Will the Canadiens pull off the upset as a home dog versus the Predators? Will the Sharks and Lightning combine to score at least seven goals? Read on for our Thursday NHL Best Bets.
Wednesday NHL Best Bet Recap
For Wednesday, my best moneyline (game) play was the Bruins, who knocked off the Blackhawks, 4-2. I also recommended the under in the Stars-Kings game, which also hit despite both teams combing for four goals in the first two periods. While my first period moneyline option did not hit (Ducks +126), my first period under between the Predators and Maple Leafs (under 1.5) did. The 3-1 night gives me a record of 16-7-1 since last Friday.
Thursday NHL Best Moneyline (Game) Bet: Montreal Canadiens +115, 7:00 p.m. ET
The Predators are in one right now. Over their last 10 games, the Preds are 2-8 for a return on investment of -63.01%. No team has been less profitable over their last 10 games than Nashville. In fact, the next least profitable team, the Senators, has a ROI of “only” -45.05%. That’s how bad the Preds have been of late.
Granted, Montreal hasn’t been world-beaters of late. They’ve lost two out of their last three games, but they are coming off a win and are 5-4-1-0 over their last 10 games. At 5-5, at least they’ve turned a profit over their last 10 games (29.56%).
Thursday NHL Best Over/Under (Game) Bet: Sharks-Lightning over 6.5 (+100), 7:00 p.m. ET
Over every team’s last 10 games, no team has been more profitable to the over than the Sharks. IN their last 10 contests, the over is 7-2-1 for an ROI of 45.62%. Over that same span, the over is just 4-5-1 in the Lightning’s last 10 games, but San Jose tends to drag opponents into shootouts. While the under hit in the Sharks’ 2-1 overtime victory versus the Capitals on Tuesday, that ended a streak of four consecutive overs in San Jose games. They should get back to their shootout ways tonight in Tampa.
Thursday NHL Best Moneyline (First Period) Bet: Columbus Blue Jackets +174, 9:00 p.m. ET
I love the value when it comes to this prop. The Blue Jackets are 6-2-2 on the moneyline in the first period over their last 10 games. Only Utah (6-1-3, 53.21%) has been more profitable than Columbus (44.84% ROI) over that span. The Blue Jackets are less profitable on the road, but they’re still profitable nonetheless. (They’re 4-2-4 away from Columbus in the first period over its last 10 games.)
As for the Oilers, they’re just 2-3-5 on the moneyline in the first period over their last 10 games. That’s an ROI of -16.22%. Over their last 10 home games, the Oilers are only 3-4-3 (-17.04%) on the first period moneyline, so home/away hasn’t mattered for Edmonton when it comes to the opening 20 minutes.
Thursday NHL Best Total (First Period) Bet: Blues-Flames under 1.5 (-118), 9:00 p.m. ET
The under is 7-3 in the first period of the Flames’ last 10 road games, producing an ROI of 39.61% over that span. Only the Maple Leafs’ 41.67% to the under has had a bigger return over that same span. In their last 10 home games, the under is 7-3 for a 42.03% ROI. Again, only the Maple Leafs have been a stronger first period under team over every team’s last 10 games.
Granted, the over has been cashing in recent first periods for the Blues, who have looked like a different team since firing Drew Bannister and replacing him with Jim Montgomery. That said, they’ve also been a stronger defensive team since Monty took over, so I’ll roll the dice that Calgary can keep St. Louis’ scoring in check (at least in the first period).