Tonight's NHL Betting Guide: Avalanche Of Offense, Leafs Over Islanders

There are 11 games going for hockey night, but we’re going to focus on two games featuring two of the most storied franchises in the NHL. We’re covering the Canadiens vs. Avalanche and the Maple Leafs vs. Islanders.

Of course, we’ll be using FanDuel Sportsbook to give you all the latest odds for tonight’s games.

Montreal Canadiens vs. Colorado Avalanche Moneyline, Total and Odds

Moneyline: Canadiens +450 / Avalanche -610

Spread: Canadiens -120 (+2.5) / Avalanche -102 (-2.5)

Total: Over 6.5 (-122) Under 6.5 (+100)

Montreal Canadiens vs. Colorado Avalanche News, Analysis and Picks

The Avalanche are third in the NHL, are riding a five-game winning streak, and have 14 straight home victories.

Colorado is coming off a 4-1 win over the Kings. Mikko Rantanen opened the scoring and added an assist in the third. Nathan MacKinnon also had a couple of helpers. Nazem Kadri still leads the Avs in scoring, with 15 goals and 36 assists in 35 games.

Meanwhile, the Canadiens are last overall. In a league featuring the Arizona Coyotes, the Habs are still in last place. They’ve lost seven of their past eight games. Montreal is coming off a 4-3 overtime loss to Vegas. Mike Hoffman gave them the lead in the third before the Golden Knights scored two unanswered. Nick Suzuki leads the team in scoring with seven goals and 15 assists. To put things into perspective, Kadri has more assists than any Canadiens player has points.

Colorado leads the league in goals per game, averaging 4.18, while the Habs are dead last with 2.18. Montreal is terrible at keeping the puck out of the net as well. They rank 31st, allowing 3.67 goals per game. The Avs aren’t great at holding their opponents off the scoreboard. Colorado ranks 20th, allowing 3.05 goals per game.

Against the puck line, the Canadiens are 16-23 and 10-13 on the road, while the Avalanche are 19-19 and 11-8 at home.

Covering 2.5 goals is a big ask in the NHL, but if any team is going to do it, it’s the Avalanche. And if any team is going to have it done to them, it’s the Canadiens.

The Picks: Avalanche puck line -2.5 (-102), Under 6 (+100), Mikko Rantanen – Goals: Over 0.5 (+108)

Toronto Maple Leafs vs. New York Islanders Moneyline, Total and Odds

Moneyline: Maple Leafs -182 / Islanders +150

Spread: Maple Leafs -1.5 (+152) / Islanders +1.5 (-188)

Total: Over 6 (-118) Under 6 (-104)

Toronto Maple Leafs vs. New York Islanders News, Analysis and Picks

The Maple Leafs are tenth in the Eastern Conference but have lost three of their last five.

Toronto is coming off a 6-3 loss to the Rangers. Mitch Marner had a goal and an assist in the loss. The Leafs were up 3-1 in the game before giving up five unanswered goals.

Jack Campbell has been stellar in the net for the Leafs, but Petr Mrazek will get the nod in goal tonight. In Mrazek’s four games Mrazek this season, he hasn’t been great. He’s gone 2-2 with a .882 SV% and a 3.59 GAA. However, the Leafs will need to rest Campbell at some point down the stretch. Auston Matthews leads the team in scoring, with 25 goals and 16 assists.

Meanwhile, the Islanders are 11th in the East and are on a three-game winning streak.

New York is coming off a 4-0 shutout win over the Coyotes. Ilya Sorokin picked up his fourth shutout of the season, which is tied for second. Sorokin, like Campbell, has been great for the Islanders, but Semyon Varlamov likely gets the not since they played Friday night. Brock Nelson had two goals in the win. Mathew Barzal leads the team in scoring, with seven goals and 17 assists.

The Leafs are seventh in NHL scoring, averaging 3.38 goals per game, while New York is 29th with 2.36. The Islanders are better on defense, allowing only 2.58 goals per game, but Toronto isn’t far behind, limiting teams to 2.65.

Against the puck line, the Leafs are 14-23 and 7-11 on the road, while New York is 14-19 and 7-9 at home.

It’s tough to judge how Toronto will react with Mrazek between the pipers, but they should have the offense to carry them through this matchup.

The Picks: Leafs Moneyline (-182), Under 5.5 (-122), First Goal Scorer: Auston Matthews (+850)

All NHL predictions and picks are courtesy of SportsGrid

Odds courtesy of Fanduel Sportsbook. Sign up for FanDuel Sportsbook today and get your first bet risk-free for up to $1,000.