We are now firmly in the holiday season and if you know what that means in the NHL world buckle up! It means these teams have enough track record to start identifying themselves and their rosters as they push into the dog days of the season. Over 75% of teams in playoff position post Thanksgiving make the dance historically so we really have a good idea of what to project moving forward. We hope of course this helps us make some dollars along the way too! In today's best bets you will find some Money Line wagers on road teams, a game total and a player prop! If you like the rationale then tail the picks, if you don't feel free to fade as sometimes the best bets are the ones not taken!

  • Season Record: 32-34-1
  • Bankroll: -1.62 units

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**all bets are one unit unless specifically mentioned.

NHL Best Bets for November 28

Tampa Bay Lightning at Arizona Coyotes

It could just be me but the Lightning seem to playing way more games than the rest of the NHL and its kind of true at 22 games played to this point. The schedule hasn't really vibed with Tampa Bay either as they are gassed on defense and their goaltending has been way below average. They have allowed 3.55 goals per game this season which has put the load on the offense and they have been up to the task overall as they rank 5th in the NHL with 3.59 goals per game. The Coyotes have done well too with scoring in select games but still average just 3.15 goals, around league average. Overall though each teams routinely finds themselves in shootouts as the Lightning are over the total in 13 games this season and the Coyotes 12 of 20 contests. The goaltending shouldn't stop the train either as Jonas Johansson and Connor Ingram get the nods, let's ride the over heavy!

Pick: Lightning & Coyotes Over 6.5 Goals (-120 on Caesars)

 

Pittsburgh Penguins at Nashville Predators

From an overall view you would think that the Penguins and Predators were evenly matched teams that both sit with 20 points on the season and records of 10-10-0. This reflects the Money Line odds each way and I think they are fair but the Penguins are a better team by breakdown of stats, although I will give the Preds props for their 5 game win streak. Pittsburgh is one of the league's best in both Corsi % and xGF/60 ranking inside the top 5 in each category. This means they generate more chances and have more possession every game and against a team like Nashville that scores above their means it could spell a setback. Tristan Jarry also tips the scales for Pittsburgh if the good version shows up and it has lately. Jarry has 3 shutouts this season with a 2.44 GAA, hard to beat a hot goalie and an offense like Pittsburgh. 

Pick: Pittsburgh Penguins Money Line (-110 on BetMGM)

 

Dallas Stars at Winnipeg Jets

Two of the top teams in the Central Division are squaring off as the Stars who are 12-5-2 take on the Jets at 12-6-2. The Winnipeg standing is a bit of a shock considering they traded off pieces in the offseason but they have answered the critics with scoring 3.55 goals per game! I don't foresee this kind of play lasting much longer though as the Jets rank 22nd in xGF/60 and are just scoring goals above their actual value. The roadblock might start for them tonight against the Stars who are full fledged Cup contenders this season with their loaded roster and top tier goaltending. The Stars are also 7-1-1 on the road this season and every year there's that one road warrior team, I think its them as they are built to play anywhere and against anyone. Very tight lines around this game on the sportsbooks too so let's take advantage of value and hit the Stars Money Line. 

Pick: Dallas Stars Money Line (-120 on BetMGM)

Nikita Kucherov, Tampa Bay Lightning

It's been awhile since we had a player prop on the best bets and why not dive into a player with a great matchup tonight! Kucherov is playing his best hockey this season since he won the Hart trophy back in 2019. He has 36 points heading into tonight which is the most the NHL and in the process he has averaged 4.6 shots on goal per game. His line is 3.5 shots tonight and that's a number he has topped in 9 of his last 10 games, the Coyotes are allowing 32.5 shots per game this season and this seems like a slam dunk. 

Pick: Nikita Kucherov Over 3.5 Shots On Goal (-160 on Caesars)