NHL matchups, odds to watch: December 31
NHL.com identifies key gameday matchups and players to watch throughout the 2023-24 season.
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1. Chicago Blackhawks at Dallas Stars (8 p.m. ET; BSSW, NBCSCH)
Connor Bedard point prop
Over 0.5 points: -146
Under 0.5 points: +114
Center Connor Bedard leads the Blackhawks and NHL rookies with 32 points (15 goals, 17 assists) in 35 games this season but was held without a point in their 5-4 overtime loss at the Stars on Friday. Bedard has had at least a point in 24 of his 35 NHL games, including in 14 of his first 18 on the road.
Dallas has been without top goalie Jake Oettinger (lower body) and allowed 18 goals during his six-game absence. The Stars’ penalty kill ranks second in the NHL (86.4 percent) behind only the Los Angeles Kings (86.5) this season. Bedard had three shots on goal against Dallas on Friday, giving him at least three in 12 of his past 15 games (55 SOG in span).
2. Buffalo Sabres at Ottawa Senators (6 p.m. ET; TSN5, MSG-B)
BUF moneyline: +130
OTT moneyline: -155
The Sabres had a 3-2 comeback win against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday, with forward Jeff Skinner scoring the overtime goal. Seth Appert, who coaches Rochester of the American Hockey League, filled in for Sabres coach Don Granato (illness) on Saturday and won his NHL debut. The Senators are 2-3-0 since their coaching change from D.J. Smith to Jacques Martin. Buffalo is eight points ahead of Ottawa in the NHL standings, but the Senators have played six fewer games. Buffalo defeated Ottawa 6-4 on Oct. 24 and was led by center Tage Thompson, who had three points (two goals, one assist) in the game.
Skinner scored two goals against the Senators on Oct. 24 and leads Buffalo in goals (15) and shots on goal (121) this season. Casey Mittelstadt, who scored the tying goal in the third period Saturday, has a five-game point streak (six points in span), leads them in points (31 in 37 games) this season and had two assists in the first matchup against Ottawa. Since Dec. 1, Senators forward Drake Batherson leads them in goals (eight) and points (17 in 14 games) and had an assist against the Sabres earlier in the season. Ottawa defenseman Thomas Chabot (fractured tibia) is expected to return.
3. New York Islanders at Pittsburgh Penguins (6 p.m. ET; SN-PIT, MSGSN)
NYI puckline (+1.5 goals): -245
PIT puckline (-1.5 goals): +200
The Penguins have won consecutive games by multiple goals, including a 7-0 victory at the New York Islanders on Wednesday, and are 6-1-1 in their past eight games. Pittsburgh scored six goals on 20 shots on goal in the second period of their win at New York and were led by defensemen Kris Letang, who had six assists, and Marcus Pettersson, who had four assists. Forward Rickard Rakell, who recently returned from injury and also had a multipoint game (one goal, one assist) against the Islanders, has a four-game point streak with five points (two goals, three assists) in the span.
New York bounced back from its shutout loss to Pittsburgh by defeating the Washington Capitals 5-1 on Friday at home. The Islanders have four players averaging better than a point per game this month: forwards Bo Horvat (19 in 13 games), Brock Nelson (14 in 13), Mathew Barzal (13 in 12) and defenseman Noah Dobson (14 in 13). The Penguins are averaging the fifth-most shots on goal per game (32.8), and the Islanders are allowing the second most (35.3).
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