Two division-leading teams meet in Toronto tonight when the Maple Leafs host the Washington Capitals.
The pregame narrative: Toronto (16-7-2) and Washington (17-6-2) top the Atlantic and Metropolitan divisions, respectively. I’ll take the Capitals to cover the puck line and will also back Matthew Knies to record a point.
Check out my Maple Leafs picks vs. Capitals for Dec. 6.
Maple Leafs picks vs. Capitals
Go to full NHL betting markets.
Best Bet: Capitals +1 (-129)
The Capitals rarely lose by margin. Check out their stats over the last 12 games:
- 8-2-2 record
- +19 goal differential
- Zero losses by 2+ goals
Washington just had a four-game losing streak snapped by the San Jose Sharks, 2-1, in overtime. Before that, it had beaten powerhouses like the New Jersey Devils, Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers.
The team is receiving strong goaltending and finding ways to score even with Alex Ovechkin sidelined.
Toronto has won 10 of its last 12 games with a 4-3 overtime win against Washington mixed in. But the squad has only covered a -1.5 puck line in three of its past nine games, and things shouldn’t come easy tonight.
At the time of writing — 10:30 a.m. ET on Friday — neither team has confirmed a goaltender.
But it would make a lot of sense for Washington to start Logan Thompson tonight and save Charlie Lindgren for the downtrodden Montreal Canadiens tomorrow.
Thompson is 10-1-2 with a 2.52 goals allowed average and a .913 save percentage.
Key stat: The Capitals are 17-4-4 against a +1 line this season.
Quick pick
Knies over 0.5 points (-134): Knies is having a breakout season and I want in.
The big winger has 10 goals and 16 points through 23 games and is on pace to smash his previous bests of 15 and 35 (both last season in 80 GP).
Knies has points in seven of his last 10 games and five of his last six. But most importantly, he has the luxury of playing alongside Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, who each carry -305 odds to score tonight.
Logging minutes on Toronto’s top line is a boon for anyone, and Knies perfectly fits the role of a player who can retrieve the puck to set up goals.
NHL picks made at 10:13 a.m. ET on 12/06/24.
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.