The NHL Trade Deadline is in the rearview mirror so the stretch run has officially arrived for the rest of the regular season – although it’s a lock that the Boston Bruins will win the Presidents’ Trophy and enter the playoffs as the favorites to win the Cup. Here’s a look at two intriguing early-week games around the league. Check back for NHL odds.

Top NHL Betting Picks of the Week (March 6th, 2023)

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Edmonton Oilers vs. Buffalo Sabres

• When: Monday, March 6, 2023, 7:30 PM ET
• Where: KeyBank Center, Buffalo, NY
• TV: ESPN
• Radio: WGR 550 AMD (Oilers) // 630 CHED (Sabres)
• Live Stream: NHL Live
• NHL Betting Odds: TBA

This might be one of the highest-scoring games of the season with the Oilers leading the NHL in scoring at 3.88 goals per game and Buffalo third at 3.74.

Edmonton has scored at least five goals in three straight games and comes off a 7-5 loss in Winnipeg on Saturday. Connor McDavid notched a power-play assist and has now has been limited to a single helper just twice during his current 10-game point streak. That was the case Saturday, as he set up Leon Draisaitl’s hat-trick tally in the second period. McDavid is one point shy of matching his career high of 123 points, set last season.

He has hit the 70-assist mark for the fifth time in his career and set the Oilers franchise record for power-play points in a single season (58), breaking a tie with Wayne Gretzky (57 in 1981-82). Two of Draisaitl’s three goals were scored on the power play. He’s up to 41 markers and 96 points in 62 games this season, including 49 points with the man advantage. Draisatil’s 26 power-play goals of the season are a franchise record. He also became the fifth player to notch four 40-goal seasons with the Oilers and recorded his seventh career hat trick.

Fellow forward Evander Kane, who has been out since Feb. 17, is expected to sit out at least three more games due to injury. Kane has amassed nine goals, 19 points, 88 shots on net and 66 hits in just 24 appearances this season.

Buffalo beat Tampa Bay 5-3 on Saturday. Tage Thompson scored a power-play goal and added an even-strength assist. Thompson has seven goals and 13 points over the last nine games, and his 42 goals and 82 points on the season put him in the top five in the NHL. His 18 power-play goals are the most by a Sabres player since 2008-09 when Thomas Vanek potted 20.

Jeff Skinner also had a power-play goal and an assist. He has scored six times in the last eight games while racking up 11 points, and on the season the 30-year-old has 26 goals and 62 points in 58 games, leaving him one point shy of tying the career-high mark he’s reached four different times.

Buffalo won in Edmonton 4-2 on Oct. 18 behind 46 saves from Eric Comrie. Rasmus Dahlin, Thompson, Alex Tuch and J.J. Peterka scored for Buffalo. Darnell Nurse and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had goals for the Oilers.

NHL Betting Pick: Over 6.5 goals

Toronto Maple Leafs vs. New Jersey Devils

• When: Tuesday, March 7, 2023, 7:00 PM ET
• Where: Enterprise Center, St. Louis, MO
• TV: NHL Power Play
• Radio: TSN 1050 (Maple Leafs) // WFAN Sports Radio 660 AM (Devils)
• Live Stream: NHL Live
• NHL Betting Odds: TBA

Tuesday, 7 PM ET. This could be another shootout as the Devils average 3.56 goals per game and the Leafs 3.37. Both got much better ahead of the trade deadline. New Jersey landed Timo Meier from San Jose and he made his Devils debut Sunday.

Heading to the Devils were Timo Meier, Scott Harrington, Santeri Hatakka, Zachary Emond, Timur Ibragimov and a 2024 fifth-round pick. Meanwhile, the Sharks’ return included Fabian Zetterlund, Nikita Okhotiuk, Shakir Mukhamadullin, Andreas Johnsson, a first-round pick in 2023, a conditional first-round pick in 2024, and a 2024 seventh-round pick. The Sharks also retained half of Meier’s salary. Meier had scored at an 82-game pace of 45 goals and 75 points through 57 games with the Sharks this season but was set for free agency.

These teams have split a pair of one-goal teams this season. The one in New Jersey was on Nov. 23 and the Leafs won 2-1 to end New Jersey’s franchise-record tying 13-game winning streak at the time.

Matt Murray made 34 saves for Toronto. John Tavares and Pontus Holmberg had the goals. New Jersey had three goals disallowed. The final disallowed goal resulted in fans pelting the ice with debris, causing play to be stopped for more than five minutes. Goals by Nate Bastian and Damon Severson waved off in the first and second periods, respectively, for goaltender interference. A short-handed tally by Erik Haula was overruled by officials because he kicked the puck into the net. The fact the puck hit off the stake off a Leafs’ player didn’t alter the ruling.

Toronto looks to conclude a five-game trip at 3-2 but comes off a 4-1 upset loss at Winnipeg on Saturday. Tavares scored for the Maple Leafs, who have lost two of three. Murray made 20 saves in his first start since Jan. 17 because of an ankle injury.

Toronto dressed 11 forwards and seven defensemen for the second straight game and played for a bit without star forward Auston Matthews, who briefly left after taking a slap shot off the inside of his right knee with 1:18 remaining in the first period. The Maple Leafs also lost forward Ryan O’Reilly after he was hit in the hand by a Matthews shot late in the second period. Matthews should be fine for this one but O’Reilly, recently acquired from St. Louis, is in question.

NHL Betting Pick: Over 6.5 goals

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READ MORETop NHL Betting Picks of the Week – March 13th, 2023