Here are tonight’s NHL predictions and best bets:

Boston Bruins (37-23-6) at New Jersey Devils (33-31-2)

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Bruins (+105) at Devils (-125) – Total 5.5 (Over, -125)

7 p.m. ET

The New Jersey Devils sit 12 points behind the Boston Bruins, yet find themselves a favorite tonight. The Bruins’ struggles to win on the road this season, with just 12 wins in 31 road games compared to 25 wins in 35 home games, support the Devils being the favorite. Boston is coming off a rare road victory, defeating the Capitals 3-2 in a nine-round shootout. They have traded wins and losses over their past nine games.  The win on Saturday over Washington snapped an eight-game road losing streak. Devils games have become more fun to watch of late. New Jersey has won five of their last seven games, and five of their last six games have featured a combined six or more goals (6,7,9,3,10). 

From my perspective, the value in this game is in a variety of prop plays. Boston’s Charlie McAvoy has had at least two shots on goal in eight consecutive games. Jack Hughes has had at least four shots on goal in five of his last seven games and five of his last six games against the Bruins. Luke Hughes has had three shots on goal or more in five of his last six games. Boston has juggled its lines and given Fraser Minten a bump to center the top line with David Pastrnak and Morgan Geekie, who goes from third-line left winger back to being on the top line. He has scored 14 of his 34 goals on the road this season, and eight of the 14 have been the Bruins’ first goal of the game. 

Casey Mittelstadt has three goals in the five games he has gone head-to-head with Devils starting goalie Jacob Markstrom. The Devils’ power play has been clicking of late, scoring seven times on their last 11 chances. Jesper Bratt (four power play points), Luke Hughes (three power play points), and Nico Hischier (three power play points) are leading the way and provide the best value. Jack Hughes (+154 power play point) also has four points with the extra man, but the value of the other three players is far greater.

NHL Predictions and Best Bets: Charlie McAvoy Over 1.5 shots on goal/J. Hughes Over 2.5 shots on goal (+118) – 1 unitLuke Hughes Over 2.5 shots on goal/Jack Hughes Over 3.5 shots on goal (+330) – .25New Jersey Devils/Boston Bruins Over 5.5 (-125) – .50Morgan Geekie anytime goal (+190) – .15 Morgan Geekie 1st Bruins goal (+600) – .05 Fraser Minten anytime goal (+400) – .10Fraser Minten Over ½ assist (+300) – .10Casey Mittelstadt anytime goal (+500) – .05Nico Hischier Over ½ power play point (+260) – .05Jesper Bratt Over ½ power play point (+290) – .05Luke Hughes Over ½ power play point (+450) – .05New Jersey Devils Over ½ power play goal (-115) – .25

Los Angeles Kings (27-24-15) at New York Rangers (28-30-8)

Kings (-125) at Rangers (+105) – Total 5.5 (Over, -125)

7 p.m. ET

It is the return of Artemi Panarin to The Garden tonight as the LA Kings wrap up their five-game road trip against the Rangers. Panarin spent seven seasons with the Rangers, leading the team in scoring in each of the first six seasons. He is the ninth all-time in points in Rangers’ history. 

Panarin hasn’t skipped a beat since coming over to the Kings. He has points in seven of the 10 games with his new team. Playing alongside Adrian Kempe and Anze Kopitar, who became the franchise points leader over the weekend, the trio has been lighting up the scoreboard. Kempe is riding an eight-game points streak (also points in 9 of 10 games), and Kopitar has points in seven of his last 10 games. 

That all coincides with the Kings as a team who have been involved in higher scoring games since the coaching change. Under interim head coach, DJ Smith, six of the seven games (6,6,7,9,3,5,10) have had a combined six or more goals. Forward Trevor Moore has cashed his shots on goal prop (Over 2.5) in four of his last five games and in each of his last three games against the Rangers.

Over on the other side, the Rangers have been rolling since the Panarin trade, winning six of their last eight games. Like the Kings, we have been seeing more high-event games as six of the last seven games have had a combined six or more goals (6,9,4,10,9,8,9). Tye Kartye, claimed off waivers from Seattle, has two goals in his last four games with the Rangers and has one goal on four shots against the Kings’ projected starting goalie Darcy Kuemper. Gabe Perreault is another Rangers player whose offense has picked up since the Panarin trade. He is on a four-game assist streak. Former Kings defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov has four goals in his last seven games.

NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Over 5.5 (-125) – 1 unit
Trevor Moore Over 2.5 shots on goal (+115) – .50
Kempe/Panarin/Kopitar point parlay (+130) – 2 units
Artemi Panarin anytime goal (+165) – .25
Gabe Perreault Over ½ assist (+200) – .25
Artemi Panarin Over 1.5 SOG (1st period) +245 – .25
Tye Kartye anytime goal (+800) – .05
Vladislav Gavrikov anytime goal (+700) – .05

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