This will be your last shot at wagering at top NHL betting sites until December 27, almost an entire week from now. NHL mandated this pause in play after 15 percent of its players entered COVID protocols in the last few days. A rise in virus cases has thrown a giant wrench in the playing schedule, but hey, we're not going to stop trying to profit from the non-canceled games. Here are our favorite bets of Tuesday night:
Over/Under 6 Goals: Washington Capitals at Philadelphia Flyers
While the list of NHL bets is short on Tuesday, we still believe there's value to be had. One such instance of value is the goal total between Washington and Philadelphia. At the moment, here are the latest betting odds, per the best online sportsbooks:
To no one's surprise, the Capitals offense starts and ends with Alex Ovechkin, who is their lead scorer with a whopping 22 goals — which is second-best in the entire league (just one goal behind leader Leon Draisaitl). But what's tripped up Washington this season is there's no consistent second or third punch. The next highest goal-scorers on the team are Evgeny Kuznetsov and Tom Wilson, who've mustered nine scores apiece.
Due to that fall-off in scoring, the Caps have been consistently inconsistent as of late. They have a 5-3-2 record in their last 10 games — not good, but not bad either. Going on the road Tuesday night won't be easy either as the Flyers have won four of the previous five games. Philly is really starting to find its groove per se.
Part of the Flyers' resurgence is in part to its talent AND depth up front. Its core of Claude Giroux, Cam Atkinson, Sean Couturier, and Travis Konecny might not have the goal-scoring ceiling of Ovechkin, but collectively, it's a very consistent attack.
All things considered, we're taking the under. There's just a lot of chaos running around the teams and league at large, which we sense carries into the game. Both teams will be in a hurry to get their week off, which results in less intensity and scoring.
Moneyline: Washington Capitals at Philadelphia Flyers
Alright, we predicted a low-scoring game, but who's the better moneyline bet between Washington and Philadelphia? For us, it's the surging home team.
The Flyers feel like an entirely new team since canning head coach Alain Vigneault two weeks ago amidst an eight-game losing streak (which became ten games shortly after). But since ending that skid, new head coach Mike Yeo has slowly but surely righted the ship. Now Philly is 12-12-5 and tied for fifth in the Metropolitan division (for what it's worth, Washington is currently in second).
While the Capitals are the more talented team of the two, we put a lot of weight on recent confidence. The Flyers have it, while the Caps lack it. Therefore, we're betting on the home team to score the slight upset in this one.
Moneyline: Tampa Bay Lighting at Las Vegas Golden Knights
Two of NHL's best square-off to cap Tuesday night in what some are calling a 2022 Stanley Cup Finals preview. Therefore, we have to offer our moneyline betting advice in this Lightning-Golden Knights clash.
For most teams, losing players the caliber of Nikita Kuckerov and Brayden Point for months at a time would derail them. But the two-time defending champions are not like most teams. Even without the stars, the Lightning just keep on winning with a 7-2-1 record in its last 10 games. Speaking of winning, Las Vegas is fresh off sweeping its four-game road trip out East too. It took a pair of shootouts to do it, but hey, wins are wins.
We're backing Tampa Bay with our bet. Why? Well, we love getting the Lightning at plus money, which is not the norm with the reigning champions. Plus, it's tough to trust Las Vegas in big-game situations, whether it's the final regular-season game before a COVID break or the postseason, they just have a knack for coming up short in big moments.
How To Bet On NHL?
We've already said it but it bears repeating again: Tuesday is your last shot to bet on NHL until December 27, when play is scheduled to start up again. To seize the opportunity, visit one of the sportsbooks below. First-time players can even earn a hefty sign-up bonus from the betting sites — a bonus that can be used to bet on Tuesday's games for free!
