This article is part of our NHL Picks series.
NHL Betting: Expert Picks and Props for Wednesday, November 9
You can count on sports betting to heat-check you when you're getting hot. To humble you when you're feeling confident. To embarrass you when you're feeling proud. That's what last night's slate did to us, y'all, and I'm here to admit it. But you know what else sports betting does? It gives you a second chance, a third chance, a fourth chance, a bajillionth chance. And that's what we have here again tonight. Another chance. To heat up again. To get that confidence, that pride, that swagger back. Another chance, my friends, to stay frisky. Here are the bets I'm taking in the NHL tonight!
Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook. Sign up at DraftKings Sportsbook using the DraftKings promo code for a special offer upon registration.
Hurricanes 
vs Panthers 
Arguably the best game on the slate tonight, the Hurricanes travel to the Sunshine State to take on the Panthers. The Canes are one of the best road teams in the league these days with a 5-1-1 record. The Panthers are playing their best hockey on home ice though with a 3-0-1 record. Both teams play a fast-paced, hard-on-the-forecheck, scrappy style of play. I expect some big hits and tons of scrums after the whistle. The Panthers return home after a west coast road swing that didn't pan out like they'd hoped, finishing 2-2 with losses to the Coyotes and Kings. The Canes look to bounce back from a road loss to the Maple Leafs that ended a run of 3-straight wins. Both teams have been resting since their last respective tilts on Sunday too. Vegas doesn't know who to go with here since both teams are -110 on the moneyline. It's a tough call, no doubt, with the trends for either side seemingly canceling each other out. But that, my friends, is why they call it gambling!
NHL Best Bets and Player Props for Hurricanes-Panthers
- Over 6.5 -125
- Spencer Knight (FLA) over 28.5 saves -115
- Andrei Svechnikov (CAR) over 0.5 points -160
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Penguins [LOGO vs Capitals 
The Penguins have to win at some point right? They're 2-6-2 in their last 10 and have lost 7 straight. It's perplexing for a team that looked like the best club in the NHL through the first few games of the season, with a number of first-ballot Hall Of Famers and a deep bench of supporting players. What's more, they're 1-5-1 on the road, and they head to DC to take on the rival Capitals. Alex Ovechkin's guys are banged up. A friend made me laugh by saying they are rostering a literal pylon to play bottom-6 minutes. They're 1-4 in their last 5, so they're not exactly coming into this primetime matchup with much mojo either. Nonetheless, this rivalry game always promises some excitement. Ovi and Sidney Crosby seem to elevate their games when they face one another, and the rest of the squads follow suit. Should be a fun one in DC tonight.
NHL Picks for Penguins-Capitals
- Over 6.5 +100
- Darcy Kuemper (WAS) over 28.5 saves -120
- Jake Guentzel (PIT) over 3.5 shots on goal -110
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Canucks 
vs Canadiens 
Just when you thought they were toast, Bruce Boudreau has sparked some life on the Canucks bench. They started the season with 7-straight losses. There was unrest in the locker room and front office, and the media was at their throats. But they've scraped out 4 wins in their last 6, scoring 24 goals in that span and posting 5, 5, 8, and 6 in those wins. The Canadiens return home on the second leg of a back-to-back after pulling out a close one in Detroit last night with a 3-2 win over the Red Wings. That was their first win after losing 3 in a row too. They've scored 20 goals in their last 6 though, and all but one of their losses of late have been close games. I like how these teams match up against each other. Tons of juice up front with little support in the back end. Can the Canucks keep their momentum building, or will Marty St. Louis' boys play spoiler?
NHL Picks and Props for Canucks-Canadiens
- Over 6.5 -115
- Cole Caufield (MTL) over 3.5 shots on goal -125
- Elias Pettersson (VAN) over 2.5 shots on goal -150
Wild vs Ducks
Something tells me this is a trap game. The Wild played just up the I-5 in Los Angeles last night and lost 1-0 to the Kings. This was a shocking score given that both teams love to play high-scoring games. I expected more from the Wild on the road, so logic would suggest that they would bounce back tonight against arguably the worst team in the NHL right now the Ducks. But don't write the Ducks off just yet. Despite going 3-6-1 in their last 10 games and surrendering league-worst 61 total goals on the campaign so far, they've notched a respectable 23 goals in their last 5 games and are 3-2 in that stretch. This one might be a better matchup than it would appear on paper.
NHL Best Bets and Props for Wild-Ducks
- Team Total Goals, Ducks over 2.5 -145
- Joel Eriksson Ek (MIN) over 0.5 points -165
- Ryan Strome (ANH) over 0.5 points -135
