Ryan Hodges
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Hockey fans are in for a treat on Saturday. All but 2 teams are suited up for what is a loaded 15-game slate beginning at 3:00 pm ET. With the final drop of the puck coming at 10:00 pm ET, there will be constant NHL action all afternoon and night.
You can read our NHL predictions for today’s slate, but for now, let’s dive into my NHL prop bets for Saturday.
Matthew Tkachuk over 1.5 points (+154)
After starting the season 2-3-0, the reigning Eastern Conference champions are 3-0-1 in their last 4 games. The Panthers are starting to click and so is Matthew Tkachuk. He has 8 points in 9 games and his team goes as Tkachuk goes. In the team’s first week and a half, neither Tkachuk nor the Panthers were producing as expected, but that appears to be in the rear view now as Tkachuk heats up.
The Panthers get a very favorable matchup on Saturday against the Blackhawks. Chicago is 3-6-0 with a -13 goal differential and coming off a brutal 8-1 loss in Arizona. The Panthers and Blackhawks are trending in opposite directions and if the Panthers can stay hot, they should be able to run up the score. If they do, getting +154 odds is great value for 2+ points for a 109-point player against a bad team.
Reilly Smith over 0.5 points (-130)
This one has much shorter odds and Reilly Smith is another good player in a favorable spot. The Penguins are 3-6-0 but have a great chance to get the train back on the tracks tonight. They play the 0-9-1 Sharks, who lost 10-1 to Vancouver on Thursday. The Sharks have a -35 goal differential already and are a favorable matchup for any team in hockey right now. The Penguins should take care of business just fine.
That being said, Pittsburgh’s star players have a great chance to pad their stats. Reilly Smith has 3 points in the last 3 games. He is on the second line with Evgeni Malkin and Rickard Rakell, as well as on the top power play with Malkin, Sidney Crosby, Jake Guentzel and Erik Karlsson. Smith has been a great addition to Pittsburgh and will look to be a catalyst on Saturday as the Penguins bid to get right against a bad team.
Check out our NHL mega parlay for Saturday’s slate
