The first couple of weeks of the 2018-19 NHL season are in the books. While there have been a few surprises along the way, we have enough information at this point to get a pretty good idea of what we can expect when it comes to predicting outcomes for this weekend’s games. We took the time to break down this Saturday’s games in order to identify the best bets on the board. Here is a look at the top five NHL games to bet on this Saturday.
Colorado Avalanche at Carolina Hurricanes
Saturday, 1:00 PM ET
The Hurricanes have been one of the best-kept secrets in the NHL early on this season. Carolina has been one of the best teams in the league from a possession standpoint and it’s translated in to a 4-2-1 record through its first seven games. Sebastian Aho has emerged as one of the top young centers in the game, while veterans like Jordan Staal, Justin Williams and Dougie Hamilton have provided quality support. Meanwhile, the Avalanche is off to an excellent start as well, but Saturday will mark its fifth road outing in eight games to begin the year and this could be the contest when it catches up to them. Nathan Mackinnon is producing at an outstanding rate but Colorado still leans far too heavily on its top line. Take the Hurricanes to win at home.
Related: NHL Betting Guide
Pick: Carolina
Buffalo Sabres at Los Angeles Kings
Saturday, 3:30 PM ET
The Sabres are in the midst of a five-game road trip that takes them through California — including back-to-back games against the Kings and Anaheim Ducks on Saturday and Sunday. Buffalo has looked better than expected early on but it won’t be easy to keep it up against some tough west coast teams. The Kings are off to a slow start so the urgency will be there when they host the Sabres on Saturday afternoon. Anze Kopitar and company have been slow out of the gate but it’s only a matter of time before things click up front. Bank on Los Angeles to get back in the win column.
Pick: Los Angeles
Detroit Red Wings at Florida Panthers
Saturday, 7:00 PM ET
It’s no secret that Detroit is one of the worst teams in the NHL this season. The Red Wings have opened the year with a 0-4-2 record and appear primed to be in the mix for the No. 1 pick in next year’s NHL Draft. Meanwhile, the Panthers were expected to contend for a playoff spot this season but are off to another slow start with a 0-2-2 record. Florida is far too deep up front to continue to let points slip away and they clearly can’t afford to let their terrible start linger on much longer so look for them to take advantage of a home date with Detroit. The Panthers will pick up a convincing win.
Pick: Florida
Tampa Bay Lightning at Minnesota Wild
Saturday, 8:00 PM ET
The fact that the Lightning opened the season with three wins in their first four games despite not actually playing their best hockey is a testament to how good this team can be. Tampa Bay is extremely deep at both ends of the ice and it’s only a matter of time before their level of play picks up. Nikita Kucherov, Steven Stamkos and company started last season on fire but have yet to play to their potential early this year. The Lightning will have an excellent opportunity to extend their strong start against Minnesota on Saturday night. The Wild will be playing their second game in as many nights and that could spell trouble against a team as good as Tampa Bay.
Pick: Tampa Bay
New York Islanders at San Jose Sharks
Saturday, 10:30 PM ET
Speaking of talented teams, it’s only a matter of time before the Sharks begin to get the results they should. San Jose has dominated possession against opposing teams but a lack of goal scoring, combined with some poor goaltending, has resulted in them opening the year with a 2-3-1 record. Joe Pavelski, Evander Kane and even Timo Meier have looked good, but more is needed from a talented defensive core that features Brent Burns and Erik Karlsson. The Sharks have an excellent chance to get back on track at home against the Islanders before heading on the road for three in a row. Expect San Jose to bounce back with a strong performance on home ice against one of the weaker Eastern Conference teams.
Pick: San Jose
