Maybe it's been the World Series distraction and absolute pandemonium that has been this Toronto Blue Jays playoff run, but our first two goes at Saturday picks have produced lackluster results to the tune of a 4-8 overall record. However, as they say in this sports gambling business: you have to spend money to make money. So let's get after it on this beautiful Saturday of betting bliss and sink our teeth into four matinee matchups followed by nine in the later time slots.

Tap into our top-three betting breakdowns below and our favorite side plays at the bottom of the article. Good luck and let's get this paper.

Updated 2025-26 Saturday Record (Daily Record Tracked/Posted @Flips_Picks):

Gold: 0-2

Silver: 2-0
Bronze: 2-0
Side Bets: 0-6

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Gold Selection
Ottawa Senators @ Montreal Canadiens – Pick: Over 5.5 -142

Two of the top-four scoring teams in the NHL meet in a classic Canadian tilt that should be a run-and-gun affair from start-to-finish. Straight up, when you take a look at the young talent on both rosters, the rate at which both offenses are clicking, and the recent head-to-head trends, this matchup jumps off the page as one that should be going over the total in a hurry. Montreal is proving early that the work Kent Hughes is doing in the Canadiens' front office is already paying off, as the Habs have popped off of late, netting 14 goals over their last four games while currently holding down a tie for top spot in the Atlantic Division. As for the Sens? How about 20 goals over their last four while looking like a dangerous group on the power play, pushing their percentage on the man advantage to just under 29 percent.

Considering all the fantasy hype and general love from hockey pundits heading into this season for Sam Montembault, the start of the 2025-26 campaign has been nothing short of a disaster for the 29-year-old Quebec product, as Montembeault is currently rocking a 2-3-0 record to go along with a crooked 3.82 goals-against average and shoddy .842 save percentage. If it is indeed Montembeault and not the upstart backup Jakub Dobes in the cage, this total is going to look even more attractive and likely produce less favorable odds, however, the fact remains that Sens-Habs is screaming (bad Halloween pun) high scoring. Don't be shy about sprinkling on this one at 6.5, but if you're building a juicy parlay then slap it in at 5.5 and thank us later.    

Silver Selection
Dallas Stars @ Florida Panthers – Pick: Under 5.5 +104

On the other side of the over-under coin is the Stars and Panthers locking horns for a tilt that should feature the opposite style of play from the pace and flair that we touched on above with the Senators and Canadiens. A much more responsible, defensive brand of hockey from two veteran clubs that also tout two of the best goaltenders in the NHL in Jake Oettinger and Sergei Bobrovsky. In terms of current form, edge to Otter who is repping a 5-2-2 record, 2.53 GAA, and .913 SV.%, while Bob has been fighting it a bit behind a banged up Panthers club that looks elite one night and petite the next. The total has stayed under the number is seven consecutive games for the Stars and 10 of their last 13 on the road and it's done the same in five of Florida's last seven overall. Both teams are dealing with significant injuries and both are really starting to struggle to generate scoring chances, so in our opinion, the play in this spot is definitely the under.

Bronze Selection
St. Louis Blues @ Columbus Blue Jackets – Pick: Blue Jackets ML

At some point, odds say the Blues will start playing better hockey, as losses in six-straight games have St. Louis is immediately behind the eight ball to kick-off the season and falling fast. Four of the six games on this current skid were losses by two-or-more goals and this club is dealing with injuries to two of their most important forwards in Robert Thomas and Jake Neighbours – simply put, it's not pretty right now for the Blues. On the other side of the coin you have an up-and-coming Blue Jackets group that have reeled off wins in five of their last six overall, including impressive victories against the Dallas Stars, Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto Maple Leafs, and red-hot Pittsburgh Penguins. What we're getting at here is this: throw some respect on this Blue Jackets club and quick, this is most definitely a team on the rise and one that should be backed with bets. The real nail in the coffin (again, awful Halloween pun) for the Blues in this spot is the recent head-to-head with Columbus, as the Jackets have completely owned St. Louis by winning four straight games. The Blues are struggling, Columbus is on the come up, don't overthink this one. Jackets, Moneyline, book it.

Side Bets

Ottawa Senators @ Montreal Canadiens – Pick: Cole Caufield Anytime Goal

New York Rangers @ Seattle Kraken – Pick: Rangers ML

Chicago Blackhawks @ Edmonton Oilers – Pick: Oilers ML

Flip Livingstone is an NHL betting expert, fantasy writer, and daily podcast host with the Locked On Fantasy Hockey pod. He also has experience at outlets such as theScore NHL, Postmedia, and Hockey Night in Canada. You can follow him @Flips_Picks.