Here are tonight’s NHL predictions and best bets.

Minnesota Wild (+170) at Colorado Avalanche (-205)

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Total 6.5 (Under, -115)Colorado leads series 1-0

8 p.m. ET

Game one saw the Avalanche become the first team in NHL playoff history to lead by three goals, then fall behind before winning by three or more goals in their 9-6 victory over the Minnesota Wild. The game featured 14 different goal scorers, with Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar the only player to score twice. Makar, Nathan MacKinnon, Martin Necas and the Wild’s Quinn Hughes all had three-point nights. Devon Toews had a game-high four points with a goal and three assists. 

Minnesota erased deficits of 3-0 and 4-2, taking a 5-4 lead, only to be outscored 5-1 over the final 22 minutes of the game. I am not expecting another 15 goals to be scored in game two, and sportsbooks across the board have the full game total posted at 6.5 and interestingly juiced to the Under (-115). I am leaning to playing the first period Over 1.5 and parlaying that with an alternate total, Over 5.5, and, get this, at “plus money” (+120 at Bet 365). I do like the Avs team total of Over 3.5 (-120). 

There are a handful of player props that I will get behind. Nathan MacKinnon has had at least two first period shots on goal at home versus Minnesota in four straight and five of six. He has had at least four shots on goal for the full game in each of the last five games and thirteen of the last 16 meetings versus the Wild. 

The Wild’s Matt Boldy has registered at least three shots on goal in eight straight and nine of his last ten games. The Wild will be without center Joel Eriksson Ek again for game two, and when Eriksson Ek is out, it spurs his teammate, Vladimir Tarasenko, to shoot more. Tarasenko has cashed his shot prop (Over 1.5) in 11 of the last 12 games with Eriksson Ek out of the lineup. With Eriksson Ek in the lineup, he has cashed in only four of the last eight and nine of 13. 

I do like the Avalanche to win game two, but I have zero interest in laying the (-205), so I will parlay the Tarasenko and MacKinnon shots on goal prop with the Avalanche money line to get a nice plus money price.

NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Boldy 3+ shots on goal/MacKinnon 4+ shots on goal (-120) – 1 unit
Nazim Kadri/Ryan Hartman each for 3+ SOG (+286) – ½ unit
Nathan MacKinnon 2+ SOG in the 1st period (+130) – 2 units
Vladimir Tarasenko Over 1.5 shots on goal (-125) – 2 units
Tarasenko 2+ SOG/MacKinnon 4+ SOG/Avalanche ML (+262) – ½ unit
Colorado Avalanche Team Total Over 3.5 (-120) – 1 unit
Makar assist/Necas point (-110) – 1 unit

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