NHL Thursday best bets: 2 puck lines to target

We have a full slate of games for the first time in weeks, with seven scheduled and the expectation that all seven will play. No postponements!

There's plenty of value on the board so let's dive into our best bets.

I love the Hurricanes tonight, and I'm not sure you could price them high enough for me not to back them against the Canadiens.

Carolina is one of the league's best teams and is finally starting to get healthy. Among many other Hurricanes, Sebastian Aho, Andrei Svechnikov, Jordan Staal, and Seth Jarvis are back in the mix and expected to play tonight.

When they're anywhere close to full health, the Hurricanes are a lot for any team to handle, let alone for a bad Montreal squad decimated by injuries and COVID-19 issues.

The Habs have won just two of their last 10 games, which is no coincidence since they've posted a woeful 43% expected goals for percentage at five-on-five during that span.

Several absences play a key role in their struggles. It could actually be easier to list the regulars who are available for them rather than the ones who aren't.

The Canadiens don't have their first-, second-, or third-string goaltender available, and their forward core has been thinned out to the point that Rafael Harvey-Pinard and Ryan Poehling are playing top-six roles. Meanwhile, on defense, recent waiver pickup Kale Clague finds himself on the second pairing. Things are bad.

Montreal has thrown in the towel at this point and is just letting young guys get reps while the losses continue to pile up. I'm expecting another long night for the Habs in Carolina.

Bet: Hurricanes -1.5 (-150)

The Islanders have won eight times in 26 tries, so I can't get behind them at anywhere close to this price.

New York is far from playing its best hockey entering this game, ranking 29th in Corsi For percentage and 23rd in expected goals for percentage over its last 10 games. In both metrics, they slot lower than tonight's opponent: the Sabres.

I don't expect a sharp turn of the corner as the Islanders are dealing with plenty of injuries and COVID-related absences, including Ryan Pulock, Brock Nelson, and Kyle Palmieri.

Backing Malcolm Subban is a very scary proposition. But with Alex Tuch healthy, and top prospects Peyton Krebs and JJ Peterka up with the big club, Buffalo has enough talent to keep games competitive against fellow basement dwellers.

I like the Sabres on the puck line and wouldn't be against sprinkling them on the moneyline.

Bet: Sabres +1.5 (-145)

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.

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