I’ve got a best bet from Monday’s three-game NHL slate.
The pregame narrative: The Florida Panthers are favoured to beat a team with goaltending issues. I’m backing Sam Bennett to register a point in this plus-matchup.
Check out my NHL best bet for Dec. 30.
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Best bet: Bennett to score 1+ points (-134)
The New York Rangers are in a tailspin.
New York has lost 14 of its last 18 games and sits dead last in the Metropolitan Division with 33 points in 35 games.
The squad started the year off well almost exclusively thanks to the elite play of Igor Shesterkin.
But the netminder has hit a wall lately and owns an ugly 3.34 goals against average and a .897 save percentage in December.
It would be unfair to blame things squarely on Shesterkin. Check out how the Rangers stack up against the rest of the league defensively, per Natural Stat Trick:
- 3.53 xG against/60 (31st)
- 31.6 shots against/60 (31st)
- 62.34 chances against/60 (29th)
Shesterkin is being peppered on a nightly basis and Florida should be all over him tonight.
Bennett is far from the biggest name on the Panthers but he skates on the team’s second line alongside Carter Verhaeghe and Matthew Tkachuk.
Those two are -165 and -240 to register a point, respectively.
Bennett has been held pointless in four straight but has 27 points in 34 games this season and has logged nine shots in his last two outings.
Key stat: Bennett has a point in six of his last seven games against the Rangers dating back to last year’s Eastern Conference final.
Pick made at 3:09 p.m. 12/30/2024.
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.