Tonight’s 11-game NHL card isn’t as easy as it looks. Almost all the matchups are tough to call at the top-rated sportsbooks. Most games tonight see the underdogs play on home ice.
We have two NHL bets with plus-money value for tonight’s matchups. We’re backing Jesper Bratt to maintain his hot streak on the road, while on the flip side, we’re counting on Cole Caulfield to break his scoring drought at home and get back on the scoreboard.
Picks Summary
- Jesper Bratt Over 1.5 Points (+130)
- Cole Caulfield Anytime Goalscorer (+120)
*All odds from Bet365 (check our Bet365 Review)
New Jersey Devils vs. St. Louis Blues
Tuesday, December 17, 2024 – 08:00 PM ET at Enterprise Center
Jesper Bratt Strong on Road
Unsurprisingly or surprisingly, depending on your opinion of how good you think Jesper Bratt is at 26 years old, he has had the most points on this New Jersey team and the tied 8th most in the NHL thus far this season. It has to be said he has made a solid career considering he was drafted 162nd overall.
His best return on points was last season when he ended with 83 overall. Thus far this season he is projected to get in around 102 points. At the very least, we reckon he should get 90 points if he plays all season long without getting injured.
Bratt has had a solid return of 19 points in 15 away games this season and comes into this game having had one of the hottest streaks of his career, scoring at least one point in 9 of his previous 10 games. He has also scored 2+ points on four of them occasions.
The Pick
To be fair, the St. Louis Blues are at home and not that bad of a team overall. They do have a winning record at 15-14-3. The NJ Devils on the other hand are a very strong road team, having gone 11-4 this season.
Bratt has proven how strong he can be playing on the road and has scored 11 points in his previous six road games, including 4 last time against the NY Rangers.
Overall we like the fact Bratt is coming off a 2-point night against Chicago and we believe his odds are strong enough at +130 to consider him doing so in back-to-back games.
NHL Pick: Jesper Bratt Over 1.5 Points (+130) at Bet365
Buffalo Sabres vs. Montreal Canadiens
Tuesday, December 17, 2024 – 07:00 PM ET at Bell Centre
Caulfield to Break Cold Streak Tonight
Despite his incredible start to the season where he scored 8 times in 11 games, contributing 10 goals in that time, Caulfield’s goals have since dried up having had a goal in just 5 of his previous 19 games.
That said, we believe tonight could be the night he finds the back of the net for the first time in three games as he faces the Buffalo Sabres. The Sabres are on a horrible run right now, having gone 0-10 in their previous ten games. Across that time span, the Sabres have allowed 3.9 goals per game.
Throughout his career, Caulfield has had 6 points in 11 games against the Buffalo Sabres. Not a bad return but he has improved massively as an attacking player in his previous two seasons and his stats prove it, scoring his most points last season and on course for his most ever this season.
It also must be duly noted that Caulfield also bagged two of those 6 points against the Sabres last time he faced them.
The Pick
We like Caulfield to break his duck tonight and get back on the scoreboard. We will bide our time and hope he comes up with something special at +130 NHL betting odds to score anytime in tonight’s matchup.
NHL Pick: Cole Caulfield Anytime Goalscorer (+120) at Bet365
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*The line and/or odds referenced in this article might have changed since the content was published. For the latest information on line movements, visit OddsTrader’s free betting odds tool.
