NHL Best Bets for October 18: Malkin To Blow Down the Hurricanes
-
Eric Kelly
- October 18, 2024
We are finding the beginning of this NHL season very exciting. There are plenty of high-scoring games and exciting starts for some players stats-wise.
Before heading to our top-rated sportsbooks, keep on reading to check our favorite two NHL prop picks on tonight’s NHL betting card.
Carolina Hurricanes vs. Pittsburgh Penguins
Friday, October 18, 2024 – 07:00 PM ET at PPG Paints Arena
Malkin Starts the Season Strong
Want to talk about starting the season off strong? There’s plenty of players who were below par last season who have come out of the gates on fire this season, with Evgeni Malkin being the top dog.
He has been the top points-scorer thus far this season, averaging 2.1 points per game. It’s a rate of scoring he won’t be able to keep up, but whilst he is riding hot we will stick with the Pittsburgh Penguins forward to strike while the hockey stick is hot.
The 38-year-old Russian was drafted as the second overall pick way back in 2004 and at this age is still going strong, proving to us all he still has it in him to put scores on the board.
Evgeni Malkin Trends
- Evgeni Malkin is currently the top points-scorer in the NHL with 11 points thus far.
- Malkin has scored at least 2 points in each of his previous four games, scoring 0/2/2/3/4 points in each game this season.
- Malkin has had 42 points in 50 games against Carolina in his career.
The Pick
There is no doubt the Carolina Hurricanes aren’t exactly the easiest team to score against, but the Penguins have also been on a different level in their previous four games, scoring an average of 5 goals per game.
Malkin has scored the majority of his career goals on home ice with 278 coming at home, whilst scoring 222 of those on the road. Last time out, Malkin scored his 500th career goal and is currently riding a two-game goalscoring streak.
He is due a no-points game, or possibly just a no-goal game, but at the current NHL betting odds on Malkin to score anytime at +170, we believe this to hold a lot of value all things considered and would happily bet this number down to as low as +140.
NHL Pick: Evgeni Malkin Anytime Goalscorer (+170) at BetOnline
Anaheim Ducks vs. Colorado Avalanche
Friday, October 18, 2024 – 09:00 PM ET at Ball Arena
Disastrous Start to the Season
The Colorado Avalanche are falling fast like a literal avalanche having started the season 0-4 for the first time since 1998/99. It’s not a complete disaster for their playoff chances but they will need to start picking up wins sooner rather than later. This home matchup against Anaheim could be their best shot at doing so.
Colorado’s main issue at this stage of the season has been defensively, allowing an eye-watering 6.1 goals per game.
We are looking toward last season’s Ted Hanley trophy winner and one of the league’s top players, Nathan MacKinnon, to help the Avs win for the first time in the season.
Nathan MacKinnon Trends
- Nathan MacKinnon ended last season as the top points-scorer and shot-taker in the NHL.
- MacKinnon averaged 4.93 shots per game last season and thus far this season has averaged 3.1 shots per game.
- MacKinnon has had a career average of 4.2 shots per game when facing the Anaheim Ducks.
The Pick
There is no doubt Colorado will look to MacKinnon to help them pick up a win here, and we believe he is going to bring his shooting gloves to this home game against a very beatable Anaheim Ducks team.
Despite MacKinnon only having had 5+ shots on one occasion this season, we like the angle here that he only managed to have one shot on net last time out. And given the fact this is a must-win game for Colorado, he will likely look to get plenty of shots on the net.
Currently, the odds are sitting at plus money for MacKinnon to have over 4.5 shots in this game, and we believe that, at these odds of +115, it’s a solid bet down to as low as +100.
NHL Pick: Nathan MacKinnon Over 4.5 Shots (+115) at BetOnline
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.
