One moneyline pick and one over/under wager make up today’s NHL best bets.
The pregame narrative: The Minnesota Wild are rolling and should handle an awful Anaheim Ducks team in regulation. Before that, expect plenty of goals in a rivalry game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals.
Find my NHL best bets for Nov. 8 below.
NHL best bets
Go to full NHL betting markets.
Best Bet: Wild to win in regulation (-130)
If Lukas Dostal wasn’t on the Ducks there’s a real chance they would be dead last in the NHL.
The 24-year-old Czech netminder owns a 2.50 GAA (10th in the NHL) to pair with a stellar .930 SV% (third). He ranks first in Money Puck’s goals saved above expected (11.7) with a 4.5-goal buffer ahead of the second-place Igor Shesterkin.
But Dostal has started four straight games for Anaheim — and nine of its last 10 — and is starting to crack.
He’s allowed nine goals in his last two starts with a SV% below .870 in each outing. The Ducks would be wise to give him a rest and backup James Reimer has been awful (4.50 GAA, .864 SV%).
But even if Dostal plays I love Minnesota to win this game handily.
The Ducks can’t score and rank dead last in goals per game (2.08). The Wild, meanwhile, are scoring the eighth-most goals per game (3.63) behind the stellar play of Kirill Kaprizov.
This simply smells like a blowout.
Key stat: Minnesota is 9-2-2 and eight of those wins have come in regulation.
Quick picks
Penguins/Capitals over 6.5 goals (-106): Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin have provided fans with one of the most memorable rivalries in NHL history and I expect both to lead their teams offensively tonight.
The Capitals have been the NHL’s biggest surprise this season with a 9-3-0 record through 12 games thanks to an electric offence.
Washington scores the fourth-most goals per game (4.08) and Ovi has contributed eight in his chase to pass Wayne Gretzky for the most all time.
With a back-to-back on the horizon, the Capitals are electing to start Charlie Lindgren in goal. He has an underwhelming .896 SV% and has allowed three goals in three straight starts.
Pittsburgh is nowhere near Washington in terms of offence but it should able light the lamp tonight.
Crosby (15) and Evgeni Malkin (16) pace the team in points and have helped the Pens scored three-plus goals in four of their last six games.
The Capitals also allow the ninth-most 5-on-5 chances per 60, per Natural Stat Trick.
NHL best bets made at 11:39 a.m. ET 11/08/2024.
Avery joined NorthStar Gaming as an intern in 2022 before stepping into a full-time role soon after. He loves betting on and analyzing golf — mainly because it’s easier than actually playing — but is a fan of all sports, from the NFL to the UFC.