NHL bets: Four plays for Monday 1/9

It's a new week on the ice, and I for one would like to keep up the momentum we had this past week. There's only four games tonight but there are some good-looking spots for wagers.

Buffalo over 3.5 goals in regulation (-136 FD)

Buffalo is in the smash spot of the day. I considered playing them up at 4.5 but ultimately I've decided to drink the juice on this line.

The reasoning is relatively simple. The Sabres top the NHL in goals per game at home at 4.21 per game and will see a Flyers team on a back-to-back who allow 3.2 goals per game on the road.

The Sabres have gone for 4+ goals in six of their last seven against Philly and have six goals in three straight home games. Tack on a power play edge and Buffalo should pile them on.

I know this -136 price isn't great, so parlay if you so please, but I want their goals to be independent of any other outcome, as it's the play I'm most confident in today.

.5u: Jeff Skinner goal (+150 CZR)

Going to double dip on the belief of Buffalo goals, and I like the value on Jeff Skinner. His attempts at home top the team over the past five games, and he's leading the Sabres in high danger chances over the last 10 games.

Skinner has eight goals in his last nine home games and has three goals in his last four meetings with the Flyers.

.5u: Jared McCann goal (+215 CZR)

I love Seattle for goals tonight, and similarly to Buffalo, I want to grab a piece of the action in the form of a goal-scorer bet.

Jared McCann has a goal in four straight games on the road and three straight overall. In his past two games against Montreal, McCann has piled up nine SOG and two goals.

In net for the Habs is Sam Montembeault, who has allowed 13 goals in his past two starts. Confident the Kraken continue their goal-scoring ways, and McCann is rolling.

Viktor Arvidsson over 2.5 SOG (-104 CZR)

I certainly wanted a piece of Los Angeles for shots against an Edmonton team allowing 33.6 shots per game on the road this season, and I'm drawn to Arvidsson.

Arvidsson has picked up the production lately, averaging 5.2 attempts per game over his past five at home, going for three or more shots in three of his last four. Twice in that span Arvidsson ended with five shots, so to need only three at this price suddenly becomes quite intriguing.

Arivdsson and the Kings saw the Oilers once already this season in early November. Arvidsson finished with one shot on net. That however was before his shots had any sort of steadiness to them. In four games against Edmonton last year, Arvidsson went over 2.5 SOG each time, averaging 4.75 shots/game. I like him to deliver three tonight.