It’s Leap Day, but don’t skip out on a heavy slate of action in the NHL with 12 games this Thursday, February 29, 2024. Here are our favorite bets from the guys on “The Stew with JT Brew” podcast, which airs its “NHL Around the Ice” segment every Wednesday night on the Total Apex Sports YouTube channel.
Arizona Coyotes (+200) at Toronto Maple Leafs (-245) – 7:00 PM EST
Over/Under 6.5 Goals (-110)
Before Toronto’s 6-2 loss to Vegas at home on Tuesday night, the Leafs had been steamrolling the competition by convincingly winning seven straight games. They will want to get back to their winning ways at home against a Coyotes team that is spiraling out of control, losing their last 13 games. I am shocked that the money line is under -300. Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner were held scoreless versus Vegas, snapping long point streaks for each star. Matthews has seven goals in 13 career games versus the Yotes. It’s not likely that Clayton Keller will suit up against the Leafs, as he is still dealing with an upper body injury.
3 Pick Parlay – Toronto ML, Mitch Marner (TOR) Anytime Assist, and Auston Matthews (TOR) Anytime Goal (+180) on Draft Kings
New York Islanders (-105) at Detroit Red Wings (-115) – 7:00 PM EST
Over/Under 6 Goals (-110)
The Wings are playing their best hockey of the season entering this matchup with the visiting Islanders, winners of six straight, and sporting a 7-2-1 record in their last 10 contests. Alex DeBrincat has four goals and five assists in his last eight games playing alongside his buddy Patrick Kane, who is on a nine-game point streak of his own. Lucas Raymond is also on a hot streak, scoring nine points in his last six games.
The Isles are scuffling of late, scoring less than 3.0 goals per game in their last 10 outings. To stay hot, the Wings will have to solve Islanders netminder Ilya Sorokin, who is playing much better after an inconsistent first half of the season. Sorokin has yielded over a .940 save percentage in four of his last nine starts.
He is 5-2-2 in that span. Don’t discount the draw in this matchup, with both teams having gone OT in three of their last four games. DeBrincat has four or more shots on goal in three of his last four games. The Islanders have given up the second-most shots in the NHL this season.
3 Pick Parlay – Detroit ML, Patrick Kane (DET) Anytime Assist, and Alex DeBrincat (DET) Over 2.5 Shots on Goal (+395) on Draft Kings.
Buffalo Sabres (+136) at Tampa Bay Lightning (-162) – 7:00 PM EST
Over/Under 6.5 Goals (-120)
Tampa Bay returns home after a successful three-game road trip, where they went 2-1 versus the New York teams and Philadelphia. They look to get back on track after having lost their last three games at home. Tampa Bay has been very unpredictable on the money line this season, but Nikita Kucherov has been very predictable scoring points in bunches regardless of the competition level.
He has an assist in six of his last seven games and has a whopping 65 apples in 60 games this season. Brayden Point has scored in seven straight games and has over three shots on goal in each of those games as well. The Lightning have scored the league’s most power play goals and the Sabres are in the middle of the NHL pack in penalties against. Buffalo games have gone under 5.5 goals in eight of the last 10 games while Tampa hasn’t scored more than four goals in six straight.
3 Pick Parlay – Under 6.5 Total Goals, Brayden Point (TB) over 0.5 points, Nikita Kucherov (TB) over 0.5 assists, (+345) on Draft Kings.
For More Sports News:
Follow Justin Taylor on X at @jtorange and Bryan “Toast” Clark @toastclark. You can reach Justin via email at jtorange4@gmail.com or Bryan at toastman80@yahoo.com. For all things hockey from fantasy to betting, check out “The Stew with JT Brew” podcase where they have the “NHL Around the Ice” segment every Wednesday night on Total Apex Sports YouTube channel. All podcasts can be downloaded on Spotify and other podcast apps. Make sure to check out Toast’s Takes on the @jtbrewstew X page for daily NHL betting picks.
