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The Buffalo Sabres head to Prudential Center to take on the New Jersey Devils in an Eastern Conference matchup on December 21 that could have long-term playoff implications. While both teams entered the season with high expectations, they’ve followed very different paths to this point. Buffalo continues its rebuild behind a young core featuring Rasmus Dahlin and Tage Thompson, showing offensive flashes but struggling to find consistency in goal. New Jersey, meanwhile, is a serious contender, boasting an elite top-six forward group and one of the most aggressive offensive systems in the league. This game offers both pace and firepower, with plenty of angles for bettors to analyze—especially given how both teams match up on special teams and in net.

The Montreal Canadiens travel to PPG Paints Arena on December 21 to face the Pittsburgh Penguins in an Eastern Conference matchup between two teams trending in different directions. While Montreal continues its rebuilding process, Pittsburgh is trying to squeeze one more playoff run out of its veteran core. Montreal has played spoiler in recent weeks, upsetting a few contending teams with fast starts and opportunistic offense. Pittsburgh, meanwhile, has leaned heavily on Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin to carry the scoring load, but goaltending and depth remain question marks. With both teams in very different stages of their competitive windows, this game presents a classic youth-versus-experience dynamic. It’s also an important betting spot, with value across both the puck line

The New York Rangers head to Bridgestone Arena to take on the Nashville Predators in a cross-conference showdown on December 21. Both teams are playing meaningful hockey, with the Rangers looking to build on a strong start to the season and Nashville clawing for a playoff position in the Western Conference. The Rangers have found success under Peter Laviolette’s structured system. Their combination of veteran leadership and emerging young talent has allowed them to play with balance at both ends of the ice. Nashville, meanwhile, has become one of the league’s most opportunistic teams. They lean on physicality, goaltending, and timely scoring to grind out wins in close contests. Expect a tightly contested battle between two teams that play drastically

Atlanta is priced as the better team at home, but the number also reflects volatility: both clubs can swing wildly based on turnovers, pace, and 3-point volume. If Chicago’s ballhandlers are available, the underdog becomes live because they can match Atlanta’s tempo and create enough efficient looks to keep the margin tight late. This market has shown Bulls support on the spread (Atlanta’s margin has grown toward a more competitive number for Chicago), while the total has been pushed upward from the opener. That combination typically signals bettors expecting pace and scoring, but also respecting Chicago’s ability to trade punches and stay within one or two runs of the lead. If the Bulls’ questionable guard(s) get cleared, that “spread support