NHL Betting Picks for Wednesday 11/22/23: Penguins Collide With Rangers

Thanksgiving Eve brings us a stacked 14-game NHL slate to make picks from tonight.

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

New York Rangers at Pittsburgh Penguins

Over 6.5 Goals (+100)

A huge Metropolitan Division tilt kicks us off tonight between the New York Rangers and Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Rangers have been one of the best teams in hockey to start the 2023-24 season, putting together a 12-3-1 record. Over their first 16 games, they have averaged a middling 3.31 Goals For per 60 minutes but are holding teams to just 2.39 goals per 60 minutes. While there would be some worry, the Rangers rank only 19th in limiting offensive chances with a 61.57 Corsi Against -- meaning the Penguins should be able to make something happen in the offensive zone.

Pittsburgh has the fourth-best Corsi For in the NHL (66.11), signaling how easy offense has come to them this season. They're scoring 3.4 Goals For per 60 minutes, which is the 12th-best in the NHL.

Both teams' starting netminders will be their top guys with Igor Shesterkin and Tristan Jarry expected. Both have ranked well this season, as Shesterkin ranks 17th in goals saved above expectation (GSAx) with 4.36 while Jarry is just ahead at 4.94, ranking 14th in the NHL.

The main reason we're taking the Over 6.5 Goals tonight is due to the trends of both teams, however. Pittsburgh has gone over the 6.5 goals mark in 11 of their 17 games throughout the young season. For New York, they've gone over the total in three straight games, showing a trend of improved offense but leaky defense with Adam Fox on injured reserve.

We're running with the over as both teams should bring it tonight.

Chicago Blackhawks at Columbus Blue Jackets

Blackhawks +1.5 (-192)

The Chicago Blackhawks battle the Columbus Blue Jackets in a matchup of two underwhelming teams in the early going.

Now, the Blackhawks weren't expected to become a force right off the bat with the addition of Connor Bedard, but it's still been tough to start the year. The same can go for the Blue Jackets, who definitely had higher expectations yet have seen stars like John Gaudreau and Patrik Laine underwhelm.

Each of these two teams are bottom-10 in Goals For per 60 minutes, with the Blue Jackets coming in at 27th (2.65) while the Blackhawks are 29th (2.49). With the Blue Jackets (barely) favored tonight, I just feel Chicago can keep up from start to finish.

The main reason behind it is goaltending. Petr Mrazek has done nothing but overdeliver for Chicago, posting a 2.89 goals against average (GAA) and .915 save percentage with a 20th-ranked 3.67 GSAx. Columbus goalie Elvis Merzlikins has not been nearly as effective, putting together a 3.31 GAA and .897 save percentage. The Blackhawks should, at the very least, be able to keep up against them tonight.

numberFire's model believes in the Blackhawks tonight, giving them a 72.50% likelihood to cover at +1.5.

Edmonton Oilers at Carolina Hurricanes

Over 6.5 Goals (-128)

Two of the top offensive units are going at it tonight -- this should be fun.

Despite the early season woes, the Edmonton Oilers have shown signs of offensive dominance once again. In their last five games alone, they've scored three or more goals in what have been high-scoring games each and every time. As Connor McDavid grows tired of the questions regarding a low-scoring versus high-scoring win, the reality is that the defense and goaltending of Edmonton isn't enough to protect them from the high-scoring battles that we continuously see in their games.

Stuart Skinner is expected to start tonight for the Oilers. He's been one of the league's worst goalies this season. At 4-6-1, Skinner has a 3.39 GAA and .873 save percentage, only getting worse when you see his fourth-worst -5.37 GSAx.

The Carolina Hurricanes will run out Antti Raanta, who hasn't been much better in his own right. He's got a 2.88 GAA with a sub .900 save percentage of .885. It's ugly goaltending all around, making the over all the more appealing.

What these two teams do have, as noted before, are offensive units. Both teams rank top three in Corsi For, with the Hurricanes leading the NHL at 71.41 and the Oilers coming in third at 66.44. Both teams could look to cash in a bit more, as the Oilers are only averaging 2.92 Goals For per 60 despite a league-leading 3.67 expected Goals For. The Hurricanes sit at 3.14 Goals For per 60 minutes, ranking 17th.

Edmonton's defensive struggles have led them to allow 3.86 Goals Against per 60 minutes -- the third-worst in the NHL. Carolina is in the middle of the league with a 3.14 Corsi Against per 60 minutes. There's plenty of room for goals tonight.

These two teams are due to turn their season around with this game being the start of it.

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.