Need a palette cleanser after a ravenous week of football? Don't worry, I've got you covered.
We have a hearty slate of NHL action, and I've singled out 2 NHL best bets in the front half of the schedule. I have 2 moneyline plays involving games between the Buffalo Sabres vs. Montreal Canadiens and the New Jersey Devils vs. St. Louis Blues.
Who takes the cake tonight? Read more for my NHL predictions for Tuesday.
NHL Best Bets, Picks
The team logos in the table below represent each matchup our NHL betting staff is targeting from today's slate of games. Click on the team logos for any of the matchups below to navigate to a specific bet discussed in this article.
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 7:10 p.m. | |
  | 8:10 p.m. | |
Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Always shop for the best price using our NHL Odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game. | ||
Sabres vs. Canadiens
It’s hard to find anyone playing worse than the Buffalo Sabres, but if you look hard enough, you may just find what you’re looking for.
Entering December, I was semi-bullish about the Montreal Canadiens. It seemed like they had a decent amount of momentum on their side, especially with the return of sniper Patrik Laine.
Since the start of the month, Montreal has gone 3-4, which isn’t as bad as it seems. However, it’s gotten lucky with wins against the Islanders, who are their own worst enemies, the Predators, who have disappointed and the Ducks, whose locker room is in shambles.
Last Thursday was an eye-opener. Montreal hosted the Pittsburgh Penguins, who have also been a major disappointment. While the vibes started high with a Nick Suzuki goal, the Penguins started embarrassing the Habs in front of their own crowd in a 9-2 onslaught.
It was a reminder that maybe not everything is sunshine and rainbows just yet.
Similarly, you have to feel terrible for the Sabres. Every offseason, I feel like it will finally be their year, and then the season starts (cue the Family Guy joke).
They’ve been victims of 10 straight losses, playing at a terrible 5-on-5 rate with a 41.64 xGF% in December.
God bless Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, who, amidst all of this, has maintained an SV% above .900 and a GSAx above zero. The team in front of him just isn’t getting the job done, and I don’t think it’s a lack of talent.
Buffalo has all the pieces in studs like Tage Thompson, JJ Peterka and Alex Tuch. I just don’t think management knew its team because bringing in an old-school coach like Lindy Ruff wasn’t going to get the boys going.
Alas, amidst all this, Buffalo had a team meeting where the owner expressed belief in this squad. Perhaps that’s all it needs; perhaps it was just hearsay.
One thing that can help you break out of a slump is facing a team that’s playing worse than you. Enter the Habs.
The Sabres are road favorites tonight, even after this losing streak. Can the schneid end tonight? I think so.
Pick: Sabres ML (-130)
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Devils vs. Blues
Allow me to humble brag for a second.
When the St. Louis Blues brought in Jim Montgomery as their head coach, I knew it would turn things around. Since he came into town, the Blues have been red hot, going 6-2-2 with elite production from Jordan Kyrou and Robert Thomas, who has 13 points in his past seven games.
They hold wins over the Rangers (twice), Jets, Canucks and even their opponents tonight in the New Jersey Devils.
The Devils are among the NHL’s elite this season, tied for fourth in the league with a 20-10-3 record for 43 points.
Jesper Bratt and Jack Hughes are playing at an insane rate, each scoring a point per game. Not only that, while goaltending certainly could be better, it’s good enough to keep the team afloat.
New Jersey is playing at a fourth-best 2.5 xGA/60 this month, which plays perfectly into tonight’s game. Even though the Blues are much better with Montgomery, they’re still not a match for the Devils, as their 5-on-5 play is middling, with a 51.1 xGF% compared to New Jersey’s leading 59.67%.
Additionally, I’m still unsure about St. Louis’ goaltending prospects. Jordan Binnington was an amazing story when it won the Stanley Cup years ago, but since then, his play has dwindled. These days, he’s not much better than a middling goaltender, perhaps backup at best.
His .899 SV% speaks for itself and 4.6 GSAx is fine. I’m just not sure if I trust him or the Blues to maintain New Jersey’s electric offense.
I’m taking the Devils in regulation.
Pick: Devils 60-Min ML (-110)
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