We have a busy weekend of hockey ahead of us with 16 games scheduled over the next couple of days. Let's get right into our best bets.

Wild (+180) @ Maple Leafs (-210)

The Wild are having a miserable time offensively right now. Although they have won four consecutive games, they've only scored more than three goals once since the middle of January.

As such, it should be no surprise that 12 of their last 13 games have gone under 6.5 goals, and I don't expect that to change Friday night in Toronto.

For one, both teams are above average defensively. At five-on-five, the Wild rank fifth in expected goals against per 60 this season, while the Maple Leafs rank fifth over the past 10 games.

With the Wild in a back-to-back situation and their offense struggling, they'll likely lean on their defense and try to keep this game as compact as possible. If and when breakdowns do arise, the goaltending should hold up.

Filip Gustavsson has very quietly been one of the better goaltenders in the NHL this season. While that may seem like an egregious claim on the surface, the numbers support it.

He owns a remarkable .928 save percentage through 26 starts and is one of the leaders in goals saved above expected. Gustavsson slots seventh in total GSAE and sits only behind Linus Ullmark and Ilya Sorokin on a per-game basis.

At the other end, Ilya Samsonov's numbers have tailed off a little bit of late, but they're still well above average for the season. He's more than capable of holding his own against this anemic Wild attack.

Some of the top-tier finishers in this game could make things a little sweaty, but with strong defense and goaltending and a high total, there's plenty of reason to believe this game goes under the number.

Bet: Under 6.5 (-130)

Oilers (TBD) @ Blue Jackets (TBD)

I love, love, love what I'm seeing from the Oilers. They've picked up points in nine of the last 10 games and the numbers suggest that is no fluke.

At five-on-five, they have controlled a whopping 59% of the expected goals during this stretch, which is second to only the Hurricanes.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know a team with superstars like Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl will pile up the points when consistently outchancing the opposition. That's what we're seeing right now.

There is every reason to believe their dominance will continue against the Blue Jackets. Columbus has some of the worst underlying numbers in the league this season and things will likely continue to get worse as the team subtracts players from the lineup leading up to the trade deadline.

Elvis Merzlikins getting the start in this game would be a nice cherry on top. The Jackets generally switch goaltenders following a loss. With Joonas Korpisalo losing last time out, we should see Merzlikins back between the pipes in this game.

Among 63 netminders with at least 15 appearances this season, Merzlikins ranks dead last in goals saved above expected per start. He has largely played very poorly and I don't see that changing against the kind of firepower Edmonton possesses.

Bet: Oilers -1.5 (would play to -120)

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

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Thursday was a bounce-back night for our player props, with Alex Ovechkin and Connor McDavid coming through to give us a 2-1 record.

We'll look to build on it with three more plays for Friday's slate of games.

William Nylander over 3.5 shots (-105)

Although a date with the Wild doesn't seem the most appealing on the surface, there's a lot of reason to believe Nylander can find success shooting the puck Friday night.

His hit rate is 10% higher on home ice than on the road this season. Nylander also shoots the most when skating on a line with Auston Matthews, who recently returned to the lineup.

The 26-year-old has gone over his shot total in three of four games since Matthews rejoined the lineup, coming up just one shy in the lone exception. With 27 shot attempts over that span, his volume has been very promising.

Nylander has a surprisingly strong track record against the Wild: 25 attempts and 14 shots on target over his last three meetings since the beginning of last season.

The Wild take penalties at an above-average clip and are in a road back-to-back. They should be a little more susceptible to giving up shots, which should benefit Nylander.

Kirill Kaprizov under 3.5 shots (-115)

By now, you all know I'm a big fan of Kaprizov when he plays in Minnesota, where he's one of the most consistent volume shooters in the NHL. The same can't be said when playing on the road.

To say there's a drastic difference would be an understatement - it's truly night and day. Kaprizov recorded four or more shots in 58% of his games at home, compared to just 31% on the road. That's a 27% swing.

Kaprizov found success on the road Thursday night against the Blue Jackets, but the Maple Leafs are a much different animal. At five-on-five, they rank top 10 in shot suppression over the last 10 games and don't take many penalties. Kaprizov won't have many easy opportunities to shoot the puck.

In a back-to-back situation against a Maple Leafs team that defends a lot better than it gets credit for, I don't expect Kaprizov to buck that trend.

Nathan MacKinnon over 4.5 shots (-145)

I generally try and recommend plays closer to even money, but MacKinnon is a player worth making exceptions for.

His shot floor and ceiling are as high as anybody in the league. He recorded five shots or more in five straight games and is averaging 5.4 per this season while hitting the over 59% of the time.

MacKinnon has torched the Jets time and time again in recent years, generating a whopping 7.3 shots on goal per meeting over his last six. Insane production.

With Cale Makar sidelined due to a concussion, even more offensive responsibility falls on MacKinnon's shoulders. He produced multiple points and no fewer than six shots on goal in four straight games without Makar, so the forecast is positive.

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

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Wednesday night was a tough one for our NHL shot props, with Josh Morrissey and Jason Robertson both coming up a puck shy - despite advantageous matchups and ideal game scripts.

We'll look to rebound with a full three-play card for Thursday's slate.

Alex Ovechkin over 4.5 shots (-125)

Ovechkin makes his return to the lineup Thursday in a mouthwatering matchup against the NHL's last-place team.

The Ducks remain inept defensively, giving up shots and chances at extreme rates against any and every opponent. Things are not improving one bit. In fact, they're probably getting worse.

Anaheim has allowed an average of 42 shots per 60 minutes over its last 10 games. Only one other team is giving up more than 36. The Ducks are easily the worst shot-suppression team in the league, and there's nobody who should benefit more than Ovechkin.

The Capitals superstar has been generating shots at an absurd rate lately, even for a player of his caliber. Ovechkin has attempted 100 shots in his last 10 games at Capital One Arena, going over the total on seven occasions.

Expect him to pick up where he left off against the Ducks.

Connor McDavid over 4.5 shots (+100)

McDavid is one of the hottest shot generators in the league right now. Perhaps the hottest; he's posted a league-leading 53 shots on target over his last 10 games.

The Penguins, meanwhile, have quietly allowed more shots per game over the last 10 contests than every team except the Ducks and Coyotes. Pittsburgh is not a strong defensive squad and gives up a ton of shots to opposing centers. In fact, only the Ducks have allowed more per game this season.

With the Penguins struggling against centers at the best of times, it's hard to believe they'll be able to slow the best player in the league at a time when he's firing at will.

Look for McDavid to have another big performance in what figures to be a high-event game.

Matt Boldy over 3.5 shots (+110)

We've targeted the Blue Jackets with great success all season, and we're not going to stop now.

Boldy is a road warrior. At home, Kirill Kaprizov gets the softer matchups and is the Wild's best shot generator. But he faces top competition when on the road, which opens things up for a player like Boldy.

Boldy has taken advantage throughout the season, averaging 3.6 shots per road game while going over the total at a 54% clip. That's a stark contrast to what he's accomplished at Xcel Energy Center, where he's averaged 2.8 shots per contest and hit the over just 38% of the time.

The 21-year-old finds himself in a great spot against Columbus: He's facing a bottom-five shot-suppression team in an environment where he won't get all the attention.

With Minnesota in the middle of the wild-card race and struggling to score, Boldy figures to get every opportunity to exploit this juicy matchup.

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

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We have a jam-packed 10-game slate to look forward to Thursday night. Let's waste no time in getting to our best bets.

Rangers (-165) @ Red Wings (+145)

The Red Wings are hot, having won seven of their last 10 games to get back in the race for a wild-card spot.

Although the Wings have done some good things defensively and been opportunistic in finishing, this run does not appear to be sustainable.

Detroit has really struggled to create offense at five-on-five. The team is 31st in high-danger chances per 60 during this spell, narrowly ahead of the Blue Jackets. Nobody has fared worse than the Red Wings in terms of generating expected goals.

They deserve credit for making the most of their chances, but a lack of volume generally won't lead to success against a goaltender like Igor Shesterkin.

He predictably hasn't been as dominant this season as last. Even so, he still owns a save percentage well above league average and is top 10 in goals saved above expected.

Converting three or four times on a shot count that is likely to hover around the mid-20s is a tall order for the Red Wings. That's likely what they'll need to do to hang around - let alone win - against a sizzling Rangers squad.

The Rangers have picked up points in nine of 10 and are firing on all cylinders offensively. Aided by the recent addition of Vladimir Tarasenko, they have a loaded three-line attack that opponents are having a miserable time slowing down.

I expect the Wings to have a tough time. Look for them to drop this game inside 60 minutes.

Bet: Rangers in regulation (-105)

Wild (-190) @ Blue Jackets (+160)

The Wild finally appear to be turning a corner and gaining some traction in the Western Conference.

They have won three games in a row on the back of stout defense and strong goaltending. While their offense still has definite room for improvement, a date with the Blue Jackets should help bring out the best in them.

Columbus has controlled only 42% of the high-danger chances at five-on-five the past 10 games. The Blue Jackets spend a lot of time absorbing pressure, which is not what you want to be doing - especially against a team featuring weapons like Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy.

I think this matchup gives the Wild a welcome opportunity for regression. Nobody will confuse them for a high-flying offensive team, but they've shot 4% at five-on-five over the last 10 games and about 5.5% overall. Whether the lineup lacks finishing or not, numbers that low are not sustainable for any club, let alone one holding down a playoff position.

Elvis Merzlikins getting the nod in goal for Columbus would be preferable - Joonas Korpisalo is having a pretty strong season - but the Wild hold enough advantages that they should be able to grind out a much-needed win regardless.

Back Minnesota to claim two points inside regulation.

Bet: Wild in regulation (-110)

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

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Tuesday night was not kind to us on the ice. Despite the Lightning jumping out to a 6-0 lead, they did not manage to win the opening period. The Golden Knights scored on their first shot of the game but couldn't see that lead through 20 minutes either.

We'll look to rebound with three plays for Wednesday night's pint-sized slate.

Flames (-210) @ Coyotes (+180)

It is desperation time for the Calgary Flames, who are quickly losing ground in the Western Conference playoff race.

They have dropped five of the last seven games and sit four points out of a spot as a consequence. That'd be concerning on its own, but it looks worse given the caliber of opponents. With points at a premium, it's not exactly an ideal time to lose to the Red Wings (twice), Flyers, and Senators in the span of a couple weeks.

While that run will no doubt scare some away from the Flames, I think it's the perfect time to jump back on the wagon.

They have largely played well during this 2-5 stretch. In fact, their 58.62% expected goals share at five-on-five ranks second to the Hurricanes over the last seven games. They're controlling the run of play and generating a lot more chances than they're giving up. It just hasn't turned into results.

The Arizona Coyotes provide a great opportunity for the pendulum to swing in Calgary's direction. Although the Coyotes claimed at least a point in nine of the last 10 games, they're still very beatable.

They routinely get outchanced at five-on-five and they lack the raw talent to compensate. Arizona is also taking a ton of penalties, having spent more time shorthanded than any team but the Senators over the last 10.

It is very likely the Flames dominate the run of play at full strength, especially given the level of urgency they should demonstrate. If they fail to do damage there, they can fall back on more power-play opportunities than they'd expect against most other teams.

Bet: Flames in regulation (-135)

Kyle Palmieri over 2.5 shots (-110)

The New York Islanders are absolutely decimated by injuries. Mathew Barzal, Josh Bailey, J.G. Pageau, and Oliver Wahlstrom are all sidelined right now, which means a lot more opportunity for a guy like Kyle Palmieri.

Palmieri is skating on the second line, but he is far and away the most talented right wing on the roster. He is also very trigger-happy, as he's shown since the Islanders' recent wave of injuries: He leads the team in shot attempts over the last three games.

The Jets are targetable for shots, especially by right-wingers. They rank 20th in shots allowed versus the position over the last 20 games, which is their worst ranking against any group.

Win or lose, I expect Palmieri to be firing on home ice.

Josh Morrissey over 2.5 shots (-115)

Morrissey is heating up. He has amassed 73 shot attempts over the last 10 games, which slots him behind only Roman Josi and Dougie Hamilton among NHL defensemen.

Unsurprisingly, that volume is leading to success for Morrissey in the prop market, particularly of late. He has gone over his total in five of the last eight games.

Morrissey finds himself in an enticing matchup against the Islanders, who rank 24th in shots allowed per game to opposing defensemen this season. Perhaps more importantly, they're bleeding shots as a whole - and getting caved in at five-on-five - with so many important pieces missing due to injury.

I expect the Jets to flirt with 30-plus shots Wednesday night and for Morrissey to take his fair share.

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

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Thursday night was a mixed bag for our best bets. We breezed over the 5.5 total in Seattle, but unfortunately, the Jets couldn't convert their abundance of chances into goals and dropped their game against the Blue Jackets.

Let's dive into a couple of games that stand out for the weekend ahead.

Kings (-250) @ Ducks (+210)
Feb. 17, 9:00 p.m. EST

The Ducks are an unmitigated disaster. Although they are ahead of a couple teams in the standings, nobody is nearly as inept as they are on the defensive side.

At five-on-five, they rank dead last in preventing shot attempts, shots on goal, scoring chances, high-danger chances, expected goals, and actual goals. In some categories, no other team is even close.

Take expected goals, for example. Anaheim is allowing 3.46 per 60 minutes at five-on-five. The Canadiens are the closest to them at 2.98 per 60 - it's night and day.

I think the Ducks are in for a tough night against the Kings. While Los Angeles isn't the flashiest, the team is very good at running its opponents into the ground at full strength.

The Kings certainly had no problem doing that against the Ducks in their lone meeting this season, outshooting them 41-25 en route to a three-goal victory.

I expect similar this time around, but the first-period market appears to be the best way to attack this matchup.

The Kings are a strong team out of the gate, ranking top 10 in opening-period goals, while the Ducks - as you'd expect - have struggled mightily in their efforts to hit the ground running.

Anaheim has conceded 70 goals in the opening period (31st) and is tied with the Blackhawks for last place with a -29 goal differential in the first.

Los Angeles is a veteran-heavy team in the thick of a heated race for the top spot in the Pacific Division. The Kings know the importance of every point, and this game is as close to a layup as they'll get. Expect them to come out swinging.

Bet: Kings first period -0.5 (+110)

Devils (TBD) @ Penguins
Feb. 18, 5:30 p.m. EST

The Devils own an 11-2-2 record over the last 15 games, but they haven't played all that well. They have routinely lost the shot and/or chance battles but have gotten by on the backs of timely finishing and quality goaltending.

While New Jersey's five-on-five play has left a lot to be desired, there is reason to believe it'll significantly improve sooner rather than later. John Marino recently returned from an extended injury absence, and his presence solidifies the top four while making the blueline a lot deeper as a whole.

Jack Hughes also appears to be well ahead of schedule on his week-to-week injury and seems likely to return to the lineup against the Penguins.

The Pens have not been great defensively this season and have particularly struggled with centers. Hughes is as hot as anybody in hockey right now, having amassed 27 points and 82 shots over his last 15 games. He should be able to exploit Pittsburgh's weakness and drastically improve the Devils' ability to drive play at five-on-five.

I also like how favorable the Devils' schedule is in this spot. They'll be rested against a Penguins team that is playing an important divisional game on the road on Friday night.

It could also mean a date with Casey DeSmith, who is wildly inconsistent and has been blown up a handful of times since the calendar flipped.

Bet: Devils ML (would play to -130)

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

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We have a jam-packed eight-game slate to look forward to Thursday night. Let's waste no time in getting to our best bets.

Flyers (+160) @ Kraken (-190)

This contest doesn't seem overly exciting on the surface, but there's potential for a sneaky amount of offense.

Although the Kraken aren't overloaded with marquee names and flashy stars, they're a very deep and talented team. It has a lot of balance in the lineup and gets scoring from top to bottom.

Not many clubs can match Seattle's scoring depth, which is why it ranks fifth in the NHL with nearly 3.50 goals per game.

The Flyers appear to be buying what John Tortorella is selling. But I think they'll have a tough time limiting the damage Seattle's attack can cause, especially on the road. Philadelphia has allowed 3.23 expected goals per 60 minutes over the last 10 away dates, a far cry from the 2.88 it conceded over the past 10 home games.

The good news for the Flyers is that there's reason to believe they can also score their fair share of goals. The Kraken are strong defensively, but it doesn't much matter with the way their goaltenders are playing.

Martin Jones has fallen apart lately, posting a .886 save percentage over his last 10 starts. Philipp Grubauer hasn't been as bad but still owns a save percentage below the league average and has allowed three goals in three of his past four starts.

I expect the Flyers to score two or three (if not more) in this spot. Given the overwhelming depth of the Kraken's attack, that should be more than enough to push this game over the number.

Bet: Over 5.5 (-130)

Jets (-200) @ Blue Jackets (+170)

After hitting a bit of a rut, the Jets appear to have found their game. They've won three straight and posted some encouraging underlying numbers over the past 10.

In that time, Winnipeg controlled 53.41% of the shot attempts at five-on-five and ranked top 10 in generating high-danger scoring chances.

That spells trouble for the Blue Jackets. They continue to struggle mightily at full strength, posting a 43.68% expected goal share (29th) over the last 10 games.

Columbus isn't creating quality chances with any regularity, while opponents are generating shots in bulk at the other end of the rink.

A lack of chance volume doesn't bode well for the Blue Jackets to succeed given they're going up against an all-world goaltender in Connor Hellebuyck. He's red-hot, too, posting a .917 save percentage or better in five of his last six starts.

It's going to be tough for Joonas Korpisalo to match that. Not only will he likely see a much more difficult workload, but he'll enter the matchup in worse form.

Korpisalo has quietly put together a strong season - especially given the team in front of him - but he's tailed off lately. Korpisalo has allowed 27 goals over his last six starts (nearly four per game) and posted a .885 save percentage or worse in four of them.

The Jets are going to test Korpisalo heavily, and they have plenty of talented weapons who'll account for a lot of the shots heading his way. I don't see Korpisalo holding up behind a putrid Blue Jackets defense.

Look for Winnipeg to win its fourth straight game and do so inside 60 minutes.

Bet: Jets in regulation (-130)

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

Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Our shot props disappointed Wednesday. William Nylander came one shy against the Blackhawks, while Nikita Kucherov took only two of the whopping 47 shots that the Lightning put up in the desert.

Tage Thompson took care of business against the Ducks. However, given how the other games shaped up, it would've been easy to envision another 2-1 or even a 3-0 night.

Nevertheless, we'll look to get back on track with three plays for Thursday's games.

Kyle Connor over 3.5 shots (+105)

Connor is heating up. He's registered at least four shots in six of his last 10 contests, piling up 71 attempts (ninth) and 41 shots on target (eighth) over the stretch.

Connor draws a mouthwatering matchup against the Blue Jackets on Thursday. Columbus ranks 31st in five-on-five shot suppression this season. It'll likely be worse defensively without Vladislav Gavrikov in the lineup due to trade protection, as he's one of the club's better in-zone defenders.

The Jets forward has faced off against the Blue Jackets once this season, generating six shots on eight attempts during the game. With Winnipeg amid a heated division race, it knows every point counts. I expect a purposeful effort here as the Jets try to take advantage of one of the easier opponents on their schedule.

David Pastrnak over 4.5 shots (-110)

While things have gotten a little better lately, the Predators have really struggled defensively for quite some time. Only the Ducks, Blue Jackets, and Canadiens - teams in the Connor Bedard sweepstakes - have allowed shots at five-on-five at a higher clip over the past 25 games.

Nashville's penalty-killing problems only make matters worse. The Preds rank in the bottom 10 in shot suppression over the same period and have spent more time killing penalties than all but nine clubs.

Pastrnak is a strong five-on-five shooter and the focal point of the Bruins' power play. He figures to be the prime beneficiary of Nashville's defensive weaknesses.

The Predators have struggled to slow down opposing right-wingers all season, ranking 30th in shots allowed per game to the position.

This is a good spot for Pastrnak to build off an eight-shot performance last time out.

Alex Pietrangelo over 2.5 shots (+100)

We've frequently targeted Pietrangelo lately, and it's paid off. He's hit the over on his shot total in seven of the past 10 games, including against stout defensive teams like the Stars, Wild, and Rangers.

That's a good sign heading into a game with the Sharks, who are solid at preventing shots and scoring chances. They do a good job of keeping teams to the outside, which should allow for more perimeter looks from Pietrangelo.

That was certainly the case in the Golden Knights' previous meetings with San Jose. Pietrangelo recorded four shots in both contests with the Sharks this season, combining for 14 shots attempts across those meetings.

I expect his success to continue at home this time around.

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

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Although there's a fairly juicy six-game slate on the docket for Wednesday night, many of those contests feature teams among the very worst in the league.

Rather than just picking games straight up, we'll get creative in how we attack the worst of the worst.

Let's get right to it.

Blackhawks (+240) @ Maple Leafs (-260)

The Toronto Maple Leafs laid somewhat of an egg Saturday night, dropping a home game against the league's lowest seed - the Columbus Blue Jackets.

They've had several days to chew on that dud of a performance, and I expect them to respond against the Chicago Blackhawks tonight.

All of the stars are aligning for a convincing Maple Leafs victory. They're playing host to a Blackhawks side that ranks 31st or 32nd in almost every key five-on-five metric over the last 10 games. Chicago is struggling mightily to generate chances and is giving up a ton of opportunities at the other end.

To make matters worse, the Blackhawks have Petr Mrazek between the pipes this evening. He owns a putrid .885 save percentage on the season and won only five games over 23 appearances.

He'll be in tough against a Toronto team that ranked first in high-danger chance generation over the past 10 games despite missing its best player in Auston Matthews for half of those contests. Matthews will return to the lineup against Chicago.

Backing the Leafs to win this game in regulation, or on the puck line, is attractive, but there isn't a ton of meat on that bone. Instead, we'll be playing them to win the first period.

Toronto is tied for eighth in first-period goals this season and is the much better team across the board. The Blackhawks sit dead last in first-period goals, have one of the league's worst goalies between the pipes, and are in the latter half of a road back-to-back.

The Leafs should have no problem getting the early jump - and seeing it through.

Bet: Leafs first period -0.5 (-120)

Sabres (-200) @ Ducks (+170)

The Buffalo Sabres have dropped four consecutive games in regulation and now sit five points out of the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. Luckily, they're drawing the perfect opponent as they try to claw their way back up the standings.

While the Anaheim Ducks have won five of their last 10 games, they've controlled only 41.92% of the expected goal share at five-on-five during their "hot" streak. They've also conceded more goals in that game state than any other team in the league.

The Sabres possess one of the league's most threatening even-strength offenses - they rank sixth in scoring efficiency at five-on-five - and have more than enough talent to overwhelm the Ducks.

Anaheim is likely going to need a fantastic start from John Gibson to have any shot of hanging around in this game. That's not exactly likely to happen. Gibson has the raw talent to steal games, but his overall body of work has quietly been poor for several years now.

In fact, Gibson ranks sixth from last in goals saved above expected (minus-10.2). Even though the Ducks have tasked him with a difficult workload, he's still performed well under expectation.

This is a great spot for Tage Thompson, Alex Tuch, Rasmus Dahlin and Co. to make some noise and get the Sabres back in the win column.

Bet: Sabres in regulation (-130)

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

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Another day, another 2-1 effort for our shot props. Dougie Hamilton and Noah Dobson pulled through for us Tuesday, while Jordan Kyrou came up a couple short at home.

We'll look to keep the train moving in the right direction with three more plays for Wednesday's slate.

William Nylander over 3.5 shots (-120)

Nylander is on a nice little shooting run. The ultra-talented winger has recorded at least four shots in 13 of the last 20 games - good for 65%.

There's every reason to believe he can continue his success Wednesday against the Blackhawks.

For starters, the matchup is quite enticing. Chicago is a poor defensive team that spends a lot of time absorbing pressure in its own zone. It's a nice positional spot for Nylander as well, as only six teams have allowed more shots per game to right-wingers this season.

Nylander does his best work on home ice, with his hit rate 8% higher in Toronto. He also expects to welcome Auston Matthews back to his line in this game.

Nylander's shot generation numbers are noticeably higher with Matthews on his line than with someone like Alexander Kerfoot. The latter is more of a pass-first player, but the Leafs don't tilt the ice anywhere close to the same level as they do with Matthews in his place.

Coming off a disappointing showing against the Blue Jackets, Toronto will no doubt come out with purpose and spend a lot of time on the front foot in this one. Nylander should have ample opportunity to go over his shot total.

Nikita Kucherov over 3.5 shots (+105)

Kucherov - like many offensive players - is a more consistent shooter at home. Even so, I believe he's worth backing on the road against the Coyotes.

Arizona isn't a good defensive team at five-on-five, and, perhaps more importantly, it takes a lot of penalties. No club has spent more time shorthanded this season. The same can be said if we isolate the Coyotes' last 10 games.

Kucherov takes a lot of shots on the power play. With the Lighting having played Tuesday, those easy offensive special-team opportunities may be necessary to get the job done. Kucherov should get plenty of those against this undisciplined Coyotes side.

Kucherov has played against Arizona once this season. He attempted 11 shots and hit the target five times during the meeting. I expect another productive outing this time around.

Tage Thompson over 3.5 shots (-125)

The Ducks continue to bleed shots each and every night. Although Anaheim won five of the last 10 games, it conceded more shots and attempts than anybody in the league during that time.

As has been the case all season, the Ducks have struggled most against the center position. No NHL team has allowed more shots per game to centers, and it's not even close. Anaheim has given up 14.66 shots to centers, while the team behind it sits at 12.75.

Thompson is a puck-dominant center who isn't shy about pulling the trigger when the chance presents itself. He should control the middle of the ice against this horrendous Ducks team and send more than his fair share of rubber John Gibson's way.

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

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