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Saturday’s NHL schedule gave bettors a full dose of everything — explosive offense, tense overtime finishes, and wild momentum swings. Nathan MacKinnon’s shootout dagger capped off a late-night thriller in Vegas, while the Islanders shut down the Rangers again. OT wins, blown leads, and key player performances defined a slate that rewarded sharp bettors who followed momentum and situational edges.
Latest NHL Odds & Lines
Tracking the latest NHL odds is crucial as lines can shift quickly based on injuries, rest, or goalie confirmations. Moneylines, totals, and puck lines all saw some movement across Saturday’s matchups, so staying plugged in to the board is a must.
NHL Picks of the Day
Looking for sharp bets heading into today’s games? Our experts break down the board with free NHL picks that focus on value, recent form, and matchup edges.
Top Takeaways
- MacKinnon Delivers Again: His shootout winner and three-point night helped Colorado rally twice in Vegas and finally win a shootout.
- Islanders Flip the Script: After a rough history vs. the Rangers, the Isles posted another shutout — their second straight this season against them.
- Buffalo Keeps Rolling: The Sabres’ second-period burst and eight-game win streak make them one of the NHL’s hottest betting rides.
- Capitals Snap Skid with OT Win: Washington leaned on stars and got a timely goal from Chychrun to stop a three-game slide.
- Florida’s Special Teams Collapse: The Panthers went 1-for-9 on the power play and gave up a shorty — a brutal spot for anyone on the puck line or Over.
- Wild Steal One in OT: Boldy’s game-winner capped off a last-minute rally, rewarding Minnesota backers who stuck it out.
NHL Game Recaps
Saturday’s slate had everything — high-scoring shootouts, clutch overtime winners, dominant shutouts, and wild momentum swings. Bettors had to stay sharp, especially with multiple comebacks and late-game chaos factoring into outcomes. Below is a full breakdown of every matchup, focused on what mattered most for betting angles: game flow, execution, key performances, and turning points.
Avalanche vs Golden Knights Recap: Avalanche win 6-5 (SO)
Nathan MacKinnon scored his league-leading 31st goal, added two assists, and ripped the shootout winner in Round 4 to lift Colorado past Vegas. The Avalanche extended their win streak to seven and point streak to 10 (9-0-1).
Colorado had to rally from two separate two-goal deficits and finally tied it late on Lehkonen’s 6-on-5 goal. Vegas fell to 1-5 in shootouts, despite five different goal scorers.
Capitals vs Devils Recap: Capitals win 4-3 (OT)
Jakob Chychrun buried the OT winner with under a minute left as Washington halted a three-game slide. Ovechkin broke a long drought with a tying goal and added an assist earlier.
Bratt scored twice for New Jersey, but the Devils couldn’t hold the lead. It’s their third straight loss, with Allen making 29 saves in the effort.
Sabres vs Bruins Recap: Sabres win 4-1
Buffalo erupted in the second period with three straight goals, flipping a 1-0 deficit and never looking back. Mattias Samuelsson led the charge with his first career three-point game.
Krebs added a goal and assist, while Boston dropped to 0-4-1 in its last five. Pastrnak scored early, but the Bruins couldn’t recover.
Islanders vs Rangers Recap: Islanders win 2-0
David Rittich stopped all 27 shots as the Islanders shut out the Rangers for the second time this season. Anders Lee scored early, and Holmstrom iced it with an empty-netter.
After going 0-4 vs. the Rangers last season, the Isles have now outscored them 7-0 across two games.
Wild vs Jets Recap: Wild win 4-3 (OT)
Boldy finished with two goals, including the overtime winner just 39 seconds in. Kaprizov (1G, 2A) and Zuccarello (1G, 1A) powered the late comeback.
Winnipeg led late, but Zuccarello tied it on a 6-on-4 in the final seconds. Wallstedt made 23 saves for Minnesota.
Maple Leafs vs Senators Recap: Maple Leafs win 7-5
Knies scored twice and Matthews added three points as Toronto held off Ottawa in a high-scoring contest. The Leafs struck early and often but had to fend off a late Senators push.
Domi finished with three assists, and Robertson, Nylander, and Tavares all found the net. Ottawa allowed four goals on 14 shots before making a goalie change.
Sharks vs Canucks Recap: Sharks win 6-3
San Jose snapped a three-game skid and handed Demko his first career loss to the Sharks. Chernyshov scored his first NHL goal, and Celebrini extended his point streak to seven games.
Eklund and Graf also scored as Askarov stopped 24 shots. The Canucks got goals from Karlsson, Rossi, and O’Connor but couldn’t contain the Sharks’ offense.
Kings vs Ducks Recap: Kings win 6-1
Alex Laferriere recorded a hat trick as the Kings cruised past the Ducks. Byfield added a goal and assist, and Kopitar assisted on all of Laferriere’s tallies.
Anaheim had no answers defensively, allowing six goals and losing for the fourth time in five games.
Hurricanes vs Red Wings Recap: Hurricanes win 5-2
Carolina erupted in the second period, led by Gostisbehere’s goal and two assists. Svechnikov matched that line, while Bussi stopped 18 shots to improve to 12-1-1 on the season.
Detroit’s offense came from Rasmussen and Copp, but couldn’t match the Canes’ pace through the middle frame.
Blackhawks vs Stars Recap: Blackhawks win 4-3 (SO)
Donato and Lardis scored in the shootout to snap Chicago’s six-game skid. Tyler Bertuzzi had two goals for Dallas, but they couldn’t close in overtime again.
Soderblom made 28 saves in the win while Rantanen had a goal and two assists for the Stars.
Blues vs Predators Recap: Blues win 3-2
Buchnevich scored twice, and Joel Hofer stopped 30 shots to lead St. Louis to a tight win. Thomas added two assists, and Schenn had the other goal.
Nashville’s three-game win streak ended despite goals from Jost and Svechkov. Saros allowed three on 20 shots.
Lightning vs Panthers Recap: Lightning win 4-2
Kucherov netted two goals and Vasilevskiy made 24 saves in a penalty-filled battle in Florida. Tampa Bay has now won three straight.
Florida went 1-for-9 on the power play, allowing a shorthanded goal in the process. A massive second-period fight led to 45 penalties overall.
Flames vs Oilers Recap: Flames win 3-2
Blake Coleman’s goal stood as the winner as Calgary edged Edmonton. Sharangovich and Lomberg also scored while Wolf stopped 29 shots.
Bouchard and McDavid each tallied for the Oilers, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Calgary’s bounce-back effort.
NHL Picks and Handicappers
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