NHL Thursday parlay at mega (+870) odds, today 12/1: Flyers falter against a familiar foe

Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Travis Sanheim

Mark Lammey

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I've been a capper since my love for sports met my proficiency with numbers and math. The NFL and NCAAF have always been my first loves, followed by the NHL. Although I prefer sports that involve hitting people, I still love capping MLB, soccer, tennis, and even some esports. Living in Florida has its perks like year-round sports of any kind. For Mark Lammey media enquiries, please email contact@pickswise.com.

Colorado Avalanche -1.5 (+118) over Buffalo Sabres

The Sabres and their fans are likely not looking forward to their matchup tonight. Not only are they facing the defending Stanley Cup champion Avalanche, they’re facing a team that should be coming out with a vengeance. The Avs were embarrassed on Tuesday night, losing 5-0 to the Winnipeg Jets. Although they’ll still be on the road, the Sabres were in Detroit playing the Red Wings last night. Either way, it’s worth noting the difference in competition.

The Jets’ goaltending has been incredible this season. That’s especially true at home, where they are allowing just 1.6 goals per game. No team in the NHL has a better average than that. On the flip side, the Avs now get to face a weak goaltending team in the Sabres. Not only do they allow the 6th-most goals per game, being on the second night of a back-to-back takes the biggest toll on the defensive side of the ice. Buffalo has certainly improved offensively, but the Avs have more then enough talent behind Nathan MacKinnon to take advantage of their weak goaltending.

Be sure to check out our Colorado Avalanche vs Buffalo Sabres prediction

Tampa Bay Lightning -1.5 (+114) over Philadelphia Flyers

Another puck-line play we love tonight is on another juggernaut of a team. The Lightning faced the Avalanche in last season’s Stanley Cup Final, and will be looking for their 4th-straight appearance. While they are focused on becoming a dynasty, the Flyers are on the opposite end of the map. Although they stole a win from the New York Islanders on Tuesday, they had lost 10 straight games prior to that.

There seemed to be hope at the start of the year, but they’ve quickly reverted to last season’s form. That doesn’t bode well for tonight’s game, as the Lightning beat them in all 3 games last year. Tampa won those games by a combined 15-4, so the Flyers didn’t put up much of a fight. They’ll certainly experience much less of a fight than their previous game, where they had to face the Bruins in Boston. Philly may be riding the high of their recent win, but the Lightning storm can bring them back down to earth.

Florida Panthers 3-way ML (+108) over Vancouver Canucks

We’re still getting plus-money with this play without needing the Panthers to win by multiple goals. However, they very well may do so. The Canucks have not been as strong as expected this season, and were just handled with ease by the Washington Capitals their last time on the ice. That too was a home game, and they were still defeated 5-1 by Alex Ovechkin and company. The Caps were the 3rd-worst road team heading into that game, which speaks to Vancouver’s struggles.

Their goaltending simply hasn’t lived up to expectations. Only the Anaheim Ducks and Columbus Blue Jackets allow more goals per game, and they are the worst teams in their respective conferences. What’s even more concerning for the Canucks is the fact that they’re even performing above expected. They have the 3rd-most goals above expected, yet are still just 9-11-3 on the year. With the chance that Aleksander Barkov will be back on the ice, expect the Panthers’ high-flying offense to be in full form.

Be sure to check out our NHL player props for tonight’s action!