All posts by Todd Cordell

Avalanche to cool off Blues on Tuesday night

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We finished last week very strongly with our best bets, going 2-0 back-to-back nights to end on a high.

We'll look to pick up where we left off with two more plays for a busy Tuesday night in the NHL.

Maple Leafs (-135) @ Flyers (+115)

The Flyers are a great story this season, but their game has fallen off a cliff, especially following the trade deadline.

They own a 1-3 record since deadline day, with their lone victory coming against the Sharks. It's not just that the Flyers have lost - it's how they've done so.

We haven't seen the stingy defense that's been their calling card all season. They've only controlled 31% of the high-danger chances at five-on-five while being outscored 14-5 since the deadline, and Samuel Ersson hasn't shown the ability to mask their mistakes.

That's led to problems against quality competition. Philadelphia gave up seven goals to the Lightning, six to the Bruins, and six to these same Maple Leafs.

Sean Couturier hasn't played well as of late, but he owns some of the best defensive metrics on the team. The Flyers have made him a healthy scratch, which takes out one of the players best equipped to slow down some of Toronto's best weapons.

I expect Philadelphia to put up a better fight than last time, but given the team's defense struggles, I think the more talented Maple Leafs are more likely to come out on top once again.

Bet: Maple Leafs (-135)

Avalanche (-210) @ Blues (+175)

The Avs are firing on all cylinders. They've won six straight games and eight of their last 10. All the numbers under the hood suggest it's no fluke.

Despite facing the Maple Leafs, Stars, Predators, Canucks, and Oilers during a rather difficult string of games, Colorado has controlled 55% of the expected goals at five-on-five over its last 10 contests. That's a top-five rate.

The Avs are scoring at will, the goaltending has been excellent, and Valeri Nichushkin is healthy again. It's hard to overstate his importance to the team.

Colorado is 30-11-3 with Nichushkin in the lineup and 13-9-2 without him. His ability to score goals, create chances, and defend makes the Avalanche much harder to play against.

Although the Blues have won four straight, they continue to post concerning defensive metrics.

Only three teams have conceded Grade A chances at a higher rate than St. Louis over the last four games. That's been masked by .954 goaltending, which isn't sustainable.

This high-powered Avalanche team will give a wobbly Blues defense all it can handle and then some. If Jordan Binnington isn't astronomically good, Colorado should be able to grab another win within 60 minutes.

Bet: Avalanche in regulation (-130)

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.

Copyright © 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Pastrnak to feast on struggling Senators

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We have an exciting 13-game slate ahead of us on Tuesday night. Let's waste no time getting to a few of my favorite player props.

David Pastrnak: Over 4.5 shots

Pastrnak has been unusually quiet at home, going over his total in just two of the past 10 games. That stems from a string of opponents that excel defensively or lean toward low-event hockey.

Against the Lightning, Kings, Stars, Oilers, and Flyers, Pastrnak struggled to generate volume.

That shouldn't be an issue against the Senators. They rank 28th in five-on-five shot suppression over the last 10 games and are not good on the penalty kill, where they'll have to deal with one of the league's most feared snipers in Pastrnak.

Even when accounting for Pastrnak's recent rut in terms of shooting the puck, he's still averaging 4.9 shots on 9.5 attempts when playing in Boston this season. Those are remarkably strong numbers.

Look for him to get back on track in an advantageous matchup against the Senators.

Odds: +107 (playable to -125)

Alex Nylander: Over 2.5 shots

Nylander has been the biggest beneficiary of the Blue Jackets trading Jack Roslovic on deadline day. He has logged no fewer than 16 minutes in five games since that point while playing a prominent role on the top line and power play.

He's taking full advantage of his ice time, averaging 4.2 shots on goal per game while going over his total in four of five. The lone exception came against a stingy Jets team in a contest where Nylander still had two shots with more than a period to finish the job.

He should be able to get right back on the horse against the Red Wings. They have stumbled lately and are giving up tons of shots at even strength and while killing penalties. The Red Wings have also taken a lot of penalties, which greatly benefits opposing shooters.

That is important to note as Nylander has led the Blue Jackets in power-play shots and chances since deadline day.

Odds: -114 (playable to -130)

Adrian Kempe: Over 3.5 shots

Kempe is piling up the shots. He has gone over his total in seven of the past 10 contests, averaging a healthy 4.5 shots per game in that span.

Although he let us down the last time he faced the Blackhawks, the process was strong. He attempted seven shots but had four blocked by defenders. If a couple of those had made their way through, he would've cashed the over once again.

The Kings also won the game in the first period, going up 4-0 within 14 minutes. They sat on a lead for 57 minutes and a multi-goal lead for 55, and Kempe still generated more than enough attempts to get there.

The Blackhawks give up a ton of shots and, with any luck, the game will be competitive for more than five minutes. That should result in more ice time for Kempe when the Kings are pushing for offense, raising the floor and ceiling for shooting the puck.

Odds: -125 (playable to -140)

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.

Copyright © 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jets to fire on sitting Ducks on Friday

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Thursday was a monster night on the ice. We swept the entire board, cashing all three player props and both sides en route to a 5-0 night.

Let's take a look at a couple plays I like on Friday.

Kings (-270) @ Blackhawks (+220)

Arvid Soderblom might be the worst goaltender in the NHL. He owns an .879 save percentage and ranks dead last in goals saved above expected per game among the 51 netminders with more than 20 played.

He has lost 10 of his past 12 starts, only picking up a pair of wins against a banged-up Coyotes team that sold several pieces ahead of the deadline.

Multiple goals decided every one of his 10 defeats suffered in this stretch. Soderblom has routinely given up crooked numbers, and the Blackhawks have struggled to give him goal support the occasional time he's held up his end of the bargain.

I expect another ugly performance versus the Kings. Los Angeles is fighting tooth and nail to try and catch the Oilers and earn home ice in the opening round.

Jordan Binnington stole the show against the Kings last time out, stopping 40 of 41 shots and stealing two deserved points. L.A. will be champing at the bit to get back on track and knows it has a golden opportunity to do just that against Chicago.

I don't think the Blackhawks' defense - nor Soderblom - will hold up against Adrian Kempe, Kevin Fiala, and some of the Kings stars who are heating up offensively.

Look for the Kings to cover the puck line in Chicago.

Bet: Kings -1.5 (-105)

Ducks (+310) @ Jets (-390)

Earlier in the week, we backed the Jets, citing how well they respond to seemingly every poor showing. They came through in a big way, putting their foot down against the Capitals in a 3-0 victory.

We'll use the same line of thinking, yet take a slightly different approach, versus Anaheim.

The Ducks are one of the league's worst teams. They struggle to score goals, give up plenty of scoring chances, and can't stay out of the penalty box. They are also in the latter half of a road back-to-back, having played in Minnesota on Thursday night.

This is a spot where the Jets - fresh off an ugly loss where they trailed by multiple goals early and never contended - will be looking to pounce on a vulnerable team. And they should have little problem doing so.

The Ducks have conceded 72 goals in the opening period, third most in the NHL. Conversely, the Jets have allowed only 46 goals in the first period, one of the league's best marks.

They should have no problem tightening the screws on the Ducks' weak offense while getting their share of opportunities at the other end.

The Jets are -390 to win this game, indicating they're a far superior team, and they likely take care of business.

Backing Winnipeg to start strong by winning the first period is a creative way to get involved at a more profitable price.

Bet: Jets first period -0.5 (-105)

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.

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Kempe, Doughty to exploit Blackhawks’ weak defense

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We had a perfect night on the ice Thursday, going 3-0 with player props and 5-0 overall.

We'll look to keep the ball rolling and end the week on a high note, with three props for a light Friday card.

Adrian Kempe: Over 3.5 shots

Kempe has taken his shot volume up a couple notches of late. He has gone over his total in five of the past six games, averaging 5.33 shots on goal in that span. Kempe isn't just squeaking by; he's blowing by.

I don't expect him to slow down against the Blackhawks. They continue to struggle defensively, ranking 27th in shot suppression and goal prevention over the past 10 games.

The Blackhawks are also playing at a high pace. They rank eighth in total pace (attempts generated plus allowed per 60) over the last 10 games, often finding themselves in high-event affairs where shots fly from everywhere. That kind of environment should greatly benefit a speedy shooter like Kempe.

It's also worth noting Kempe has a track record against the Blackhawks, who've been quite bad over the last couple of years. He has generated 19 shots over his past four meetings, going over his total in each.

That trend should continue Friday.

Odds: -125 (playable to -140)

Seth Jones: Over 2.5 shots

Jones is one of the NHL's hottest shooters. He was a consistent target for the under earlier in the year, routinely landing on one or two shots while attempting only a few.

He's shifted to more of a shooting mentality in recent weeks. Jones has gone over his total in 12 of the past 15 games and is often getting the job done with room to spare.

A massive increase in attempts suggests his soaring hit rate is no coincidence. He has averaged 7.2 shot attempts over this 15-game heater, far above his season average of 5.8, which is also propped up by this stretch.

The Kings are generally not a team I target for shots but I like Jones in this spot. They have played faster of late, ranking 10th in five-on-five pace. They have also struggled to stay out of the penalty box, opening the door for plenty of extra offensive zone time for Jones to generate shots.

Odds: -106 (playable to -125)

Drew Doughty: Over 0.5 points

Doughty has hit another gear offensively of late, recording at least a point in eight of his past 10 games.

This isn't a matchup where I'd expect Doughty to slow down. Both teams rank top 10 in total five-on-five pace over the last 10 contests, creating a good environment for offense.

The Blackhawks also struggle mightily to keep the puck out - especially with Arvid Soderblom between the pipes.

Soderblom owns a putrid .879 save percentage on the year and has conceded nearly four goals per game. He's showing no sign of improvement, having allowed 28 goals over his last seven starts.

Doughty plays massive minutes in all situations for the Kings. If Soderblom is conceding goals by the handful, Doughty has a strong chance of getting involved with at least one.

Odds: -132 (playable to -150)

Bonus round: Mark Scheifele over 0.5 assists (playable to -110). He's expected to return to the lineup tonight, but no lines are available because he missed the last game. The Ducks give up a ton of shots and can't stay out of the box. There is no reason to expect any different in the latter half of a back-to-back. Scheifele should have plenty of the puck in the offensive zone and is surrounded by a handful of excellent shooters - be it at even strength or on the power play - in Kyle Connor, Nik Ehlers, and Tyler Toffoli. Look for him to set one up.

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.

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Senators to sting Blue Jackets on Thursday

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We're coming in on a mini-sweep with our best bets. The Oilers pounded the Capitals while the Avalanche and Canucks played to the over in Vancouver.

Senators (-125) @ Blue Jackets (+105)

The Senators aren't playing great hockey, but bad luck has made things look a lot worse than they are.

They've generated 205 scoring chances (fourth-most in the league) and 19.75 expected goals (11th-most) in March. But that's only translated to 12 goals - nearly eight below expectation.

With the likes of Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stutzle, Drake Batherson, Claude Giroux and Shane Pinto, Ottawa has enough talent to convert these opportunities into goals at a much higher clip.

But the Sens could have the perfect opponent to change that bad luck in the Blue Jackets. They've conceded more goals than all but the Sharks this season, and both their goaltenders - Elvis Merzlikins and Daniil Tarasov - grade negatively in terms of goals saved above expectation.

The chances will be there for Ottawa and, with any luck, the goals should follow.

Meanwhile, in Columbus, the youth movement continues. The Jackets are giving young journeymen like Alex Nylander and Trey Fix-Wolansky a lot of opportunities to show off what they can do. I just don't see enough play-driving ability or high-end talent on the roster to generate a win here.

Bet: Senators (-125)

Panthers (+105) @ Hurricanes (-125)

The Hurricanes are gearing up for the playoffs, and it shows. They've tightened the screws on opposing offenses, allowing one even-strength goal or less in nine of the past 13 games. Moving the floor to two goals, that becomes 12 of 13 contests.

Carolina has the best penalty kill in the league, so the club's an absolute nightmare to deal with in all scenarios. There's simply no easy way for teams to create offense.

The Hurricanes' offense is also slowly rounding into form. On a per-minute basis, they rank third in expected goals and fifth in actual goals since Feb. 29.

With Evgeny Kuznetsov and Jake Guentzel joining the mix, Carolina now has enough high-end talent to turn their chances into results more often.

Although the Hurricanes were blanked in their last game, they did generate 3.36 expected goals. Rangers netminder Igor Shesterkin put on an impressive performance, which is customary from one of the league's best goaltenders.

The Panthers are exceptional, but their underlying metrics have dipped a little lately. They're also playing without star defenseman Aaron Ekblad, and forward Evan Rodrigues is banged up.

The Hurricanes are worth backing thanks to home ice, full health, and better five-on-five metrics.

Bet: Hurricanes (-125)

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.

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Bunting to continue shooting streak vs. Sharks

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One win, one loss, one void. That's how the Wednesday prop card played out as Mark Scheifele was an unforeseen late scratch and took my favorite play off the board.

We'll set our sights higher with three props for a monster Thursday night in the NHL.

Michael Bunting: Over 2.5 shots

Bunting is red-hot shooting the puck. He's gone over his total in eight of the past 10 games and all three since becoming a member of the Penguins.

Head coach Mike Sullivan has thrown him right into the fire, playing him at least 18 minutes every night while using him on the top line and first power-play unit.

Bunting has been a gold mine whenever he's seen that kind of usage. He's hit the over in nine of the 11 games he's logged at least 18 minutes of ice time this season, including successful nights against the Stars, Oilers, Bruins, Avalanche, and many of the league's top teams.

Bunting should be an active shooter once again Thursday in the most desirable matchup imaginable. The Sharks continue to bleed shots and chances each and every night. They're also especially bad when playing on the road, which is the case in this game.

Look for Bunting to pile up the shots.

Odds: -125 (playable to -150)

Alex Nylander: Over 2.5 shots

The younger Nylander brother has been somewhat of a revelation in Columbus. He's getting legitimate minutes to showcase himself with the Blue Jackets and taking full advantage.

Nylander has generated at least three shots in six of the past eight games, often landing on four or five.

His usage has steadily risen as well. He's seen steady minutes at even strength as well as reps on the top power play with Jack Roslovic departing on deadline day.

Nylander has put together his two best shooting performances since Roslovic's departure, generating five shots on 10 attempts in both games while logging more than 18 minutes in each.

Nylander has proven to be very trigger-happy. He loves to shoot the puck, and, with such a large role, he's getting a ton of opportunities to do just that.

The Blue Jackets play extremely high-event games, and the Senators tend to play in plenty as well. This should be a good environment for Nylander to make some noise.

Odds: +120 (playable to -110)

John Tavares: Over 2.5 shots

Sheldon Keefe put a bit of a leash on Tavares in recent weeks, often playing him 15 minutes a night on the third line. Those days appear to be over, at least for now.

Keefe has moved Tavares back up to his familiar spot as the team's second-line center. That should lead to an uptick in usage and, thus, shots.

Tavares averages 3.8 shots per game when logging 16-plus minutes. His success rate is astronomically high, with the Maple Leafs captain going over in 38 of the 52 games he's seen such usage (73%). If you up the floor to 18 minutes, Tavares has gone over in 25 of 30 games (83%).

With Mitch Marner expected to be out once again, and Tavares back in the No. 2 hole, I don't think it's a stretch to say that kind of usage could be in the cards. Toronto will need his offense.

Even against a strong shot-suppression team in the Flyers, there's real value in backing Tavares at this price.

Odds: -134 (playable to -155)

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.

Copyright © 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Avalanche, Canucks to explode offensively Wednesday

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Headlined by a marquee matchup between two of the best teams in the Western Conference, we have a fun four-game slate on the docket Wednesday night.

Let's take a closer look at a couple of the best ways to attack it.

Capitals (+250) @ Oilers (-290)

The Capitals aren't a very good team. Their recent string of success largely came against bottom-tier opponents and inflated their perceived strength.

Monday's game against the Jets - where we successfully backed Winnipeg to win inside 60 minutes - was the start of a much more difficult stretch for the Capitals. I expect they'll struggle mightily and dip out of the playoff race.

Washington isn't a good defensive team, often putting too much responsibility on its goaltenders to keep the team afloat. The Capitals don't have the offense to outscore their problems, either, sitting 29th in goals per contest this season. That's why it's hardly surprising nine of their last 11 losses have come by two goals or more.

I expect that'll be the case again Wednesday night. The Oilers own a 30-9-2 record since Dec. 1 and have controlled 56.97% of the expected goals share, putting them 0.02% back of the Panthers for the top spot.

Edmonton dominates in terms of shots and chances almost every game, and that should be the case again versus Washington. Given the massive edge the Oilers have in top-tier talent, that should translate into a healthy margin of victory.

Bet: Oilers -1.5 (-115)

Avalanche (+105) @ Canucks (-125)

This game has real potential to be a track meet. The Avalanche are an unstoppable force when they have Valeri Nichushkin and a full arsenal of weapons in the lineup.

The Avs own a 28-11-3 record and have a power-play percentage of over 26% with Nichushkin healthy. Conversely, they're just 13-9-2 and own a 20.8% power-play percentage without Nichushkin.

He recently returned for Colorado, which also bolstered its lineup significantly at the deadline. The Avs are as deep - and healthy - as they've been all season, and they draw a Canucks team missing its star goaltender.

Casey DeSmith owns a .898 save percentage and has lost more games than he's won. Suffice it to say, he's going to have his hands full with this star-studded Avalanche team.

The Canucks should score their share of goals as well. They rank third in the NHL in tallies per game and are especially lethal on home ice. Only the Avalanche, Oilers, Stars, and Lightning have scored more goals per game at home.

Alexandar Georgiev is a competent goaltender, but he hasn't been great this season. He's certainly not immune to a tough night, especially against top competition. Georgiev has conceded four-plus goals in four of his past six starts against teams in playoff position.

With an abundance of star power on the ice for both teams and an underwhelming goaltending matchup, this game should feature plenty of fireworks.

Bet: Over 6.5 (-115)

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.

Copyright © 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Scheifele to take flight vs. Predators on Wednesday night

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There are only four games scheduled for Wednesday night, but there's still plenty of value on the board. Let's comb through it.

Mark Scheifele: Over 0.5 assists

Jets head coach Rick Bowness often puts Scheifele in favorable offensive situations on home ice, meaning he generally avoids top lines and pairings and doesn't face the most difficult matchups.

Scheifele has assisted on at least one goal in 59% of his home games this season. That's a massive discrepancy from his 32% hit rate on the road, where he often sees the opposition's best two-way personnel.

Although the Predators are a quality team, Scheifele is well-positioned to create another goal in this game.

At even strength, he's centering Kyle Connor and Nikolaj Ehlers, two shot-first players who generate chances at extremely efficient rates. Scheifele will focus more on distributing than shooting at five-on-five, and it'll be the same on the power play.

With newcomer Tyler Toffoli immediately stepping in on the man advantage, the Jets have another legitimate scoring threat on the first power-play outfit. Toffoli, Connor and Sean Monahan - who leads Winnipeg's top unit in chances since joining the team - are all scoring threats.

Scheifele will be surrounded by volume shooters and quality finishers every time he hops over the boards. Expect him to take advantage.

Odds: +125 (playable to +100)

Evander Kane: Over 2.5 shots

Kane is a monster at home, averaging 3.3 shots on 6.2 attempts per game. He's gone over his total at an impressive 67% clip and often clears his line, generating at least four shots on goal in five consecutive hits at home.

He was recently taken off Leon Draisaitl's line and placed on the third unit alongside Adam Henrique. I don't think that's such a bad thing: Henrique's scoring comes from efficiency rather than volume. He's only recorded four shots through three games in Edmonton and often defers to his linemates. Kane should benefit from that.

The matchup looks quite good as well. The Capitals are giving up a lot of shot volume right now, conceding more shot attempts per 60 minutes than all but five teams over their last 10 road contests. Their bottom lines have given up the most volume - and Kane should see a steady dose of them in this spot.

Odds: -125 (playable to -140)

Nathan MacKinnon: Under 4.5 shots

Fading MacKinnon is always a scary proposition, but I see value in it on Wednesday night.

MacKinnon is in a back-to-back against the Canucks. He hasn't fared well in these scenarios this season, averaging just three shots per game while failing to go over his total in all five tries. And Vancouver is a strong shot-suppression team, adding an extra challenge.

Valeri Nichushkin's recent return is a factor as well. MacKinnon has gone over 4.5 shots just 37% of the time with Nichushkin in the lineup, a far cry from the 63% rate he's hit at without the power winger.

Odds: -110 (playable to -130)

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.

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Konecny’s home success to continue Tuesday vs. Sharks

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We started the week on a strong note with our player props. Two of three overs came through, with a dud of a performance from Jack Hughes preventing us from a perfect 3-0 card.

We'll set our sights on a sweep with three more plays for a busy Tuesday night in the NHL.

Shane Pinto: Over 2.5 shots

Pinto remains one of the lone bright spots on a Senators team that can't seem to get out of its own way. He's put up nine points over his last nine games while shooting the lights out.

He's also averaged 3.8 shots in that span while going over his total on eight separate occasions.

With a steady dose of ice time on the first line and top power-play unit, he's being put in ideal situations to generate offense - and is making the most of it.

I don't see Pinto slowing down against the Penguins. They look dejected without Jake Guentzel and are playing some of their worst hockey of the season.

Pittsburgh plays loose defense and concedes a ton of shots. Penguins games have been extremely high-event of late, which should create the perfect environment for Pinto to stay hot.

Odds: -140 (playable to -155)

Travis Konecny: Over 3.5 shots

Konecny has extreme splits. He's averaged 3.8 shots per game in Philadelphia and has gone over his total at a 57% clip. Those numbers are the opposite of what Konecny's accomplished on the road, where he's posted a 26% hit rate while generating an average of only 2.7 shots.

The forward is back at home on Tuesday night in a fantastic matchup. The Sharks struggle at even strength, take plenty of penalties, and rank dead last in shot suppression this season.

The Flyers, meanwhile, are in the thick of a heated playoff race and need all the points they can get. They'll lean heavily on Konecny and their big guns in this game - especially coming off one of their worst performances of the campaign.

Expect the Flyers to dominate in the shot department - and Konecny to be extremely involved.

Odds: +110 (playable to -125)

Michael Bunting: Over 2.5 shots

It's early, but it sure looks like Bunting will see a lot more opportunity with the Penguins. He's skating on the top line with Sidney Crosby, getting reps on the first power-play unit and being given all the ice time he can handle.

He's logged over 18 minutes in both his appearances with the Penguins, recording a combined seven shots on goal and going over the total each time out.

Bunting has consistently found shooting success when given meaningful minutes. He's registered at least three shots in eight of the 10 games he's played 18 minutes or more.

He's spending a lot of time alongside one of the best passers in the sport, so it's no coincidence Bunting's taken plenty of shots in his first couple of games with Pittsburgh.

There's no reason to expect that to change in a game against a bad Senators team that struggles defensively.

Odds: +125 (playable to +100)

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.

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Trust Devils, Jets to rebound Monday night

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Headlined by another edition of the Hudson River rivalry, we have a fun four-game slate ahead of us to begin the week.

Let's take a closer look at a couple of sides worth backing.

Devils (+120) @ Rangers (-140)

The Devils have dropped plenty of games lately, but the process has been strong. They have routinely generated more shots and chances than their opponents only to be sunk by awful goaltending.

That shouldn't be as much of a problem moving forward with veterans Jake Allen and Kaapo Kahkonen replacing youngsters Nico Daws and Akira Schmid. The newcomers aren't world-beaters but are certainly more experienced and reliable than what the Devils were putting out each night.

I think this is a good spot to buy low on the Devils. Timo Meier's re-emergence has raised the team's offensive ceiling, and the Rangers are vulnerable defensively right now.

The Rangers rank 32nd in shot suppression over the last 10 games. They also rank 30th in expected goals allowed, meaning this isn't a case of allowing quantity but keeping it to the outside; the quality looks have been there.

The Devils rank second in expected goals generation over the same period. Teams are having a difficult time preventing chances against them, and life will only be harder for the Rangers with Norris-winning defenseman Adam Fox and captain Jacob Trouba set to miss this game.

New York is also expected to start Jonathan Quick, who has cooled down of late, to preserve Igor Shesterkin for a big divisional clash against the Hurricanes.

Add it all up and there's real value in backing the Devils as healthy road underdogs.

Bet: Devils (+120)

Capitals (+175) @ Jets (-210)

The Jets have been excellent at responding to defeat. Since the beginning of December, there's only one stretch - a five-game skid at the end of January - where the Jets have lost multiple games consecutively.

There were eight other instances in that span where the Jets dropped a game and responded immediately with a win. Each win came within 60 minutes.

Winnipeg is coming off what head coach Rick Bowness called its worst game of his tenure. His veteran-laden team seems to respond every time Bowness pushes its buttons, and he's undoubtedly looking for that to happen again versus Washington.

The expectation is that deadline acquisitions Tyler Toffoli and Colin Miller will be available. Those two players should not only improve the squad's quality but breathe some life and excitement into the lineup.

The Jets will be a difficult team for the Capitals to compete with. The Caps have enjoyed plenty of success of late, but their last four wins have come against the Blackhawks, Penguins (no Jake Guentzel or Bryan Rust), Flyers (Samuel Ersson conceded five on 21 shots), and Senators (seven-game losing streak).

I don't think they're as good as they have looked of late. They've just taken advantage of a very weak point in the schedule.

Look for the well-balanced Jets to come out hungry after an ugly loss and take care of business within 60 minutes.

Bet: Jets in regulation (-140)

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.

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