NHL Monday best bets: Isles to top Senators, Toffoli to pile up shots
We're heading for another quiet Monday in the NHL, with only four games scheduled.
Let's dive into a couple of bets - one side and one player prop - that stand out from the rest.
Islanders (-120) @ Senators (-105)
The Ottawa Senators just ended a lengthy seven-game losing skid with a win over the Philadelphia Flyers. Unfortunately for them, the good times are unlikely to last very long.
On Monday, the Senators play host to a rejuvenated New York Islanders team piling up points under new bench boss Lane Lambert.
The Islanders have won eight of their last 10 games, averaging 3.37 goals and 2.28 goals against during that span.
They've done a much better job of playing with pace, attacking in transition, and creating out of structure - Lambert seems to have given the guys more freedom - than we've seen in recent years.
New York's refreshingly dangerous attack could be in for a big game against this undermanned Ottawa squad.
Already without Artem Zub, one of their better in-zone defenders, the Senators are now missing Thomas Chabot due to a concussion. He's the team's No. 1 minute muncher and has posted strong underlying numbers this season. Suffice it to say, his absence will be felt.
Although Ottawa certainly has some players who can stress New York's defense at the other end, the Islanders can generally rely on strong goaltending. Ilya Sorokin is one of the league leaders in goals saved above expectation. If he doesn't get the nod - even though New York is off until Thursday after tonight - Semyon Varlamov is pretty trustworthy as far as backups go.
With the Islanders creating a lot of chances and the Senators missing two key defenders, I expect New York to get the better of the opportunities in this game. Look for them to take advantage of them, especially if Sorokin starts, giving the team a clear edge in goal to fall back on.
Tyler Toffoli over 2.5 shots (-132)
Toffoli lives to play on home ice. The veteran sniper has been a shooting machine in Calgary this season, generating at least three shots on goal in eight of his last nine affairs.
Toffoli has managed to find consistent success regardless of the caliber of the opponent. He's already hit against stingy teams like the Vegas Golden Knights, Carolina Hurricanes, and Seattle Kraken, so a date with a low-event team like the Los Angeles Kings shouldn't impact him too much.
If anything, a contest against one of his former clubs could serve as extra motivation. Toffoli has enjoyed plenty of success against L.A. thus far, recording at least three shots in three straight meetings.
As good as the Kings are at suppressing shots, there's an uptick in volume when they're on the road and unable to control the matchups.
Having scored more than three goals just once over the last eight games and winning only once in that span, the Flames should rely heavily on one of their better scoring threats.
Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.