NHL Monday best bets: Let’s get Wild

We have a very small slate of games on the docket Monday night, with a battle between two of the top seeds in the Western Conference set to take center stage.

Let's take a look at the best way to attack that game - and the card as a whole - with three bets.

Golden Knights (+115) @ Wild (-135)

The Golden Knights - in their current, injured form - are not as good as their record indicates, especially on the road.

They've controlled only 44% of the expected goal share at five-on-five over the past 10 road games, which is one of the worst outputs in the NHL. Their poor numbers stem largely from a surprising inability to defend. They're giving up a lot of chances.

A recent injury to Shea Theodore isn't going to help improve their process, although his absence hurts more on the offensive side of things.

That's not ideal when going up against the Wild. They've defended masterfully for the vast majority of the campaign. That remains the case right now, particularly at home.

Over its last 10 home affairs, Minnesota has allowed only 8.6 high-danger chances per 60 minutes of five-on-five play. That's the league's second-best rate, behind only the No. 1-seeded Boston Bruins.

Generating legitimate scoring opportunities has been almost impossible for opposing teams. When they do, they then have to deal with Filip Gustavsson.

He ranks fourth in goals saved above expected per start, slotting behind only the tandem in Boston and Juuse Saros. Gustavsson has been a brick wall and should have little problem slowing down this banged-up Golden Knights attack.

Minnesota's defensive prowess should give the team an edge at five-on-five, and it also has a much more reliable netminder. Throw home ice in as a cherry on top, and there's plenty of reason to expect the Wild to take care of business.

Bet: Wild (-135)

Jason Robertson over 3.5 shots (-135)

Robertson is one of the NHL's most consistent shooters at home. He's registered four-plus shots in 62% of his home games this season, including the only one against the Predators.

His shot volume in Dallas is night and day to what it is on the road. Robertson has managed 7.9 shot attempts per home game. That number drops to an even six when on the road.

However, what I truly love about Robertson on Monday is the matchup. His bread-and-butter is shooting on the man advantage, where he ranks fifth in total attempts.

The Predators are one of the best opponents Robertson could ask for. They take a boatload of penalties, having spent more time shorthanded than all but the Coyotes and Bruins over the past 10 games.

Slowing down Robertson is difficult enough. If the Predators parade to the box like usual, it's borderline impossible. Expect Robertson to have a big shooting night.

Miro Heiskanen over 2.5 shots (-145)

Heiskanen's splits are as drastic as you'll see in any defenseman. He's good on the road, sporting a solid 52% hit rate. He's an absolute machine at home, though, having gone over his total in 71% of the games.

Heiskanen is in his finest form right now. He's hit in eight of the past 10 games in Dallas, including six of the last seven. The lone exception came against a Flames team that suppresses shots as effectively as anybody - outside of the Hurricanes, anyway.

The Predators are winning a lot of games right now, but it's mostly been on the back of Saros. At five-on-five, they rank in the bottom 10 in shot suppression the past 10 games. As mentioned, they're also taking a ton of penalties.

Whether Saros steals the show or not doesn't negatively impact Dallas' ability to pile up the shots. I expect the team's two best volume shooters - Robertson and Heiskanen - to be heavily involved.

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.

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Post-game: Canucks officially eliminated

Sat Shah and Bik Nizzar breakdown a 4-1 Canucks loss to the LA Kings that offcially eliminated the Canucks from playoff contention.  

Hear from Rick Tocchet, JT Miller, Akito Hirose, Elias Pettersson and Thatcher Demko post game. Iain McIntyre and Randip Janda provide their analysis. 

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Media Inc. or any affiliate. 

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Media Inc. or any affiliate.

Murray won’t return vs. Red Wings after collision with Raymond

Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Matt Murray won't return to Sunday's contest against the Detroit Red Red Wings after he was inadvertently knocked over by Lucas Raymond in the first period.

Murray immediately went to the dressing room and didn't return to the crease for the middle frame. There was no penalty on the play.

Detroit scored twice on seven shots before Murray departed.

Murray has already had two significant absences this season. He was sidelined with an adductor ailment in October and returned from a 17-game ankle-injury absence in early March.

The 28-year-old entered Sunday's game with a 14-8-2 record and a .905 save percentage in his debut season with the Leafs. Toronto acquired him in an offseason trade with the Ottawa Senators.

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Marchand jokingly backs Binnington: ‘He makes me look like a good guy’

Boston Bruins pest Brad Marchand playfully barbed St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington prior to Sunday's contest between the two clubs.

Marchand jokingly said Binnington has taken his crown as the league's most hated player in a lighthearted pre-game interview with TNT's Paul Bissonnette.

"He makes me look like a good guy, though, so I love it," Marchand said. "I used to be the most hated. I think he's kind of taken that over now."

Binnington made headlines last month when he earned a two-game suspension for punching Minnesota Wild forward Ryan Hartman and sparking a near brawl. The incident was the latest in a long list of antics throughout the feisty Blues netminder's career. Earlier this season, Blues head coach Craig Berube said Binnington needs to cut down on extracurriculars and focus on stopping the puck.

Marchand is no stranger to controversy himself, earning an NHL-record eight suspensions over the course of his 14-year career with the Bruins.

Binnington and Marchand met in the 2019 Stanley Cup Final, culminating in the Blues winning the championship in seven games.

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Oilers cruise past Ducks to clinch playoff berth

The Edmonton Oilers punched their ticket to the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs with a 6-0 win over the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday.

Edmonton is the second team in the Western Conference to clinch a playoff berth, joining the Vegas Golden Knights. The Oilers are now up to 99 points for the season, two back of Vegas for first place in the Pacific Division with one extra game played.

Jay Woodcroft's crew has been the league's hottest team since March 1, posting a 13-2-1 record over that span. He guided the Oilers to the playoffs last year after taking over behind the bench for Dave Tippett midseason.

The Oilers' 2022 playoff run included series wins over the Los Angles Kings and Calgary Flames before a sweep at the hands of the Colorado Avalanche in the Western Conference Final.

Edmonton has now reached the postseason in five of eight campaigns since drafting Connor McDavid first overall in 2015. The runaway MVP favorite played a significant part in helping his club get back to the dance this season with a career-high 62 goals and 146 points.

The Oilers' seeding in the Pacific's playoff picture is far from decided. Los Angeles is a single point back of Edmonton with a game in hand.

The two clubs will meet in a crucial contest Tuesday.

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Lightning clinch playoff berth, lock in 1st-round matchup vs. Maple Leafs

The Tampa Bay Lightning will face the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the second straight year.

Tampa Bay clinched a postseason berth with a 5-0 victory over the New York Islanders on Saturday night.

The Bolts vanquished the Leafs in seven games in 2022. They reached the Cup Final, losing in six to the Colorado Avalanche. Tampa got to the championship round for the third time in as many years after winning back-to-back titles.

Home-ice advantage for the upcoming series hasn't yet been determined. Toronto sits second in the Atlantic Division, four points ahead of the third-place Lightning with two games in hand. Both clubs earned shutout wins Saturday, as the Leafs defeated the Ottawa Senators 3-0.

Toronto clinched a playoff spot Monday when the Senators beat the Florida Panthers. The Leafs have qualified for seven straight seasons but will be looking to win a series for the first time since 2004.

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