2-2 at home while Ottawa is 2-5-1 on the road. Ottawa has given up 4+ goals in 5 of its last 6 games and 7 of 9.
Other things to know:
- Minnesota has won 4 straight meetings and is 3-0-1 in its last 4 home games versus Ottawa
- Minnesota has scored 3 goals in its last 2 games and 2 or less in 3 of 4
- The Over is 7-1 in Ottawa’s road games this year and 15-4 overall
- The Under is 5-2-2 in the last 9 meetings
Probable goalies: Anderson (confirmed), Dubnyk (confirmed)
Reasons to bet Vancouver: The Canucks have earned points in 7 of 14 road games (5-2-2). Anaheim has 3 regulation time wins in 13 home games this year.
Reasons to bet Anaheim: The Ducks have won 4 of the last 5 meetings and 6 of 9. Vancouver is playing its 7th road game in 15 days and has been outscored 20-9 in its last 4.
Other things to know:
- Vancouver has lost 3 of its last 4 visits to Anaheim
- Vancouver has lost 6 straight games
- Vancouver has scored 10 goals in its last 5 games after scoring 24 in its previous 5
- Vancouver has allowed 3+ goals in 8 of its last 9 games
- Anaheim has scored 3 goals or less in 15 straight games
- Anaheim has allowed 4+ goals in 4 of its last 7 games
- Anaheim has gone to OT in 5 of its last 9 games
- The Under is 17-6-3 in the last 26 meetings and 7-1-1 in the last 9 in Anaheim
Probable goalies: Markstrom, Gibson
Reasons to bet Winnipeg: The Jets are 4-0-1 in their last 5 games and outshot Vancouver 49-25 in a 6-3 win Monday night. Winnipeg has won 3 of the last 5 meetings.
Reasons to bet Calgary: The Flames are 6-3-1 at home this season and have outshot their last 3 opponents by a margin of 114-70. Winnipeg has lost 5 of its last 6 games in Calgary.
Other things to know:
- Winnipeg is 4-3 on the road
- Winnipeg has scored 2 goals or less in 7 of the last 8 meetings
- Winnipeg has allowed 9 regulation time goals in its last 5 games
- Calgary has won 7 of its last 10 games
- Calgary has allowed 3 goals or less in 6 of its last 7 games and 8 of 10
- The home team is 19-7-1 in the last 26 meetings
- The Under is 4-1-3 in Winnipeg’s last 8 road games
- The Over is 9-1-1 in Calgary’s last 11 home games
Probable goalies: Hellebuyck, Rittich (confirmed)
Reasons to bet Colorado: The Avalanche is 3-0-1 in its last 4 games and has earned points in 8 of 12 on the road (6-4-2). LA is playing its 4th game in 6 days and has scored 1 regulation time goal or less in 5 of its last 6 games (excluding empty netters).
Reasons to bet LA: The Kings swept the season series last year and have won 5 straight meetings with the Avalanche. Colorado has given up 3+ goals in 9 of its last 10 games (8 of 10 in regulation).
Other things to know:
- Colorado has 1 regulation time win in its last 6 road games
- Colorado has scored 4+ goals in 5 of its last 7 games (4 times in regulation)
- LA has allowed 1 goal against or less in 5 of its last 8
- The Under is 7-2 in LA’s last 9
- The Under is 8-1-4 in the last 13 meetings in LA
Probable goalies: Varlamov (confirmed), Petersen
Good luck!
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