Monday NHL Best Bets Dec. 15: Will Predators & Blues rack up goals?

Last Updated on December 15, 2025 2:32 pm by Anthony Rome

Will the Predators and Blues rack up the goals tonight in St. Louis and cash the over for bettors? Are the Rangers the smart bet as a short moneyline favorite versus the Ducks? Will the Kings-Stars matchup turn into a defensive struggle? Read on for our Monday NHL Best Bets Dec. 15 article, that has predictions on all three of those contests.

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NHL Best Bet: New York Rangers -120 (vs. Ducks)

Why We’re Taking the Rangers:
The Rangers (16-13-4) host the Anaheim Ducks (19-12-1) at Madison Square Garden tonight. New York enters this game riding a modest rebound — beating the Canadiens 5-4 in OT in their most recent outing. Meanwhile, Anaheim’s impressive record masks inconsistency in defense and goaltending; they are middle-of-the-pack in goals against and have shown vulnerability in recent weeks.

Injury & Performance Context:
New York has navigated some tough injury breaks — including long-term absences for defenseman Adam Fox and forward Adam Edstrom — but Igor Shesterkin has kept them in games with elite goaltending. While Fox’s absence hurts overall defensive structure, the Rangers tend to tighten up at home, and Shesterkin’s numbers remain strong enough to keep Anaheim’s dynamic offense in check.

On offense, New York has depth scoring and a recently improved power play. Anaheim remains potent offensively but isn’t elite at limiting shots or converting in tight checking environments. This leans the edge to the Rangers, especially at home.

Prediction: Rangers win and cover the moneyline at home.

NHL Best Bet: Kings/Stars under 5.5

Why Under Here Makes Sense:
Los Angeles and Dallas is a classic case for the under. Both teams have shown decent defensive structure this season:

Kings: Sitting ~.500 but lean toward tighter games, averaging around 2.6–2.7 goals per game and playing with conservative puck control.
Stars: Dallas is one of the stronger scoring teams (111 goals) this year but pairs that with excellent defense and goaltending from the likes of Jake Oettinger in net, and they concede fewer high-danger chances than most teams.

Earlier in the season, this matchup between these clubs has produced methodical, structured hockey — not shootouts. While the Stars can light the lamp, the Kings’ discipline and goaltending limits scoring chances enough that both teams not scoring 3+ each is likely. Add the fact neither team wants to slip defensively on a Monday clash, and the 5.5 threshold becomes tough to reach.

Prediction: Goalies and systems prevail — keep it under 5.5.

NHL Best Bet: Predators/Blues over 5.5

Why the Total Goats Past 5.5:
This Central Division battle shapes up as a classic “get-off-the-mat” spot where both teams have shown susceptibility in recent games. Nashville’s offense and defense have been volatile, and St. Louis hasn’t exactly shut anyone down lately.

The Predators just routed the Blues 7-2 a few nights ago, with Steven Stamkos scoring four goals and Ryan O’Reilly, Filip Forsberg, and Michael Bunting all finding the scoresheet — an offensive explosion. Even if that exact punch doesn’t repeat, it underscores how open this matchup can be.

Blues goaltending has been inconsistent (Jordan Binnington allowing multiple goals), while Nashville has at times been porous in its own end. Recent analytical previews also lean toward offensive opportunities for both sides, and Nashville’s recent games have tended to tilt toward higher scoring than league norms.

Prediction: Multiple scoring chances from both teams lead to 6+ total goals.