Top Shelf Picks: Best NHL Bets Today (How to Bet Panthers vs. Avalanche)

Iain MacMillan | Jan 6, 2025

The Panthers are road underdogs to the Avalanche on Monday night. / Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

Two overtime games going against us on Sunday led to an 0-3 night, which means our slide continues. It's been an up-and-down betting season in the NHL but with Monday being the start of a new week, I'm hoping it will mark the beginning of another hot streak.

The Florida Panthers and Colorado Avalanche will face each other in the game of the night. I have a bet locked in for that one as well as two others for Monday night.

• Season-to-date record: 79-77-5 (-4.46 units)

Top NHL Picks Today

• Capitals -155 vs. Sabres via Caesars
• Canucks/Canadiens UNDER 6 (-115) via BetMGM
• Panthers +110 vs. Avalanche via FanDuel

Capitals vs. Sabres Prediction

The Capitals sit in first place in the Eastern Conference and they've been red-hot on the road, going 13-6 away from their home ice. They're also the far superior statistical team to the Buffalo Sabres, who have been reeling of late, going 3-6-1 in their last 10 games.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is expected to start between the pipes for the Sabres and he enters the game with a subpar save percentage of .894. That's not going to bode well against a Capitals team that has averaged 3.41 goals per 60 minutes over their last 25 games.

Pick: Capitals -155

Canucks vs. Canadiens Prediction

Betting the UNDER in games involving the Canucks could prove to be profitable in the coming weeks. They're 31st in the league in 5-on-5 expceted goals over their last 25 games at just 2.05. They're also seventh in the league in that time frame in 5-on-5 expected goals against.

Expect a defensive battle between Vancouver and Montreal tonight.

Pick: UNDER 6 (-115)

Panthers vs. Avalanche Prediction

The Panthers may not be atop the standings, but they've been penalized by poor shooting variance. Their other numbers across the board rank inside the top five in the NHL. They're third in the league in 5-on-5 expected goals percentage over their last 25 games and whereas the Avalanche rank just 21st in that category in the same time frame.

The wrong team is favored in this interconference matchup. I'll back the Panthers.

Pick: Panthers +110

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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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You can check out all of Iain's bets here!