Expert NHL Betting Picks Today: May 25-26

Expert NHL betting picks for May 25-26: best bets, game previews and parlay ideas for Hurricanes vs. Canadiens Game 3 and Avalanche vs. Golden Knights Game 4

May 25, 2026

Expert NHL Betting Picks Today: May 25-26

By:

Daniel Dobish

May 25, 2026

NHL Picks

NHL Best Bets & Picks: Hurricanes vs Canadiens & Avalanche vs Golden Knights – Expert Game Previews

The Stanley Cup Playoffs head into the new week, with the Carolina Hurricanes and Montreal Canadiens shifting their series to Bell Centre in Montreal on Monday night for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals at 8 p.m. ET on TNT/truTV/HBO Max.

In the Western Conference Finals, it's hard to believe, but the Colorado Avalanche are on the verge of being swept heading into Game 4 against the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena on Tuesday night at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN.

We'll provide single plays and parlay opportunities you could potentially pair with Monday/Tuesday's MLB, NBA and WNBA basketball action. Good luck with all of your plays! Let's get started.

Top up your bankroll thanks to sportsbook promos like this BetMGM bonus code offering $1,500 in bonus bets.

For the latest NHL Odds, including NHL Futures and NHL player props, visit RotoWire's NHL Betting page. For up-to-date NHL player news and NHL Injury Report info, head to RotoWire's NHL Lineups page. You can find more picks at Bookies.com/picks. Here are our NHL Best Bets today, featuring expert NHL picks for an action-packed slate of games.

Carolina Hurricanes at Montreal Canadiens

After suffering their first loss of the entire 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs in Game 1 on home ice, the Hurricanes bounced back with a 3-2 win in overtime against the Canadiens.

Not only did Carolina win, but it threw a blanket on Montreal defensively in Game 2 on Saturday. The Canes limited the Habs to just 12 shots on goal, gumming up the neutral zone, while forechecking well and dishing out hit after hit while adding suffocating defense and tremendous goaltending. It's just what the doctor ordered after an abysmal performance in Game 1.

Carolina rolled up 46 hits, too, while Montreal managed just 16 hits. Neither team did anything on the power play, with the Canadiens going 0-for-2, and the Hurricanes going 0-for-3. Carolina was good for 26 shots, and they got three past Jakub Dobes, including Eric Robinson with his second goal in as many games to kick off the scoring. Josh Anderson leveled the scoring at 11:11 of the first period, that's how it stayed until late in the second.

In the second period, Nikolaj Ehlers had a strong individual move through the defense, spinning and finding space in the five-hole to make the nervous Raleigh crowd erupt. At 12:51 of the third, though, Anderson scored his second goal of the game. With nearly everyone jumbled up in front of Frederik Andersen like a beer league game, Anderson squirted on past "The Great Dane", as he never had a chance to see with all of that humanity in the way.

It stayed tied until just 3:29 of the extra session, as Ehlers scored his second of the game, with helpers to Mark Jankowski and Jalen Chatfield, leveling the series 1-1. Anderson stopped 10 of 12 shots, as he wasn't tested very frequently.

The win was actually the first this season for Carolina against Montreal, as the Canadiens won all three regular-season meetings, and, of course, Game 1.

We'll continue to go low on the total, and let's take the Hurricanes to get the job done on the road, where they're 4-0 this season in the playoffs.

Hurricanes ML (-135 at Bet365, Caesars and DraftKings Sportsbooks)
Under 5.5 (+110 at Bet365, Caesars, DraftKings and Fanatics Sportsbooks)

Colorado Avalanche at Vegas Golden Knights

The Avalanche headed to Las Vegas for Game 3, down 2-0 in the series, facing a must-win situation. The Presidents' Trophy winners welcomed Cale Makar back to the lineup, and Colorado was rolling in the first period.

At 3:21, Gabriel Landeskog scored, and Nazem Kadri struck 7:03 into the first period to make it 2-0. Then, Jack Drury scored shorthanded at 13:15 to make it 3-0. It looked like the Avalanche were going to get the much-needed win it had to have.

Then, the second period happened.

Mark Stone, back from his own ailment, struck on the power play just 19 seconds into the second period to break the ice for VGK. At 4:05, William Karlsson netted his first goal of the postseason to slice the lead to 3-2. Keegan Kolesar notched his first goal of the playoffs at 12:46 of the second, and we were back level heading to the third.

In the final period, Tomas Hertl gave VGK its first lead at 8:21, and Brett Howden notched an empty-net goal, his 10th of the postseason, putting a bow on the scoring. Vegas won 5-3, erasing a 3-0 deficit, while pushing the Avalanche to the brink.

I can't believe that VGK is going to get the sweep. I have to keep believing in Colorado, and it wouldn't be surprising to see this team go back home for a win in Game 5, only to play in Las Vegas for Game 6. I can still see it, but after blowing a 3-0 lead after one period, I can also see the Avalanche being totally defeated, too.

Let's back the Avs lightly, and go low on the total this time.