NHL Monday bets: Totals, moneylines and props for a new week

It's a new week in hockey, and while NHL betting has had some lows lately, Monday brings with it hope and focus.

I for one have started noticing trends in my own betting style, and will be applying those learnings to our seventh week of the NHL regular season. No matter what bets you prefer, we have you covered tonight with totals, some props, and a moneyline pick.

Devils & Blues over 2.5 goals each (-125 DK)

I've run into some frustration in the player prop market, as the right games and wrong players continuously get circled. In an effort to remove the middle man so to speak, I'm going to be incorporating more team totals in my nightly plays. I think New Jersey and St. Louis are both solid bets to net 4+ goals, but will opt for a safer floor and combination here by combining each team's total at 2.5 goals.

New Jersey is averaging 3.3 goals per game at home and Edmonton is allowing 3.4 goals per game on the road. It's also looking like the Devils should get off plenty of shots off, aided by the Oilers allowing the third-most PPOA per game.

New Jersey has scored 3+ goals in 10 straight games and five of their last six against Edmonton.

St. Louis will draw Anaheim again, a team allowing the most goals per game this season. You likely know about the Ducks vulnerabilities all over the ice, so we won't go too into detail here. The Blues have woken up after an eight-game losing streak, scoring 3+ goals in six straight, including six against the Ducks on Saturday.

Pavel Buchnevich over 2.5 SOG (-103 CZR)

Let's stay with St. Louis for a moment, as Pavel Buchnevich's shots quickly became my favorite prop of the night.

The Ducks are allowing 39.1 shots per game on the road, which obviously makes the Blues a great landing spot for some SOG looks. Buchnevich had three shots on Saturday, his second straight game with that total. The x-factor here is Vladimir Tarasenko, who is out for the second straight game.

When Tarasenko is unavailable, we've seen Buchnevich step up. In the last seven games without Tarasenko, Buchnevich is averaging 3.42 SOG/game, scoring eight times. This price is too good to pass up given that trend.

.5u: Buchnevich goal (+195 CZR)

Boston Bruins ML (-105 DK)

With Brad Marchand and Charlie McAvoy now back, this Boston team is at full strength and playing as well as anyone. The Bruins are 16-2 and winners of six straight. Their power play and penalty kill are two of the best units in the league, and they continue their shot and goal volume even when on the road.

On the road, Boston is averaging 4.1 goals scored to just 2.7 goals allowed, and they should find success against a Tampa Bay team allowing the fifth-most power-play opportunities per game.

Now, the Lightning can match the Bruins offensive firepower on a typical night, but given how shutdown the Boston PK has been, coupled with the stellar play from Linus Ullmark (1.89 GAA, .937%), I'm liking the B's this evening.

Boston has won three straight games against the Lightning and each of the last three in Tampa Bay.

Clayton Keller over 2.5 SOG (+138 FD)

We'll be getting Nick Schmaltz and Jacob Chychrun back tonight for the Coyotes, and while that shakes up the lineup a bit, it doesn't diminish my intrigue in Clayton Keller here against Nashville.

The Predators are allowing the most power play shots per game, and Keller is second on the team in PP shots this season and led Arizona in PP usage last year. 

He's over 2.5 shots in three of his last four games, all of which came on the road, and in two games against Nashville last season Keller had 4 and 7 SOG. 

Keller is over 2.5 shots in seven of his last eight meetings with the Predators. This price is just too good for me to ignore.

Vegas-Vancouver over 6.5 goals (-102 FD)

This was the first game that popped out to me for potential scoring. Both teams get their shots off, allow plenty, and the goals scored and allowed averages also seem inviting.

Sometimes to me it really can be as simple as that. In the last six games between these two teams, the total has exceeded nine goals four times. Tonight, we need just 7.

Overs are 12-6 in Vancouver games this season, and when Vegas is on the road, they've covered their over in seven of ten.

Timo Meier over 4.5 SOG (-111 CZR)

Timo Meier has had a bit of a slide, but there have been a handful of tighter teams to shots in this stretch. That is not the case tonight, as Meier and the Sharks will face the Senators, who are allowing nearly 40 shots per game on the road.

Meier is over 4.5 shots in eight of 11 at home, and as the clear volume leader in an advantageous matchup, I like this spot in what I'd consider a bargain price. Ottawa has been a completely team on the road, so much looser to shots and less puck-dominant.

The Senators are also handing out the fourth-most PPOA per game and the eighth-most power play shots allowed. Meier easily leads San Jose in power play shots with 22. He's in a great spot to capitalize.

.5u: Meier goal (+125 DK)

Let's get right together on the ice, we need to have ourselves some winning nights!