We're officially past the quarter pole of the NHL betting season, and in terms of the overall Saturday picks record here at Dobber Hockey, we're sitting at the even .500 mark. Not too shabby, but clearly still lots of room to improve and plenty more NHL action to stack a bit of loot heading into the latter portions of the season.

Onto today's NHL betting slate, where a total of 12 games awaits. An initial review of the entire Saturday schedule reveals what appears to be a tricky board to navigate. However, two totals and a moneyline winner are broken down below that are jumping off the page as advantageous spots to target.

As always: Good luck, enjoy the games, and let's get this paper.

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Updated 2023-24 Saturday Record (Complete Daily Record Tracked/Posted @Flips_Picks):

Gold: 4-2-0
Silver: 4-2-0
Bronze: 3-3-0
Side Bets (Located at Bottom of Article) : 7-11-0
Overall Record: 18-18-0

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Gold Selection

L.A. Kings @ New York Islanders – Pick: Kings ML (-150)

What else do you really need to hear about backing the Kings in this spot other than the obvious: L.A. is one of the best road teams in recent memory, as their NHL record-setting 11 consecutive wins clearly indicates. Aside from those absolutely gorgeous silver buckets they've been rocking, there's a lot to love about this Kings team.

Consistently sensational goaltending from Cam Talbot (12-4-1, 1.84 GAA, .933 SV%, two shutouts) a stepping-out-type-season for Quinton Byfield, and outstanding on- and off-ice leadership and production from veterans Drew Doughty and ageless wonder Anze Kopitar – take your pick, L.A. is starting to flex its muscle as a very serious Stanley Cup threat.

Enough flowers for the royalty. This matchup is going to be a good one that should also produce a high-scoring outcome, as both of these teams are feeling it offensively and overall. Credit due to the Islanders, who've looked a lot better of late posting six wins over their last 10, but this is a team near the bottom of the league in overall scoring and one that allows the second-most shots-against per game at over 35. That's going to be a bad combination with the high-powered Kings in town, as L.A. is once again a top-five offensive unit that rolls three balanced lines on a nightly basis.

Let's not overthink this one. Until the Kings lose on the road, backing them is the play, especially with the offense clicking going up against a perennially low-scoring squad in the Islanders.

Silver Selection

Ottawa Senators @ Detroit Red Wings – Pick: Over 6.5 (-140)

Much like the previous pick, this breakdown is going to be short and sweet when it comes to backing this over bet. The previous five meetings between the Senators and Red Wings produced 40 total goals and four of them went well over the number. Ottawa is in serious trouble and has the tendency this season to score and allow goals in bunches. On the other hand, you have a Red Wings club rocking with a trio of goaltenders and struggling with consistency in their own end.

No disrespect to 'tendies, but two of those names are James Reimer and Alex Lyon. While both have actually been respectable, the team overall is allowing too many high-danger chances leading to untimely goals. The main difference in this matchup is Detroit is still getting wins and currently sits pretty in the Atlantic, whereas the sky is falling in Ottawa with head coach D.J. Smith's days in the Nation's Capital clearly numbered.

Eight of the last 10 games between Ottawa and Detroit have sailed over the number, and that happens again tonight for Silver Pick. Book it.

Bronze Selection

Carolina Hurricanes @ Vancouver Canucks – Pick: Under 6.5 (+104)

As the plus-money odds would indicate, this is clearly the "riskiest" pick of the trio. Although, a closer look at this and the under angle actually makes a lot of sense.

There's a few interesting trends pointing toward a low-scoring affair aside from the obvious fact that this Carolina squad is a beleaguered one for the final game of their west-coast road trip. A road trip that has produced zero wins, four total goals, and at least two Rod Brind'Amour outbursts where he ripped his lifeless team.

A few actual tangible facts also point to the under: Four of the Canucks' last five home games have been under the total, 13 of the Hurricanes' last 20 overall have stayed under, and the total has gone under the number in four of the last six head-to-head meetings between Vancouver and Carolina. OK, the under dump is finished. However, make sure you seriously consider this angle as you're likely to see a very desperate Hurricanes squad after blowing a two-goal lead to the Calgary Flames earlier in the week, resulting in being called out by their coach yet again.

The numbers, the desperation, and the fact that Thatcher Demko (12-7-0, 2.46 GAA, .917 SV.%, two shutouts) has been stellar this season all leads directly to yet another low-scoring affair between two teams seemingly headed in different directions right now. You could likely tease this up to a higher number of seven or even seven-and-a-half and still get decent odds. Either way, it's a solid play.

Side Bets

Nathan MacKinnon Anytime Goal (+115)

St. Louis Blues @ Chicago Blackhawks – Pick: Over 6.5 (-104)

Auston Matthews Anytime Goal (-105)

Flip Livingstone is an NHL betting and NHL fantasy writer and daily podcast host with experience at outlets such as theScore NHL, Narcity Media, Postmedia, and Hockey Night in Canada. You can follow him @Flips_Picks.