This article is part of our NHL Picks series.
Best NHL Bets Tonight, Nov. 3
Happy Friday y'all! Just two games on the NHL slate tonight. There's not much inspiration in these contests. You've got 2 polarizing fan bases from Philadelphia and Buffalo going head to head, and then you have an absolute wagon in the Devils visiting a potential dumpster fire in the Blues. Let's take a peek at the best bets and props tonight nonetheless. Let's have ourselves a frisky Friday!
The Flyers have lost three straight after (sort of) coming out of the gates (sort of) hot. They have been competitive, I'll give them that, with only a -1 goal differential and scoring 3.2 goals per game. They played the Sabres on Wednesday in Philly and fell 5-2 despite outshooting the Sabres, 40-15. One might lean toward another Sabres victory tonight, especially since they looked super impressive in their 4-0 shutout victory over the Avalanche just a game before their last tilt with the Flyers. But, we're getting decent odds on the Flyers at least keeping it close and covering the underdog puck line spread. I can't believe it, but tonight, I am a Flyers fan… don't tell anyone.
PHI Flyers +1.5 PL (-154 on FanDuel)
The Devils head into St. Louis tonight just 24 hours removed from beating the Wild, 5-3, in Minneapolis. Every single game for the Devils this season has gone over 6.5 goals. The Blues just gave up five to the Avalanche and four to the Canucks in their consecutive losses and are returning home from a four-game road trip that took them to Winnipeg, Calgary, Vancouver and Denver. Despite the back-to-back, I think Jack Hughes and company still have enough juice to light the lamp a handful of times tonight, and might even play a little looser given the short rest and give up a few themselves.
NJ Devils, STL Blues over 6.5 (-120 on FanDuel)
Best NHL Player Props Tonight
You gotta lean on your stalwarts in matchups that look a little murky. I don't really know what to expect out of this Blues team. Maybe they're kind of good, maybe they're not? I mean Jordan Kyrou, Robert Thomas and Pavel Buchnevich don't suck. But I'm not confident enough in them to gamble on just yet. So, I'm going with a wiley, tried-and-true defenseman in Dougie Hamilton, who is one of the best in the business at getting pucks on net from the blue line. Dougie's hit 3+ shots on goal in his last three games, and has hit that mark in four of his last five against the Blues, too. He's only missed three times all season, so we're trotting him out there tonight.
Dougie Hamilton over 2.5 shots on goal (-166 on DraftKings)
Hometown boy Alex Tuch looks good in a Sabres uniform. Yes, I mean that literally because the guy is an absolute man rocket. But I also mean that performance-wise too, since he's added some grit, speed, and skill to the young Sabres lineup since coming over in the Jack Eichel trade. He's hot of late, too, with points in four straight. He had two assists and was +2 in Wednesday's win over the Flyers, so I think he'll find his way onto the scoresheet again tonight.
Alex Tuch over 0.5 points (-145 on DraftKings)
