Nearly every NHL team is in action tonight with 15 games set to play.
The pregame narrative: The Colorado Avalanche can’t buy a save and Ivan Barbashev has been on a tear. I’m backing the Vegas Golden Knights forward to notch a point alongside props on Cole Caufield and Sebastian Aho.
Check out my NHL prop picks for Nov. 27.
NHL prop picks
Go to full NHL betting markets.
Best Bet: Barbashev to record a point (-106)
The Avalanche have a serious goaltending problem.
Colorado is giving up the second-most goals per game (3.77) despite ceding the fourth-fewest shots per game (26.0). Needless to say, the team’s .870 save percentage ranks dead last in the NHL.
Justus Annunen got the call on Monday against the Tampa Bay Lightning and allowed five goals before getting pulled. Alexandar Georgiev started the game before that and gave up four to the Florida Panthers.
Both goaltenders rank outside of the top 44 in GAA and SV% — in a 32-team league.
It’s unclear who will start tonight but that doesn’t really matter to me. The Golden Knights and Barbashev should be licking their chops at the prospect of playing the Avs.
Barbashev has been the league’s most productive skater at even strength with 21 points at 5-on-5. That’s two more than his teammate Jack Eichel (third in NHL) who carries -345 odds to notch a point.
Eichel has 10 more points on the season because Barbashev doesn’t skate on the top power play, so those odds are probably fair, but I just wanted to illustrate how dominant the Russian has been.
Key stat: Barbashev has seven points in his last three games, clearing this mark in each contest.
Quick pick
Caufield to record a point (-155): This is a steep price to pay but I believe it’s worth it against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Elvis Merzlikins is slated to start in goal and he’s been a disaster:
- 3.08 GAA (39th) and .894 SV% (38th)
- 3.58 GAA in November
- 10 goals allowed in last two starts
Caufield has cooled off after an electric October but he’s still netted points in four of his last six games and receives top minutes for the Montreal Canadiens.
He has a point in 13 of 21 games this season.
Aho over 2.5 shots (-136): With American Thanksgiving on the horizon, New York Rangers fans should be giving Igor Shesterkin his flowers.
The Russian’s 2.91 GAA ranks 34th in the league but that’s because he’s been seeing an otherworldly amount of shots.
New York is giving up the second-most shots (33.09) and fourth-most chances (64.8) per 60, according to Natural Stat Trick.
Aho’s 56 shots rank second on the Carolina Hurricanes behind Andrei Svechnikov, and I like the Finn to be trigger-happy tonight.
He recorded at least two shots in four straight, clearing this line twice.
NHL picks made at 12:02 p.m. on 11/27/2024.
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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.