This article is part of our NHL Picks series.
NHL Betting Picks: Expert NHL Bets and Props for Ottawa Senators at Anaheim Ducks
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There are five games in the National Hockey League (NHL) on Sunday, with three puck drops scheduled for 3:00 p.m. ET or earlier, while another game goes off at 4:30 p.m. ET between the Winnipeg Jets and Dallas Stars. We'll focus on the latest game at 8:00 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
The Ottawa Senators (10-12-1) wrap up a three-game West Coast road trip against the Anaheim Ducks (9-10-3) at the Honda Center.
This is their first meeting this season, but the Ducks ended up sweeping the Sens in two games last season by a combined 7-2 count as the under and underdog cashed in both outings. The favorite is 5-2 in the past seven meetings in this series.
Ottawa has had mixed results on the road trip so far, winning 4-3 in San Jose on Wednesday, while suffering a 5-2 loss against Los Angeles on Saturday. This will be just the second game playing on no rest this season. Ottawa won 3-0 on no rest against the Seattle Kraken on November 2nd, cashing as a slight favorite as the under (6.5) connected.
Anaheim is coming off a 2-1 setback on home ice against rival Los Angeles Kings, and it is just 1-2-1 in the past four games, while hitting the under at a 5-1 pace in the past six games and going 15-5-2 in 22 regular-season games to date.
Linus Ullmark (5-7-1, 3.09 GAA, .886 save percentage, one shutout) is projected to start for the visitors, while Lukas Dostal (5-7-2, 2.72 GAA, .922 save percentage, one shutout) is likely to go for the home side.
Anaheim's Troy Terry has posted four assists with a +2 rating across the past three games, while Trevor Zegras has managed two goals and six points with a +1 rating in the past five outings.
For Ottawa, there are several players worth a look at in the props department. Drake Batherson has posted six goals with eight points in the previous six outings, while Tim Stutzle has three goals and eight points in the past six games. Adam Gaudette has been on fire with four goals and a +3 rating in the past three outings. Brady Tkachuk is good for two goals and six points with 23 penalty minutes (PIM) in the past four contests.
Anaheim has had issues lighting the lamp lately, going for two or fewer goals in three of the past four outings. As such, let's back Ottawa as the moderate road favorite.
NHL Best Bets for Senators at Ducks
- Senators Moneyline (-172 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
Don't place any wagers on your go-to sports betting apps unless you already know the latest NHL odds.
Looking at the totals here, the Ducks have ended up going low in five of the past six games, while hitting the under at an 11-3-1 pace in the past 15 outings. The total has ended up going low at a 15-5-2 pace on the season, too.
Against the Eastern Conference, the under has cashed in four of the past five games against Eastern Conference teams, while going 6-1 in the past seven skates on the pond.
For the Senators, the over has cashed in four straight outings, averaging 3.3 goals per game (GPG) while allowing 3.8 GPG during the span. The Sens have allowed three or more goals in eight straight outings since November 14th.
In the previous six matchups against Western Conference teams, the total has gone high in five of the past six outings.
With the over dominating for Ottawa lately, but the under on fire for Anaheim, the under is the play here. The under is also 5-0-1 in the past six in this series while going 8-1-1 in the previous 10 meetings since January 9th, 2019. Go lightly on the under.
NHL Totals Bets for Senators at Ducks
- Under 6.5 Goals (-138 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
NHL Players Props for Senators at Ducks
While it is generally not recommended you play the under and play an anytime goal scorer prop, as that is kinda working against yourself, you can play at least one anytime goal scorer prop today. Just don't get carried away with any more than that. Backing Batherson for a goal, with the chance to more than double up, is just too hard to pass up.
- Drake Batherson Anytime Goal Scorer (+220 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
Looking to the Ducks, rearguard Olen Zellweger enters tonight with two or more shots on goal (SOG) in three straight games, while going for two or more SOG in 11 out of 12 games since flipping the calendar from October to November.
- Olen Zellweger - Over 1.5 Shots on Goal (-165 at FanDuel Sportsbook)