NHL Best Bets Today: Expert Picks for Saturday, December 14

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Published on December 14, 2024

NHL Best Bets Tonight: Expert NHL Picks for
Saturday, Dec. 14

The National Hockey League has a full 15-game slate on Saturday. We'll avoid the early afternoon slate, and focus more on three games from the middle window from 7:00 p.m. ET. There are a handful of very intriguing games, and we'll dive in and construct a couple of parlays looking to try and build that bankroll for the holidays. Let's get started.

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Best NHL Picks Tonight

Pittsburgh Penguins at Ottawa Senators

The Penguins (13-14-4) and Senators (14-13-2) meet at Canadian Tire Centre at 7:00 p.m. ET. The game can be streamed on ESPN+.

The Senators swept the regular-season series in 2023-24, and Ottawa has won four straight in the series, including three as an underdog. The under has cashed at a 3-1-1 pace in the past five games since January 20, 2023.

Pittsburgh pounded the Montreal Canadiens 9-2 last time out on Thursday as the over (6.5) has cashed in three in a row.

Ottawa posted a 3-0 win at Carolina on Friday night, and now plays on no rest. Shane Pinto picked up a couple of goals in the win. Tim Stutzle has six helpers and a +3 rating in the past four outings, too. The Sens are 1-1-1 in three games on no rest, with the total also 1-1-1. Not much to glean there.

Tristan Jarry (6-4-1, 3.65 GAA, .884 save percentage) and Anton Forsberg (4-6-0, 2.95 GAA, .889 save percentage, two shutouts) are expected to start, and that smacks of the total hitting the over. Based on Ottawa's success in the series recently, let's play the home side.

Senators ML (-130 at DraftKings Sportsbook)
Over 6.5 Goals (-105 at DraftKings Sportsbook)

Toronto Maple Leafs at Detroit Red Wings

The Maple Leafs (18-9-2) and Red Wings (11-14-4) meet in an Original Six matchup at Little Caesars Arena. Puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m. ET on NHL Network.

The Leafs won the first meeting on November 8 by a 3-1 score as the heavy favorite (-196) with the under (6.0) cashing. Mitch Marner and John Tavares scored power-play goals, while Tavares had an empty-net goal, too. Dylan Larkin had a power-play goal for the Wings, but that's all they got by Anthony Stolarz.

Joseph Woll (8-3-0, 2.16 GAA, .921 save percentage, one shutout) is expected to start, while Ville Husso (0-4-2, 3.74 GAA, .870 save percentage) is confirmed for the home side.

The under has cashed in five of the past six for the Leafs, while the Wings have cashed low in four out of five. Back the Leafs and the under for a solid same-game parlay.

Maple Leafs ML (-178 at Caesars Sportsbook)
Under 6.0 Goals (-105 at BetMGM Sportsbook)

Buffalo Sabres at Washington Capitals

The Sabres (11-14-4) and Capitals (20-6-2) tangle at Capital One Arena at 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPN+.

The Sabres are in freefall, going just 0-5-3 in their past eight games. Buffalo goaltenders have allowed three or more goals in seven straight games, allowing an average of 4.1 goals per game (GPG) in that span.

The Capitals won at Columbus in a 2-1 overtime win on Thursday for their third straight win. Oddly enough, the Caps have been better on the road lately than at home. Washington is just 1-3-2 in their past six outings on home ice.

Buffalo won two out of three games last season in the series, with the home team winning each of the past five in the series. The over is 6-0-1 in the past seven games.

The Sabres can't be trusted, but it's hard to take the Caps based on the series' history. It's tough to back the over despite the series history, though, as Washington has hit the U\under at a 3-0-1 clip in their past four games while going 6-3-1 in the past 10. Buffalo has gone low at a 6-4-1 mark in their past 11 outings.