Here’s a quick summary of the three NHL bets I made on Saturday, June 3, and the results:
Total U5.5 Goals (+100): Woof. Bobrovsky was not on his game in the opening match of the series. He allowed four goals on 33 shots for a .879 SV%. More importantly, the total absolutely went OVER 5.5 goals.
Mark Stone O0.5 Points (-145): With Vegas scoring five goals, you don't even need to look at the scoresheet to know Stone got at least a point. When you do look at the scoresheet, you'll see he scored Vegas's fourth goal.
Verhaeghe Anytime Goal (+160): He didn't score but he put three pucks on the net. Close but no cigar.
Going 1-2 on Saturday put my season record at 48W-47L-1P and 2 units of profit.
Here are my NHL picks for Wednesday, June 7:
NHL Expert Pick #1: First Period O1.5 (-130)
The Game: Florida Panthers vs Vegas Golden Knights, 8 p.m. ET
| Team | Puckline | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vegas Golden Knights | +0.5 (-220) | -110 | O1.5 (-130) |
| Florida Panthers | -0.5 (+180) | -125 | U1.5 (+100) |
Odds for the first period
Betting the first-period totals was one of my favorite wagers to make during the regular season. There's something about scoring rates in the first period that just sticks.
I know this series is only two games old but the total has gone OVER 1.5 goals in both of those games. Vegas has been in control of this series from the start, which matters when it comes to this specific bet.
Through the playoffs, Vegas is 14-3 when it comes to the first period OVER. That's an 82% success rate. The Knights are the second-best road team in the playoffs with a 0.750 win percentage and they aren't about to be knocked off their game by the fans in the Sunshine State.
NHL Expert Pick #2: Jonathan Marchessault O0.5 Points (-145)
| Team | OVER | UNDER |
|---|---|---|
| Jonathan Marchessault (Points) | 00.5 (-145) | U0.5 (+115) |
The undrafted 5-foot-9 forward is currently on a seven-game points streak and his player prop for points is set at 0.5?! This feels like easy money.
The Conn Smythe favorite has put on a clinic in the playoffs. He's not Vegas' top player or even the most utilized, but he's been the most effective. Marchessault's 3.61 points per 60 minutes lead all skaters who've played at least 100 5-on-5 minutes.
Again, this seems like easy money.
NHL Expert Pick #3: Aaron Ekblad O1.5 Blocks (-110)
| Team | OVER | UNDER |
|---|---|---|
| Aaron Ekblad (Blocked Shots) | O1.5 (-110) | U1.5 (-120) |
Aaron Ekblad leads his team in blocked shots per 60 on home ice with 6.07. In this series against Vegas, he's blocking 2.64 shots per 60.
At home, Florida has allowed the sixth-most shots on goal in these playoffs with 31.4 and the fifth-most blocked shots at 17.59 per 60.
With Sergei Bobrovsky playing like hot garbage right now, you better believe Vegas is going to pepper the former Conn Smythe favorite with as many shots as possible. And Florida will get in the way as many as possible.
What Is An NHL Expert Pick?
An NHL expert pick is a suggested wager from one of our hockey betting experts on who will win or cover in a hockey contest, or a bet on the goal totals.
NHL bets can range from betting on the moneyline (which is simply which team wins) to the puckline (for the favorite to win by more than 1.5 goals), to whether the total goals scored in a contest is OVER or UNDER a certain number.
Here are examples of NHL bets you can find:
- • Moneyline: Will the Oilers (-200) or Flames (+140) win?
- • Puckline: Will the Oilers (-1.5) or Flames (+1.5) cover?
- • Total: Will the Oilers and Flames combine for OVER or UNDER 5.5 total goals?
Calculate exact profits for our NHL expert picks using our sports betting calculator, and check out these other hockey betting resources to help inform your bets:
