NHL matchups, odds to watch: December 13
NHL.com identifies key gameday matchups and players to watch throughout the 2023-24 season.
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1. Boston Bruins at New Jersey Devils (7:30 p.m. ET; MAX, MSGSN, TNT)
Over 6 total goals: -125
Under 6 total goals: +105
The Bruins have the best team save percentage (.922) in the NHL with the elite tandem of Jeremy Swayman and reigning Vezina Trophy winner Linus Ullmark, and the Devils are second worst in team SV% (.878). Boston has won four of its past five games but is without center Pavel Zacha and defenseman Charlie McAvoy because of upper-body injuries.
The Devils are coming off a 4-1 road loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday but have still won six of their past eight games. New Jersey forward Jack Hughes ranks third in the NHL in points per game (1.57) behind Nikita Kucherov (1.62) of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Edmonton’s Connor McDavid (1.58). The Devils have the best power-play percentage (32.6) in the NHL and are tied with the Colorado Avalanche for the League’s fourth-most goals per game (3.54).
2. Buffalo Sabres at Colorado Avalanche (10 p.m. ET; MAX, TNT, ALT, SN)
BUF moneyline: +170
COL moneyline: -210
The Sabres are coming off a 5-2 home win against the Arizona Coyotes on Monday. Rookie goalie Devon Levi is 2-0-1 with a .942 save percentage in three games since being recalled from Rochester of the American Hockey League. Buffalo forward Alex Tuch (lower body) could return Wednesday after missing the past four games; Tuch ranks second on the Sabres in points per game (0.77; 17 in 22 games) behind defenseman Rasmus Dahlin (0.82).
The Avalanche had a 6-5 home win against the Calgary Flames on Tuesday, but that was only their second victory in the past seven games (2-3-2). Colorado forward Nathan MacKinnon has a 12-game point streak (tied with Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard for longest active streak in NHL) with 19 points (six goals, 13 assists) and 53 shots on goal in the span.
3. Winnipeg Jets at Los Angeles Kings (10:30 p.m. ET; BSW, TSN3, TVAS)
WPG puckline (+1.5 goals): -162
LAK puckline (-1.5 goals): +136
The Kings had a 5-1 road win against the Jets on Oct. 17, and forward Pierre-Luc Dubois scored a goal on three shots on goal in his first game against his former team after being acquired by Los Angeles in the offseason. Winnipeg forward Gabriel Vilardi, who was part of the return in the Dubois trade, scored his first goal of the season against the Anaheim Ducks on Dec. 10 after recently returning from injury and has had three shots on goal in three of his past four games.
The Jets, who are 8-4-1 on the road this season, remain without top forward Kyle Connor (knee) and will be on the second of back-to-back games after their 2-1 road loss to the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday. Los Angeles is 5-4-3 at home, but four of those wins have come by multiple goals.
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