NHL best bets today (Islanders will beat up on Capitals)

I can confidently say I’m on the hottest streak in a single sport in my betting career. I keep expecting things to come crashing down, but the party stays rocking.

I’m 20-4-1 for +15.44 units dating back to Jan. 8. That’s insane.

We have a full slate of NHL games to bet on today, including some afternoon matchups with it being MLK Day.

I have four best bets for Monday’s action, so let’s dive into it.

NHL best bets record-to-date

• 136-109-3 (+17.4 units)

NHL best bets today (Monday, January 16)

• Sabres +110 vs. Panthers
• Rangers -189 vs. Blue Jackets
• Islanders -110 vs. Capitals
• Flames -138 vs. Predators

Sabres +110 vs. Panthers

Here is a little afternoon wager for you. Puck drop for this game is set for 1 p.m. EST and I’m going to back the underdog Sabres.

We need to accept the Panthers aren’t the same team they were last season. Over their last 10 games, they’re 18th in CORSI%, compared to the Sabres at 10th. They’re also not the offensive juggernauts they were last season, ranking only 12th in expected goals for over the same stretch.

Neither team is strong defensively, but it’s the Sabres who have been more effective on offense this season, so I’ll gladly back Buffalo as a small home underdog.

Rangers -189 vs. Blue Jackets

The Rangers are big favorites in this one, but I’m willing to lay the juice. I think the Rangers deserve to be closer to -210 favorites in this one, so there’s plenty of value on the current price.

Elvis Merzilkins is expected to get the start for the Blue Jackets, and he’s been quite literally the least effective goaltender in the NHL this season, allowing 23.3 more goals than expected this season.

Meanwhile, over the last 10 games the Rangers rank third in the NHL in CORSI% and 10th in expected goals for over the same stretch. They’ll be too much for Columbus to handle tonight.

Islanders -110 vs. Capitals

The Islanders, despite being 5-4-1 in their last 10 games, have actually played some of the best hockey they’ve played all season, ranking eighth in CORSI% over that stretch.

They started the season leaving goaltender Ilya Sorokin out to dry, but they’ve clamped things down defensively, ranking fifth in expected goals against in each team’s last 10 games. That’s an area that have a big advantage in over the Capitals, who are 19th in that stat over the same stretch.

At a pick’em, I think the Islanders are the bet to make in this Metropolitan Division showdown.

Flames -138 vs. Predators

Watch out, the Flames are getting hot. Over their last 10 games, they rank second in CORSI% and first in expected goals against. They’re finally starting to look like the Flames of last year, and the betting markets have yet to react. That means we need to bet on them tonight against a Predators team that, outside of their goaltender, has been largely disappointing this season.

Nashville is 30th in expected goals against over their last 10 games, leaving Juuse Saros out to dry night in and night out.

I’ll back the Flames to get the job done tonight.

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Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.