Expert NHL Picks: Top Bets on Hot Players, Teams 11/2
- Caufield’s hot streak and Pittsburgh’s weak defense could make him a key play.
- Colorado’s strong road record stacks it up well on the NHL odds against Nashville.
- Vegas continues to dominate at home, and BetUS Sportsbook bettors may find value.
Momentum is a controversial thing in sports. Some say it’s irrelevant. Some abide by it.
Color us for the latter as we ride a player and a pair of teams killing it on the ice of late. These are three of the best NHL expert picks for Saturday.
3 Best Bets for NHL On Saturday 11/2
1. Canadiens vs Penguins: Caufield Stays Hot, Scores
Congratulations to everyone who drafted Cole Caufield onto their fantasy teams. He has been on a tear and is on pace for 74 goals this season, scoring 10 in 11 games!
While we’re still skeptical he can keep up this pace, we just need him to score one goal against the floundering Penguins. Pittsburgh is a hot mess, and Caufield can stay hot.
Cole Caufield cannot stop scoring. 🤯
That’s now 10 goals in 11 games! pic.twitter.com/FgJ4KMrusK
— NHL (@NHL) November 1, 2024
The Penguins are giving up over four goals a game, the most in the NHL. And they’re down to their third-string goaltender in Joel Blomqvist, who is playing okay but is still giving up three to four goals a game on average.
Pittsburgh’s special teams is fine, but its 5-on-5 play, typically a strength, is subpar to start.
The Canadiens, on the other hand, are nothing too special on offense. Their stats remain below average like last season. That’s not stopping Caufield.
He’s only had two goals in nine career games facing Pittsburgh. But the 6.5% shooting rate is bound to go up. Bet online on Caufield to score.
Bet On Cole Caufield Anytime Goal Scorer (+160)
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2. Avalanche vs Predators: Colorado Wins as a Road Dog
Speaking of shaky goaltending, enter Colorado! The Avalanche need help in between the pipes, as they rank last in the NHL in save percentage with a measly .837.
That explains why they are only 5-6-0 and are an underdog on the road on Saturday. But wait, there’s more.
Colorado is better as a visitor, which is a reverse of last season. This makes it shrewd to make them one of your NHL picks against Nashville.
We’d say that’s a rather impressive month from ⭐️ Cale Makar ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/LEoJQHZ7H8
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) November 1, 2024
The Avalanche have won three of their four road games. Their only defeat came against Vegas, which is unbeaten at home.
Colorado is +8 in its last three away games, and it’s averaged four goals a game. Even with shoddy goaltending, Colorado can win if it can maintain its torrid scoring pace. Cale Makar, like Caufield, is on a hot streak.
Additionally, goaltender Justus Annunen has played tremendously on the road. He’s stopped 75 of the 79 shots he faced in three games. That’s a .949 save percentage.
If Annunen starts, Colorado becomes a must-bet against Nashville. If it’s Kaapo Kahkonen, we still lean on Colorado given its offensive prowess.
Bet On Colorado ML (+105) vs Nashville
3. Hockey Club vs Golden Knights: Vegas Covers at Home
From a sharp road team to a prolific home team. Vegas is one of the best NHL bets as a host. Even with lofty odds, Vegas bettors would be up over $400 for every $100 moneyline wager on it in seven home games.
As such, we’ll take the Golden Knights to beat the Utah Hockey Club by 2+ goals on Saturday.
This sweet backhand from Barbie is our @CooperRoofSolar Roof Job of the Month! 🤩💈 pic.twitter.com/2o0kt66vnT
— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) October 31, 2024
Utah started off hot. But it’s since dropped to 2-2-1 on the road and is losing its backers’ money.
The team has some promising offensive talent. And if you look at advanced metrics, Utah should have a better record.
But its goaltending lets it down. And the Hockey Club can’t score on too many scoring chances.
The Knights are on the opposite end. They rank in the lower half of Corsi and scoring chance metrics.
But the highest shooting percentage (15.5%) puts Vegas on the winning side. One of our top NHL predictions is on Vegas to beat Utah by 2+ goals because the Knights convert on their scoring chances at a higher efficiency. Bet on it.
Bet On Vegas -1 ½ vs Utah (+135)
Odds and information are accurate at the time of writing. Please check with official sources for the latest updates before placing any bets.
Questions of the Day
Which NHL player leads the league in goals in 2024-25?
Nico Hischier and Cole Caufield are tied for the league lead in goals with 10 each.
What is Colorado’s record as a visitor this season?
The Colorado Avalanche are 3-1-0 as a road team in 2024-25.
