NHL Best Bets 4/24/23: Expert Betting Picks For Tonight’s Playoff Games

Get NHL best bets and our expert predictions for tonight’s NHL playoff slate of games on (4/24/23) Find two best bets for the NHL games featuring the Avalanche-Kraken and Maple Leafs-Lightning.

NHL Best Bets (4/24/23)

There are plenty of great games tonight on the NHL slate and you can find two of our NHL best bets below.

Colorado Avalanche Vs. Seattle Kraken Best Bet

There are plenty of angles I’m liking in this game, especially in the first period. There have been at least two goals in the first period of every game so far this series, with three in the first of Saturday’s game. Both of these teams light the lamp in the first third, especially the Seattle Kraken, who are second in the league with 1.06 goals per game in the first. Colorado, meanwhile, ranks eighth in the league with 1.01 first period goals per game. The Avs offense also got into a major groove the last time these two teams met, with Mikko Rantaten scoring three points (two goals and an assist) and Nathan Mackinnon adding another two goals. 

As was the case throughout the regular season, the Kraken have a difficult decision to make in net. After an excellent debut in the postseason, Philipp Grubauer is coming off a game in which he allowed five goals with a .848 save percentage. But it’s tough to have faith in backup goalie Martin Jones, who has a .887 SV% and 2.99 GAA and hasn’t started a game since April 8th. With suspect goaltending and an Avalanche team that’s heating up offensively, I’m running with the first period over in this one. However, with Seattle scoring a goal in the first ten minutes of 70% of home games throughout the regular season, a goal in the first ten prop also makes sense.

Best Bet: First Period Over 1.5
Author: Anthony Elio

Toronto Maple Leafs Vs. Tampa Bay Lightning Best Bet

Surely an under has to hit this series, right? Well 10 combined goals in Game 1, following 9 in Game 2 and 7 in Game 3 suggests no end in sight. Given the defensive issues on both sides and both teams having an edge against opposing goaltending, I am backing the over again. The over has hit in all but one game dating back to the beginning of the regular season. Andre Vasilevskiy has struggled, allowing 14 goals, yet the advanced stats do not point to him being unlucky. Toronto is creating high-danger chances (40) this series, which is an insane amount. Given the defensive issues and injuries for Tampa, Toronto’s offense should continue to put up points.

Toronto’s defense has been a weak spot for a few years now and is one of the main reasons why it is hard to trust them as a true Cup contender. The strength continues to be in Tampa’s forward group and really both teams relying on the offense has created just barn-burner style games. Ilya Samsonov has struggled on the road this season, giving up a 2.82 GA/G compared to 1.98 at home.

Best Bet: Over 6.5
Author: Jason Guilbault