NHL Playbook: Betting Lines, Odds & Picks For Tuesday, Nov. 1

NHL Betting Lines, Odds & Picks for Tuesday

I hope everyone had a fun and safe Halloween yesterday and also had a great day betting! Today presents us with a massive 12-game slate to weave through. Let's dive into some of these good games and make some winning wagers tonight on the ice.

The BetQL model has gone 37-15-10 (72% win) on 4-Star and higher NHL bets of $100 in the last week, so be sure to check out the model's best bets for tonight. BetQL subscribers can see more betting trends and all of our best bets with star ratings for every pick.

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One of the best games on the slate today is a battle between the Boston Bruins and Pittsburgh Penguins. I say that, and then when we look at the Penguins, we see that they have lost four straight games. They started off the season on fire, especially on offense, and have looked like a totally different team over the last week. They have scored just one goal in three straight games, and have let up at least three in each of those contests. I'm not sure what is going on with them right now, but they need to figure it out quickly. It's a long season, so there is no reason to hit the panic button here yet. We have seen what they are capable of.

Boston is the best team in the NHL so far, and it really isn't even close. The Bruins have looked invincible, and they almost have been, save for one loss against the Ottawa Senators in a crazy game. They are taking 35 shots a game and scoring over four goals per contest, so you could say their offense is getting the job done. What might be the best part of their team is the goaltending, as netminder Linus Ullmark has been unbeatable. He's 6-0 with a 1.70 GA/G and .945 SV%, some of the best numbers in the league.

PICK: Boston is the best team in hockey, and they will be priced like it. However, I am not buying that Pittsburgh is as bad as they have looked recently. I'll take them at home for plus-money and some value here.

A matchup between two of the worst teams in the NHL graces our screens on a Tuesday night, and we are going to make some money on it. It has been a horror show on both sides to begin the year, as Anaheim is just 2-6-1 and San Jose is 3-8. However, one team has actually been better than the other. The Sharks may have an awful record, and they are a bad team, but there are a few reasons I like them over the Ducks. San Jose is taking about 27 shots per night, while allowing 30. The offense has struggled, but allowing 30 shots is just about average, so the defense hasn't been that bad. Their goaltending has actually not been bad either, with James Reimer having a 2.77 GA/G and .914 SV%, keeping this team in games.

Anaheim has been far worse. The Ducks are taking 27 shots a game just like the Sharks, but they are allowing 37 to their opponents, which is awful. The defense has been bad, and that has effected the goaltending, which also has bad numbers. John Gibson is 2-5 with a 4.23 GA/G and .888 SV%, ugly numbers that tell the story of this team. They can't score and they can't defend, and in this league, you kind of need to do those things. I predict Anaheim will finish as a bottom-three team at the season's end, whereas I think San Jose is slightly better than their record indicates.

PICK: I'll take the Sharks here. They are the better team in my opinion, and I'm looking to fade the Ducks as much as I can.

The last matchup we'll take a look at tonight is between the New York Islanders and Chicago Blackhawks. It has been a great start for the Blackhawks, as I think most people thought this would be the worst team in the NHL. They have started out 4-3-2, which is impressive for this team. However, I am certainly not buying this start. Chicago is taking just 26 shots per game, one of the lowest numbers in the league, and allowing 34 to their opponents. At some point, regression is going to hit them hard if they keep up that play. For the amount of shots they let up, their goaltending has performed admirably. Alex Stalock has been performing well in the absence of Petr Mrazek, and he has needed to.

The Islanders haven't been world beaters to begin the season, but they are far better than the Blackhawks. New York is 5-4 and has won three straight games, so they are coming in hot. They average 33 shots per game and allow about 33 as well. What has been most impressive about them is the goaltending, which has allowed just 2.67 GA/G on average. If they can get that type of play out of their net minders, they can start to build on that record.

PICK: Give me the Isles here in regulation. They have been hot lately while Chicago just lost Seth Jones to injury, which makes their defense even worse than it already was.