Connor Hellebuyck Gets Introduced During Player Introductions for Winnipeg Jets Home Opener Sunday has another solid slate of NHL action that gives us chances to win big and hit on our picks. The day's schedule of games is a bit different as the NHL split Sunday's seven games into similar windows as the NFL with the day kicking off with a Battle in New York between the Rangers and Islanders. The primetime slotted game is one of the best rivalries in the sport with the Battle of Alberta between the Flames and Oilers. We hope to pick up where we left off as we were red hot entering Saturday but ended up splitting our picks. We still have a 10-4 record over our last 14 picks and hope to build on it. All betting lines are from Bet365 and are subject to change. Hockey is a difficult sport to predict so please gamble responsibly. Bet: Lightning Jets Over 6.5 goals (-105), Cole Perfetti Over 0.5 points (+140) Normally, a matchup between the Jets and Lightning would be looked at as a slugfest between two of the best defences and goaltenders in the league with Andrei Vasilevskiy and Connor Hellebuyck. This time around we may expect something different as both teams are top seven in goals per game with the Jets being a top the league with a 4.73 average. Their offence has been on fire with almost every line contributing. Vasilevskiy has normally found ways to shut opposing teams down with ease but this season elite offences have gotten the best of him with three or more goals allowed versus the Leafs, Golden Knights and twice versus the Wild. The Bolts offence will need to keep up and find a way to beat the almost impenetrable Hellebuyck. Good thing for Tampa Bay, Winnipeg's two-time Vezina trophy winner routinely looks human against them with a goals against average of 3.71 and a save percentage of .887 in 13 career games against them. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8Wi4JWaf9k[/embed] The scoring should come in bunches for this one and it should get started with Winnipeg's Cole Perfetti. We tried to catch him during his hot streak earlier this season but were unsuccessful. This time we have a good matchup for the 22-year-old as he's recorded points in two of his three career games against Tampa Bay and has gone three games without a point heading into Sunday. Bet: Auston Matthews anytime goal (-110), Leafs Wild Under 6.5 goals (-135) The Leafs will be challenged when taking on one of the league's hottest teams in the Minnesota Wild on the road Sunday. Minnesota's 7-1-2 record to start the season is third-best in the West while the Leafs record at 6-5-1 is good enough to keep them in a playoff spot. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-nBhVTPOtw[/embed] Toronto will need their superstar goal-scorer Auston Matthews, who has just five goals through their first 12 games but has nine goals and three assists for 12 points over his last eight games versus the Wild. He'll need to overcome a scorching Filip Gustavsson, as his 5-1-1 record and 2.29 goals against average are major factors in Minnesota's early season success. Toronto will look to start a surging netminder of their own with Anthony Stolarz. The 30-year-old New Jersey native has been solid this season with a 4-2-1 record and 2.45 goals against average. Matthews should get the Buds on the board in a low-scoring game. Bet: Oilers ML (-160), Oilers Flames Under 6.5 goals (-115) The Battle of Alberta is almost always a thrilling showdown between two bitter rivals that hate each other. This game should be a physical and favors the Oilers as they are the defending Western Conference Champions and have also won nine of their last 12 games versus the Flames, including six straight wins on the road in Calgary. Edmonton hasn't been as lethal as they were last season with a 5-5-1 record over their first 11 games but they should bounce back in a favourable spot. Matchups between these two have also been mostly low-scoring with five of their last seven games totaling fewer than seven goals. The tough physical play must have an effect as well as stellar play in net from goaltenders like Dan Vladar, who is expected to start Sunday and has a 2.65 goals against average this season. Stuart Skinner is expected to get the net for Edmonton as he has a 4-2-0 record, a 2.07 goals against average and a .939 save percentage in seven career games versus the Flames.
