There is no better time for NHL betting fans than a Saturday night. With a full slate of games every single week, there are plenty of opportunities to make some serious money. That will be the case once again this week with one play in particular that should be a lock for everybody that wagers on the NHL. Here is a look at the top five NHL games to bet on this Saturday.
Tampa Bay Lightning at Philadelphia Flyers
Saturday, 1:00 PM ET
The Lightning were dealt a major blow with the news that Andrei Vasilevskiy had suffered a fractured ankle and will be out for an undisclosed amount of time. Now they head on the road with Louis Domingue as their starting goalie as they get set to face a tough Philadelphia side. The Flyers have picked up their pace over the past couple of weeks and they still have room for improvement with the return of James Van Riemsdyk from injury. With home ice advantage against a tough opponent, Philadelphia should be able to secure an important two points with a close win.
Pittsburgh Penguins at Ottawa Senators
Saturday, 7:00 PM ET
The Penguins have been stuck in neutral early on this season but it seems like only a matter of time before they get back on track. A trip to Ottawa could help speed up their turnaround with a favorable matchup against the Senators on Saturday night. Pittsburgh has actually performed better on the road than at home this season with a 4-2-2 record as the visiting side. Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and company will be motivated when they hit the ice in Ottawa and they should be able to score enough goals to pick up a big win.
Montreal Canadiens at Vancouver Canucks
Saturday, 7:00 PM ET
Carey Price has taken full responsibility for his performance so far this season and he has made a commitment to turning things around. The good news is that Montreal has done pretty good up front with plenty of scoring from their top-six forwards. If Price can perform at a high level, the Canadiens could surprise as a playoff team this season. Price will be motivated to shut the door on the Canucks when he returns to his home province on Saturday night. Meanwhile, injuries have been piling up for Vancouver, with goaltender Jacob Markstrom the latest casualty. Montreal might just catch the Canucks at the perfect time with a chance to pick up an important road win to end their west coast road trip.
Los Angeles Kings at Nashville Predators
Saturday, 8:00 PM ET
The Kings are also off to a slow start this season but unlike the Penguins, they won’t have nearly as favorable of a matchup on Saturday night. LA will be in tough against the Central division-leading Predators, even after trading for winger Carl Hagelin from Pittsburgh. Injuries to goaltenders Jonathan Quick and Jack Campbell will be difficult to overcome. Nashville can score goals in bunches and with Pekka Rinne in between the pipes, will be tough to beat on home ice. The Predators are the lock of the night for Saturday’s NHL slate.
Edmonton Oilers at Calgary Flames
Saturday, 10:00 PM ET
The final pick on the NHL schedule for Saturday night is the Oilers. Edmonton picked up a big win over the Canadiens on Tuesday night after reuniting Connor McDavid with Leon Draisaitl up front. Now after three days off to prepare for this contest they should be rested and focused for this challenge in Calgary. The Flames have struggled with consistency at both ends of the ice and they can’t feel confident with either Mike Smith or David Rittich in between the pipes against the Oilers. Calgary will keep this game close, but eventually it will be Edmonton that pulls out the victory on Saturday night.
