The schedule-makers did NHL fans a favor Tuesday night with 13 games on the docket. A jam-packed slate means plenty of NHL props opportunities to boost your bankroll. With that, let’s dive right into the top NHL props for Tuesday, Dec. 14.
Odds via DraftKings and FanDuel, and updated as of 1:45 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Dec. 14.
Pittsburgh Penguins: Jason Zucker
The Prop: 2.5 shots on goal (vs. Montreal)
The Odds: Over +100/Under -122
Zucker’s scoring log this season leaves a lot to be desired. His last goal came on November 22, and it was the only one he tallied the entire month. Playing on the second line with Jeff Carter and Danton Heinen, Zucker was supposed to be the primary scorer of the three, but that hasn’t happened.
With Jake Guentzel on injured reserve with an upper-body injury, the Penguins need Zucker to step up if the team is going to keep chase in the division. Playing against a Canadiens team allowing 33.3 shots (seventh-most) and 3.52 goals (fifth-most) per game should be a slump-buster for Zucker. As it is, he’s averaging 2.85 shots per game this season and gone over 2.5 shots in three of his past four contests.
Editor’s Note: New to NHL props? Check out our complete NHL Prop Betting Guide to get up to speed!
Tampa Bay Lightning: Ondrej Palat
The Prop: Score Anytime Goal (vs. Los Angeles)
The Odds: +220
We’ve rolled with Palat previously, and the Lightning’s productive left winger continues to provide great betting value. Palat ranks second on the team with nine goals, and he’s been particularly hot lately with four in his last five.
Late GWG!
Ondrej Palat ices it for the @TBLightning with 38 seconds remaining. pic.twitter.com/FcxB13xdc9
— NHL (@NHL) December 8, 2021
The Ottawa Senators snapped Tampa Bay’s five-game win streak on Saturday, which could be good news for Palat. On four occasions this season, Palat has scored at least one goal in the game immediately following a loss.
Los Angeles has allowed the fifth-fewest goals in the league, but the Kings are playing just their third road game since Nov. 13. Meanwhile, the Lightning are scoring 3.07 goals per game at home.
Carolina Hurricanes
The Prop: 2.5 Total Goals Scored, regulation only (at Minnesota)
The Odds: Over -105/Under +125
The Carolina Hurricanes are one of the highest-scoring teams in the league at 3.15 goals per game. But the offense has sputtered a bit of late, netting a total of six goals in the last three games.
Those three contests were all on the road, which is noteworthy because after playing five straight games in Canada across just six nights, Carolina wraps up a grueling six-game, eight-day road swing Tuesday in Minneapolis.
Making matters worse, the Panthers have four players in COVID-19 protocols, including leading scorer Sebastian Aho (15 goals, 32 points). Also out are Seth Jarvis, Tony DeAngelo, and Brett Pesce. Those four players have accounted for 23 of Carolina’s 85 goals this season.
Meanwhile, the Wild have held opponents to two goals or fewer in eight of their last 10 overall, including five of six at home, where Minnesota is 10-2-0 for the season.
Edmonton Oilers: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
The Prop: 2.5 Total Shots on Goal (vs. Toronto Maple Leafs)
The Odds: Over +114/Under -140
This matchup has a ton of star power. But while all eyes will be on Connor McDavid, Auston Matthews, Leon Draisaitl, John Tavares, and William Nylander, there’s some under-the-radar betting value on Nugent-Hopkins.
“Nuge” has gone over 2.5 shots in three of his last five games but has only exceeded that mark six times in 14 home games this season. Still, in 23 career games against Toronto, Nugent-Hopkins has tallied 49 shots on goal.
Edmonton has lost four straight games, sliding down to a tie for third place in the Pacific Division. Like Pittsburgh with Zucker, the Oilers will need role players like Nugent-Hopkins to step up in games like this. And given that Edmonton and Toronto rank in the top nine in goals scored, “Nuge” should get plenty of shot opportunities here.
Vancouver Canucks: Brock Boeser
The Prop: Score Anytime Goal (vs. Columbus Blue Jackets)
The Odds: +175
Boeser has scored in three of four games since Vancouver fired head coach Travis Green and brought Bruce Boudreau behind the bench. Not only is Boeser scoring more, he’s been getting to high-danger scoring areas and selecting smarter shots.
NHL Video Highlight – Brock Boeser takes J.T. Miller's return pass at the doorstep and rips it into the twine, giving the Canucks a 1-0 lead late in the 1st. pic.twitter.com/QNIC7EC4zS
— Hurricanes Gamebot (@HurricanesBot) December 13, 2021
Boeser leads the Canucks with an individual expected goals-for (ixG) of 8.94 in all situations, and he’s arguably the most dangerous scorer on the roster. Columbus allows 34.2 shots per game (second-most in NHL) and 3.27 goals per game (ninth most). With offensive-minded defenseman Adam Boqvist (six goals in 18 games) still out of the lineup for Vancouver, this is a juicy matchup for Boeser.
