Here’s a piece of NHL betting advice for this season: Just wager against the Ottawa Senators. They were the league’s worst team last season and might even be worse in 2019-20. Here’s a look at two intriguing early-week national TV games around the league. Check back for Mybookie NHL odds.

Top NHL Betting Picks of the Week – October 14th Edition

Tampa Bay Lightning at Montreal Canadiens

• When: Tuesday, 7 PM ET
• TV: NBC Sports Network
• Live Stream: NHL.tv

The Lightning were easily the NHL’s best team last year before crashing out in the first round of the playoffs. There may a bit of a hangover as Tampa Bay is just 2-2-1 following a shocking 4-2 loss in Ottawa on Saturday. Curtis McElhinney stopped 30 of 33 shots in the defeat. It was McElhinney’s second start of the 2019-20 campaign and his second loss. The contest was tied at 2-2 until McElhinney allowed a goal at 16:57 of the third period to former Lightning forward Vladislav Namestnikov.

Should be reigning Vezina winner Andrei Vasilevskiy back in there for this one. Vasilevskiy allowed three goals on 28 shots in Thursday’s 7-3 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. The 25-year-old has a 2-1-0 record with a 3.04 goals-against-average and a .903 save percentage this season.

What about the Canadiens?

Montreal is off a 6-3 home win over defending Stanley Cup champion St. Louis on Saturday. The two teams were neck and neck through the first 40 minutes of play, but the Canadiens turned it up a notch in the third and scored three goals – by Artturi Lehkonen, Gallagher, and Max Domi (empty net).

Carey Price made 26 saves on 29 shots. Price picked up his second win of the season after losing to Detroit on Thursday. He has a 3.38 goals-against average and .901 save percentage this year. Jonathan Drouin had a goal and assist. With two goals and six points in five games so far, Drouin is tied for the team scoring lead with Gallagher.

Last Year Matchups

Tampa won both games in this series last year, including 4-1 in Montreal. Steven Stamkos had two goals. J.T. Miller and Yanni Gourde also scored for the Lightning. Andrei Vasilevskiy had 34 saves. Max Domi scored the only goal for the Canadiens. Carey Price made 32 saves in the loss.

Colorado Avalanche at Pittsburgh Penguins

• When: Wednesday, 7 PM ET
• TV: NBC Sports Network
• Live Stream: NHL.tv

Pittsburgh enters on a three-game winning streak after a 7-2 victory in Winnipeg on Sunday. Sidney Crosby posted two assists in the win. Crosby finished with a plus-2 rating while winning 17 of his 24 faceoff attempts (70.8 percent). He has picked up at least one point in each of his six games to start the new season, registering three goals with 10 points and a plus-3 rating. Zach Aston-Reese notched two goals, including a shorthanded goal, with an assist.

The Pens are without superstar forward Evgeni Malkin indefinitely due to a lower-body injury. Malkin is the third Pittsburgh forward now out indefinitely with a lower body injury. Also out are Nick Bjugstad and Bryan Rust.

Malkin, 33, seemed determined to rebound from his injury-plagued 2018-19 season when he scored 21 goals with a minus-25 in 68 games. But injuries continue to be a problem for the three-time All-Star who remains one of the league’s best centers when he’s on the ice. But Malkin has managed to play 75 or more games only once over the past six seasons.

What about the Avalanche?

The Avalanche have started the season 4-0-0 as of Monday, the team’s best start since 2013-14, and it’s received contributions from all ends. Colorado has16 skaters with at least one point while Philipp Grubauer is 3-0-0 with a .931 save percentage, stopping the last 30 shots in his most recent start against the Bruins.

The Avalanche finished their season-opening homestand 4-0-0, the second best start in franchise history (since 1995-96); the Avs started 6-0-0 in 2013-14. Avalanche’s four straight wins at home to begin a season are their most since 2009-10 (6-0-0).

Last Year Results

These teams split last year. The Pens were 6-3 home winners. Patric Hornqvist recorded the fastest hat trick in franchise history, beating Semyon Varlamov three times in a span of 2:47 in the third period. Jake Guentzel, Evgeni Malkin and Derick Brassard also scored for the Penguins. The Avalanche had roared back from a 3-0 deficit by dominating the second period behind goals from Tyson Barrie, Carl Soderberg and Matt Nieto.

Expert NHL Betting Picks

Back both home teams.