NHL Betting Picks for Wednesday 12/6/23: Can Stars Get Back on Track?

Today's slate is a small one with just four games but has plenty of intrigue with some of the NHL's best teams competing.

Whether it's moneylines or total goals, there are plenty of ways to bet on the NHL action all season. It's a long 82-game campaign, meaning that the best selections of each night can be very different based on backup goalies coming into play, injuries that add up, and if teams are due for positive or negative swings.

Let's dive into the best bets for tonight.

Note: Lines are subject to change throughout the day after this article is published. All NHL betting odds and totals are from the NHL odds at FanDuel Sportsbook. All advanced statistics are used from MoneyPuck.com and NaturalStatTrick.com.

NHL Best Bets

Dallas Stars at Florida Panthers

Stars +1.5 (-250)

With how good these two teams are, it's best to play it a bit safe considering the short slate for tonight.

The matchup between the Dallas Stars and the Florida Panthers promises to be a good one with both teams positioned in the top three of their division standings.

Dallas is coming into this game off a tough 4-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday, giving them all the determination to get back on track in this one. The reason this should be a bit different is that the Stars got to stay in Florida, only having to go a few miles between Tampa and Sunrise, Florida for this tilt.

These teams get it done with their way of play but are uniquely even -- making this game all the more exciting. The Panthers have the advantage in terms of offensive and defensive opportunities. They have a 2nd-ranked 69.59 Corsi For and 5th-ranked 53.49 Corsi Against. Dallas is more middle of the pack in both regards with a 61.08 Corsi For and 60.39 Corsi Against.

Where the Stars do have the advantage is in making things count. They rank 7th with 3.35 Goals For per 60 minutes, while Florida is 20th at a 2.98 clip. That alone should help out with the Stars covering tonight at +1.5.

Jake Oettinger should be in between the pipes for the Stars while Sergei Bobrovsky takes over for the Panthers.

Oettinger has been among the best this season with a 2.53 goals against average and .915 save percentage. Bobrovsky has had similar marks, coming in with a 2.41 goals against average and .912 save percentage. There's no advantage in the net tonight, making us believe all the more that this should be close until the final buzzer.

numberFire's model gives the Stars a 78.16% likelihood of covering tonight compared to the 71.4% implied probability.

Carolina Hurricanes at Edmonton Oilers

Over 6.5 Goals (-128)

Two of the top offensive teams in the NHL are going head-to-head.

The Carolina Hurricanes and Edmonton Oilers will face off tonight in a game that should be filled with scoring.

Each of these teams ranks in the top half of the NHL when it comes to offense. The Hurricanes are 2nd with 3.34 Goals For per 60 minutes while the Oilers rank 13th at 3.29. Carolina also leads the NHL in Corsi For per 60 minutes (73.59), and the Oilers are 6th in that respect (65.68).

The Hurricanes and Oilers rank first and second in limiting offensive chances, with Carolina leading the NHL in Corsi Against with 46.55 and the Oilers coming in right behind them at 52.57.

Yet each team is allowing over three Goals Against. The Oilers have an average of 3.56 Goals Against, good for the bottom five in the NHL. It hasn't been as tough on the Hurricanes, with their average of 3.17, but that's still middle of the league.

Where bettors may win by taking Over 6.5 Goals is the goaltending. Both Antti Raanta and Stuart Skinner have been bad this season.

Raanta is sporting a 3.33 goals against average and an ugly .859 save percentage. He's second-to-last with -7.66 goals saved above expectation (GSAx). But have no fear, Skinner is right there with him, ranking third-to-last at -6.35 goals. He has a slightly better 3.16 goals against average and .881 save percentage -- but that's surely nothing to celebrate.

The shortcomings in goal should be enough to aid us in getting to the over. Elite offense should reign supreme tonight.

Looking for more NHL betting opportunities? Check out all of the NHL odds at FanDuel Sportsbook.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.