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It was another winning night on the ice. Jakob Chychrun soared over his shot total in the first period, while the Senators held Jeff Skinner off the scoresheet. Anthony Duclair didn't get a point on any of the Lightning's three goals, but it was still a profitable 2-1 evening.

We'll look to build on it with three more plays for a busy Thursday card.

Auston Matthews: Over 4.5 shots

Matthews has a bug and is considered a game-time decision, according to head coach Sheldon Keefe. However, I expect Matthews to play, as Mitch Marner, who's out tonight, practiced in Matthews' spot on the top line alongside Max Domi and Tyler Bertuzzi. You can wait closer to puck drop, but assuming Matthews is cleared, I quite like his chances of piling up the shots.

Matthews generally has an elite winger riding shotgun, with either Marner or William Nylander playing the right side the majority of the time. Surprisingly, however, it's Domi who brings out the best in Matthews and his ability to generate shots at the highest volume.

Matthews averages 17.90 shots and 28.13 attempts per 60 minutes of five-on-five play alongside Domi. Meanwhile, he generates 10.89 shots and 23.17 attempts with Nylander and produces 11.33 shots and 20.39 attempts with Marner.

That's not to say Matthews playing with Domi is better for him or the Maple Leafs. It is, however, better for prop bettors eyeing high-end shot rates. Matthews takes on a bigger piece of the pie when playing with Domi, who quietly ranks in the top five in five-on-five assists this season.

Playing with Domi is a big plus for Matthews and his shot rates, and so is a date with the Capitals, who have conceded more shots per game to centers than any other team over the last 10.

Odds: -115 (playable to -130)

Owen Tippett: Over 3.5 shots

Tippett's shot output recently dropped off, but that coincided with a difficult stretch of opponents. His last seven games came against the Maple Leafs (twice), Bruins (twice), Hurricanes, Rangers, and Panthers. It's no coincidence he only managed to go over his total in two of them.

However, Tippett feasts on the weak, getting the job done nearly every time he faces a team outside of the playoffs.

Take the last couple of months, for example. Tippett piled up eight shots against the Sharks, five against the Blues, five against the Blackhawks, 10 against the Devils, and four against the Coyotes.

It's also worth noting he piled up five shots on nine attempts the last time he faced the Canadiens.

They are not a good defensive team at five-on-five and take plenty of penalties. Although Tippett is not on the top power play right now, the Flyers tend to distribute ice time between their two units more evenly than most teams.

He's a prime candidate to exploit the Canadiens' defensive shortcomings en route to a very active shooting performance.

Odds: -122 (playable to -135)

Evander Kane: Over 2.5 shots

Kane is in the midst of a pretty ugly slump. Luckily for him, a date with the Kings is just what the doctor ordered.

He has torched the Kings over the years, averaging 3.9 shots on goal while going over the number in 17 of the past 20 head-to-head matchups. That's a ridiculous 85% hit rate.

Also working in Kane's favor are home ice and ideal linemates for shot generation.

Kane has registered at least three shots in 65% of his games in Edmonton this season.

He is projected to skate on the third line with Corey Perry and Ryan McLeod. Kane averages more shot attempts per 60 with Perry than anybody else on the Oilers' roster. He also generates shots on target at a higher clip with McLeod than he does when centered by some guy named Connor McDavid.

With home ice, pass-first linemates, and a matchup in which Kane has excelled countless times, he is worth backing on Thursday night.

Odds: -115 (playable to -140)

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.

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It was a successful night on the ice. We won our side, our total, and one of our props to give us a 3-2 record and turn a profit Tuesday.

We probably deserved even better, with Seth Jones (three missed attempts) and Nathan MacKinnon (five missed attempts) falling one shot shy of going over their respective numbers despite plenty of opportunities.

At any rate, a winning night is a winning night. Let's take a look at a few plays for Wednesday's slate as we look to string them together.

Jakob Chychrun: Over 2.5 shots

Chychrun's shooting has hit a different level of late. He's recorded three shots or more in eight of the past 10 games and 12 of 15 overall.

His only failures in that span came against the Kings, Predators, and Devils. That's two strong defensive teams comfortably holding onto playoff spots and one desperately trying to work its way in.

Chychrun has averaged 3.4 shots on 6.5 attempts while logging more than 22 minutes per night during this hot streak. He's playing a lot at even strength and also finds himself skating on the top power-play unit, leading the team in attempts and shots on target.

His role as a primary shooter on the man advantage has raised the floor and ceiling for Chychrun each night, and he's reaping the benefits.

The Sabres tend to play in plenty of high-paced games, and only nine teams have spent more time shorthanded over the last 10. This is a good matchup for Chychrun to build on his recent success.

Jeff Skinner: Under 0.5 points

Skinner appears to have fallen out of favor in Buffalo. He was recently demoted to the third line and pulled off the top power-play unit by head coach Don Granato. That's drastically cut into his ice time, as Skinner has played 14 minutes or fewer in nine of the last 10 games. Unsurprisingly, Skinner failed to record a point in seven of them.

He hasn't been productive when seeing such usage. Skinner has failed to get on the scoresheet in 14 of 22 games (64%) this season when logging 15 minutes or fewer.

The matchup looks great for Skinner on paper, but the Senators are in decent form. They've won five of the past eight games, with two of the losses coming against powerhouses like the Hurricanes and Bruins.

Joonas Korpisalo is also in the midst of one of his better stretches of the season. He's posted a save percentage of .900 or higher in five of his last six games and saved +2.05 goals more than expected in that time.

Odds: -150 (playable to -165)

Anthony Duclair: Over 0.5 points

Duclair has hit the ground running since joining the Lightning at the trade deadline. He leads the team in shot attempts, shots, scoring chances, high-danger chances, and goals at five-and-five and has more points than all but Nikita Kucherov.

Duclair has found the scoresheet in all seven games with the Bolts and made the most of playing opposite Steven Stamkos on a dangerous second line.

This offensive surge from Duclair is one of the reasons the Lightning have climbed back into the race for the third seed in the Atlantic Division.

While the Bruins are a difficult matchup for offensive players, they're in the latter half of a road back-to-back, and Linus Ullmark isn't as untouchable as a year ago. He hasn't played quite as well as Jeremy Swayman this season despite often getting the weaker opponents in the rotation.

With a key role in a high-powered offense, the red-hot Duclair is worth backing for a point at a very reasonable price.

Odds: -120 (playable to -135)

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.

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We have a massive 12-game slate ahead of us on Tuesday night, which features plenty of games with playoff implications.

Let's dive into the best ways to attack it.

Red Wings (+105) @ Capitals (-125)

This game means a lot in the Eastern Conference playoff race, and I see plenty of reason to side with the home team.

At the top of the list has to be goaltending. The projected matchup of Alex Lyon versus Charlie Lindgren massively favors the Capitals, even more so if we zero in on their recent performance.

Lyon is 0-7 with an .876 save percentage during March. He's conceded 5.51 goals above expectation in that span, one of the worst marks in the league.

The Red Wings are giving up a lot of chances, and he just hasn't shown the ability to bail them out anywhere close to as often as needed. He isn't making the saves he's supposed to, let alone any extra.

It's a much different story at the other end of the rink. Lindgren is 7-3 with a .923 save percentage this month. He also ranks third in the NHL in goals saved above expected with a net rating of plus-8.84 through 11 appearances.

He recently gave up seven goals to the Maple Leafs, but his numbers remain good. That shows you the level Lindgren has played on a game-by-game basis.

The Capitals are also in much better form offensively. Led by a resurgent Alex Ovechkin, they sit ninth in goals per minute this month. That's a far cry from the 30th-place Red Wings, who have scored more efficiently than only the Kraken and Ducks.

I see a lot of edges for the Capitals in this spot. Factor in that they also have home ice in their back pocket, and this line appears short.

Bet: Capitals (-125)

Flames (-175) @ Blackhawks (+150)

If you like fire-wagon hockey, this probably won't be the game for you.

The Blackhawks have struggled at the offensive end all season long. They've scored just 2.2 goals per game while generating an average of only 27.1 shots.

They don't create a lot of volume and, save for Connor Bedard, have very little high-end offensive talent that can help them make the most of the opportunities they do get.

The expectation is that Jacob Markstrom will start in goal for the Flames. He's been one of the best netminders in the NHL all season long and is unlikely to give the Blackhawks many (if any) goals they don't necessarily deserve.

Even if the Flames throw a curveball and go back to Dustin Wolf, the Blackhawks' offense will likely still be in a tough spot. The talented youngster is really coming on, having allowed two goals or fewer in three of his past four starts.

Conversely, I don't expect a whole lot from the Flames' offense. They've really struggled since the deadline, ranking 26th in goals per minute and 28th in finishing rate.

Blackhawks starter Petr Mrazek has hit a bit of a wall of late, but he's largely played well this season. A date with a struggling Flames attack is a good spot for him to get back on track.

Bet: Under 6.5 (-135)

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.

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We started the week on a strong note with our player props, cashing two of three plays during a quiet night in the NHL.

We'll look to keep the ball rolling with three more plays for Tuesday's juicy card.

Nathan MacKinnon: Over 4.5 shots

MacKinnon is on a different planet right now, especially when playing at home. He has at least six shots (yes, six!) in eight of his past nine games, averaging just under seven shots on target per night in that span.

The only time he didn't get the job done was against an improved Maple Leafs squad, and MacKinnon still recorded three points. He made his mark offensively - he just didn't hit the net with his shots.

The Avalanche star should have little problem piling up the shots against the Canadiens, a poor defensive side that has given up more volume to opposing centers than any team in the league over the last 10 games.

It's also worth noting MacKinnon has at least one point in all 34 home games this season and has finished with multiple points 74% of the time. He is in the midst of a truly historic campaign, chasing down Wayne Gretzky for the most consecutive home games with a point.

MacKinnon is an ultra-competitive player. He is not only chasing history as an individual but the No. 1 seed as the lead dog of his team. He has every incentive to continue firing on all cylinders, and I expect he'll do just that in a mouthwatering matchup.

Odds: -140 (playable to -150)

Seth Jones: Over 2.5 shots

Jones has been one of the most consistent shot-generating defensemen for a while. He has soared over this total in eight of the past 10 games and 12 of 15 overall.

He's averaging 3.8 shots on nearly eight attempts in that span, which is the volume you'd expect from a marquee shooting winger carrying a 3.5 total like William Nylander or Filip Forsberg. Yet his total remains at 2.5.

The Blackhawks blue-liner is in a great spot to go over again at home to the Flames. They have really loosened up since selling a few regulars (including two of their top defensemen, Noah Hanifin and Chris Tanev) at the trade deadline in early March.

The Flames sit near the basement in five-on-five shot suppression the last 10 games. They have given up a lot of volume to defenders in that span; only eight teams have fared worse.

As a bonus, the Flames have played at the eighth-highest five-on-five pace over the same period. A high-event matchup should raise the shooting floor and ceiling of a minute-muncher like Jones.

Odds: -122 (playable to -140)

Wyatt Johnston: Over 2.5 shots

Johnston has been a road warrior this season. His hit rate on the road is 13% higher than at home and the volume numbers suggest that is no coincidence.

The Stars forward is producing 6.6 shot attempts per game on the road, a noticeable boost from the 5.3 he averages when playing in Dallas.

His road success should continue Tuesday night in San Jose. The Sharks have played abysmal defense all season, giving up more shots per night than every other team in the league.

Johnston has faced the Sharks twice already and taken full advantage, recording five and six shots on goal while combining to generate a whopping 19 attempts.

I don't know that I'd expect five or six shots, but he should have little problem going over his total once again.

Odds: -134 (playable to -150)

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.

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There are just two games on the NHL schedule to begin the week. I don't see much value in sides or totals, but there are a few player props that caught my eye.

Let's take a closer look.

Viktor Arvidsson: Over 2.5 shots

Arvidsson is an elite shot generator. He registered at least three shots in four of six games this season and in 61% of contests dating back to the beginning of last season.

What I love about Arvidsson is he's also efficient with his attempts. He takes a lot of them and hits the target at a very high clip, allowing him to survive even without a ceiling performance in terms of attempts.

Arvidsson generated five shot attempts or more in five of six games this year. The lone exception came in a contest against the Blue Jackets where he suffered an injury during his first shift and didn't return. Put another way, he registered at least five attempts in every game he started and finished.

That is a key number for Arvidsson. He has gone over this total in 87 of 105 games (83%) with at least five attempts since the beginning of the 2022-23 campaign.

The Kings are within striking distance of the Oilers for second place in the Pacific and played only once in the past four days, so Arvidsson and the team's top weapons should see a full workload.

Odds: -134 (playable to -155)

Filip Hronek: Under 0.5 points

There was a time when it felt like the Canucks scored five goals every single night and Hronek couldn't keep his name off the scoresheet. But that time is gone.

Hronek's production rates came back to reality in recent months. He has brought minutes and strong defense to the table rather points, which was always expected.

He recorded a point in only six of the past 29 games (20.6%) and just two of the last 20 when playing in Vancouver (10%). Not great outputs.

This is hardly an ideal matchup for Hronek to get back on track offensively. The Kings play a very structured, slow brand of hockey that doesn't lend itself to many track meets.

They rank sixth in expected goals allowed over the past 10 games while only two teams - the Predators and Canucks - have conceded fewer goals, and they don't give up many chances. Furthermore, they play low-event hockey, just like the Canucks.

Hronek should be in for a quiet night offensively.

Odds: -150 (playable to -165)

Shea Theodore: Over 0.5 points

Theodore has points in seven of the last 10 and 20 of his last 30 overall. He is consistently finding a way to get involved offensively.

I like his chances in an important game against St. Louis. The Blues continue to give up a lot at five-on-five, ranking 31st in expected goals against and shots against over the last 10 games. They have also struggled to limit shots while killing penalties and sit 26th in goals against per minute in the past 10 games.

Theodore plays a ton of minutes at even strength and quarterbacks the top unit. He is a prime candidate to benefit from the Blues' weaknesses.

It's also worth noting this is a nice pace-up spot for Theodore and the Knights. The Blues rank sixth in five-on-five pace over the last 10 and often create environments where the games are free-flowing and shots/chances aren't hard to come by.

Expect Theodore, who has more points than all defensemen but Roman Josi, Cale Makar, and Evan Bouchard over his last 15, to make some noise once again.

Odds: -130 (playable to -150)

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.

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Only four games are scheduled on a light Friday night in the NHL. Luckily, there's still value to be had on the board. Let's take a closer look.

Penguins (+165) @ Stars (-195)

The Penguins have the look of a team that's finished. Normally a pretty structured team under head coach Mike Sullivan, their defensive game has gone completely in the tank as their playoff chances have diminished.

They've allowed 36.28 expected goals over the last 10 games, which is the league's third-highest output. That's predictably led to a ton of goals against; only the Sharks have conceded more in that span.

Playing loose defense isn't ideal heading into a game against the Stars. They have a deep and talented forward group and get scoring from all their lines.

Dallas has found the back of the net 38 times over the last 10 games, and no team has generated more expected goals. The Stars are putting stress on opposing defenses, and the Penguins don't look equipped to handle it.

Depending on your preferred source, Pittsburgh has anywhere from a 3-6% chance of making the playoffs. Its hopes are slim to none, while the powerhouse Stars are in the thick of a heated battle for the Central Division.

Dallas is in much better form, has significantly more talent and depth, is at home, and is incentivized to put its best foot forward.

Look for the Stars to take care of business within 60 minutes.

Bet: Stars in regulation (-125)

Blue Jackets (+300) @ Avalanche (-380)

The Avs are playing as well as anybody. They own a 9-1 record over the past 10 games, and no team has scored more goals in that span.

The returns of Valeri Nichushkin and Artturi Lehkonen, coupled with deadline acquisitions like Casey Mittelstadt and Yakov Trenin, have made Colorado four lines deep. That's scary considering the top of the lineup is loaded with firepower.

Nobody has an answer for slowing this Avalanche attack down, and I don't expect the Blue Jackets to find one Friday night.

They rank 29th in expected goals against at five-on-five and 27th while killing penalties over the past 10 games. That's a recipe for disaster against these Avs.

Colorado should be able to flex its muscles and score another four or five goals Friday. If that's the case, this game will be in a great spot to go over the number.

For all of the Blue Jackets' faults, they're a respectable team offensively. They sit 13th in expected goals and tied for 18th in actual goals over the last 10.

Columbus has also played at the league's third-highest pace in that span, while the Avalanche come in atop the leaderboard.

All the stars are aligning for a high-event affair in Colorado. I expect a 5-2 or 5-3 type of game and see value in playing the over.

Bet: Over 6.5 goals (-125)

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.

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Thursday was a good night for our player props. We won two of three and fell just one Timo Meier shot shy of a sweep.

We'll aim for a perfect card with three more props for Friday's four-game slate.

Jason Robertson: Over 2.5 shots

Robertson has turned into a very matchup-dependent shooter. He doesn't shoot a lot unless he's facing a team that struggles defensively and/or plays with a lot of pace. The Penguins happen to meet both criteria.

Pittsburgh is bleeding shots, sitting 30th in five-on-five suppression over the last 10 games. It also plays extremely quick, high-event hockey. It ranks second in total events (attempts generated + allowed) per minute in that span.

The Penguins should create an optimal game environment for Robertson.

He's faced two other teams that rank bottom six in shot suppression over his last 10 games. He recorded four shots in all three contests, averaging six attempts per night.

As I noted the last time we successfully backed Robertson, the Stars are in a very tight race with the Avalanche and Jets for the top two seeds in the Central Division. They can't afford to drop points and will continue giving their top players full workloads so long as the game is remotely in question.

With around 18 minutes coming in a pace-up spot, Robertson should be able to get a few pucks on net.

Odds: -130 (playable to -150)

Boone Jenner: Over 2.5 shots

Jenner isn't a regular target, but there are a lot of reasons to like him against the Avalanche. He has a high shooting floor right now, having attempted at least four shots in 10 straight games. That may not sound like a lot, but Jenner lives around the net and hits the target at a much higher rate as a result.

In the 40 games in which Jenner has attempted four or more shots, he's gone over his total 27 times. That's a very strong 68% success rate.

The Avalanche play extremely fast and lead the NHL in total pace at five-on-five over their last 10 games. They also sit 30th in shots allowed to centers over that span. That bodes well for Jenner.

Odds: -130 (playable to -145)

Mikko Rantanen: Over 3.5 shots

Rantanen has shot the puck a lot more of late. It's no coincidence that his uptick aligns with the return of Valeri Nichushkin.

Rantanen averaged just 2.9 shots on 5.6 attempts without Nichushkin in the lineup.

In comparison, he has 3.7 shots on 7.2 attempts per game with Nichushkin in the lineup. He's also gone over in seven of the last 10 Nichushkin has played.

The volume should continue to be there in spades against the Blue Jackets. They give up a ton of shots on a nightly basis - especially to opposing wingers - and rank third in total pace over the past 10 games.

With the Avalanche sitting No. 1 in said category, this should be a free-flowing game with shots being sprayed from everywhere.

Odds: -118 (playable to -135)

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.

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Wednesday wasn't kind to our unders. Charlie Lindgren allowed seven goals on 29 shots, while the Kings scored six times on 27 shots against the Wild, sinking both bets with shockingly bad goaltending.

We'll look to get back on track with a pair of plays for Thursday night.

Islanders (-110) @ Red Wings (-110)

There's limping to the finish line, and then there's whatever the Red Wings are doing. Once firmly holding onto a playoff spot, the Red Wings now seem as likely to miss the dance as make it.

They've won only two of the past 10 games. Those wins came against the Sabres and the Blue Jackets, with the Wings needing to tie the game in the dying seconds to avoid disaster against the latter.

They're not getting results, and their underlying process suggests that's no coincidence. Detroit sits 29th in expected goal suppression over the last 10 games and dead last in limiting shots.

A lot is being put on the plates of Alex Lyon and James Reimer, and that's clearly not a recipe for success.

The Islanders have cooled off of late, dropping five consecutive games. But they're still 5-5 over the last 10, and the numbers under the hood aren't half bad.

They've controlled better than 53% of the expected goals in that span, good for 10th in the NHL.

New York has done a good job limiting chances in that span, conceding the fourth-fewest. The goaltending hasn't been as good as it needs to be, which generally isn't a concern with Ilya Sorokin.

I think the Islanders will get the better chances in this game. With Dylan Larkin still sidelined for the Red Wings, the Isles are probably better equipped to capitalize, with 29-goal-scorers Bo Horvat and Brock Nelson leading the charge.

Look for the Islanders to grind out a road win against direct competition for a playoff spot.

Bet: Islanders (-110)

Flyers (+200) @ Hurricanes (-240)

The Hurricanes are starting to look like a powerhouse. They've played air-tight defensive hockey this month as they continue to gear up for what should be a lengthy playoff run.

They've won seven of their past eight games, conceding two goals or fewer in all but one of them. Taking things a step further, the Hurricanes gave up only one goal in the game they lost.

All told, they've allowed only 13 goals over the past eight. That's 1.62 per game, and four came on one night against the Maple Leafs.

I expect another stingy defensive effort from them on Thursday night. The Flyers are struggling to generate quality chances, sitting 25th in high-danger opportunities over the last 10.

They don't have a lot of dynamic offensive talent on their roster and are generally a team that needs plenty of volume to score consistently. That's problematic when going up against the Hurricanes.

The Hurricanes are so good at sticking to their structure and making teams work themselves into the ground in order to generate anything of value. And, again, the Flyers don't have the talent to be as opportunistic as they'll probably need to be.

I don't see the Flyers scoring more than a couple in this game, meaning the Hurricanes would have to put up a big number to send it over the number.

Bet: Under 6.5 (-130)

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.

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We had a nice rebound night with our player props on Wednesday, cashing two of three plays. Wyatt Johnston failing to record a point on any of the Stars' five goals was our only miss.

We'll set our sights on a perfect card with three more props for Thursday's massive NHL slate.

Shane Pinto: Over 2.5 shots

Pinto has been a consistent shot-generator since returning from suspension, especially on home ice.

The Senators center recorded three shots or more in eight of 11 games played in Ottawa. Pinto fell only one shot shy in two of the three failures, giving himself a fighting chance almost every time.

The shots should be there Thursday night against the Blues, who have given up a lot of volume all season and don't seem to be improving. Only five teams conceded more shots per game over the last 10 games, and each of those clubs may miss the playoffs.

The Senators should comfortably surpass 30 shots versus the Blues. Given Pinto's usage as the top-line center, he figures to get his fair share.

Odds: -122 (playable to -135)

Timo Meier: Over 3.5 shots

I don't generally like to target shooters playing against the Jets, but this is a good time to make an exception. Winnipeg has given up a surprising amount of shots to wingers lately. Only the Blues have conceded more on a per-game basis over the last 10.

Meier is firing on all cylinders right now, playing on the Devils' top line with Nico Hischier and Jesper Bratt and skating on the No. 1 power-play unit.

At five-on-five, Meier averages well over 23 shot attempts per 60 minutes playing with Hischier and/or Bratt, which is top-tier production. He leads the Devils in shot attempts on the man advantage since being promoted to the top group following Tyler Toffoli's departure.

Meier has gone over this total in seven of the past 10 games. I don't see him slowing down in this sneaky good matchup.

Odds: -102 (playable to -125)

Evander Kane: Over 2.5 shots

Kane might be my favorite play on the board. He was humming along with a hit rate well over 60% before the trade deadline. Then the Oilers acquired Adam Henrique and opted to use him at center, pushing Kane down to the third line to try to balance things out.

It didn't work; Kane's shot volume and production rates dipped in a depth role without Leon Draisaitl or Connor McDavid by his side. Realizing as much, the Oilers have promoted Kane back into the top six next to the best player in the world.

Kane averages well over 22 shot attempts per 60 minutes with McDavid also on the ice at five-on-five. That's the kind of rate you'd look for from someone with a total of 3.5 or 4.5 shots, not 2.5.

Kane is a trigger-happy shooter, is most efficient at home, and is now centered by a pass-first player who's got 82 assists through 64 games. This is a great opportunity for Kane to get back on track.

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.

Copyright © 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find year-round coverage of betting news and insights for all sports by visiting our Betting section and subscribing to push notifications.

We split our best bets on Tuesday night. The Avalanche took care of business within 60 minutes, but the Maple Leafs were unable to overcome a slow start against the Flyers.

Let's take a look at the best ways to attack Wednesday's card as we set our sights on a mini-sweep.

Maple Leafs (-135) @ Capitals (+115)

Playing the under in a game featuring the best goal-scorer in the league (Auston Matthews) and arguably the best goal-scorer of all time (Alex Ovechkin) isn't appealing on the surface, but I see value in doing so.

The Maple Leafs continue to be without one of their best weapons in Mitch Marner and are in the latter half of a back-to-back.

They haven't fared well offensively in those situations over the past few months. In the second game of back-to-backs since the holiday break, they've scored one, two, two, and seven goals while consistently generating fewer shots than the game before.

Outside of the Vegas game, where the Golden Knights couldn't get a save and were playing without a handful of key players, we haven't seen a ton of life in Toronto's offense.

I don't see that changing against a red-hot Charlie Lindgren. He's conceded only eight goals over his past six starts, five of which featured six total goals or fewer.

He's quietly played well all season, and his game has clearly hit another level of late.

On the flip side of things, the Capitals rank 29th in goals per game and don't have much in the way of high-end talent.

They win a lot of low-scoring affairs, and I expect them to be more than comfortable grinding it out against a team that should show some fatigue as the game wears on.

Bet: Under 6.5 (-125)

Wild (+130) @ Kings (-155)

If you hate goals, you've come to the right place, because this is another game where there's value on the under.

The Kings are under machines. They've played to the under in five of the last six games, with Tuesday's win over the Blackhawks serving as the lone exception. Los Angeles played a low-event game and didn't generate a whole lot offensively. The Kings managed to score six on 24 shots, good for an absurd 25% clip.

The story is the same for the Wild. They've played to the under in five of the last six, with a game against the high-paced Predators being the exception in that span.

Both teams play slow, ranking near the bottom of the league in five-on-five pace (attempts generated plus allowed per minute) over the last 10 games.

They're also excellent defensive sides. The Kings have conceded just 15.78 expected goals at five-on-five over the last 10 games, which is the best mark in the NHL.

Right on their heels are the Wild, who've allowed 16.16 over the same period of time.

In short, these are two slow teams playing extremely stingy defensive hockey. Given the success they're having while doing so (Minnesota is 6-2-2 over the last 10, while the Kings are 6-3-1), I don't see any reason to expect them to get away from that - especially given each side is playing for the second time in as many nights.

Bet: Under 5.5 (+100)

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.

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