Hockey is one of the most unpredictable sports on the planet. The NHL, in particular, thrives on parity — on any given night, any team can beat any other. What do you expect from a sport that requires players glide on super-thin skates, handling a tiny puck with sticks on slippery ice. Each shift carries the potential for chaos: unexpected bounces, missed assignments and split-second brilliance. It’s part of what makes hockey so exciting to watch.
Yet unpredictability doesn’t mean history doesn’t matter and trends don’t exist. In certain matchups, patterns appear that can influence everything from betting odds to ticket prices. On Nov. 28, the NHL will have 15 games on throughout the day, but three matchups stand out where past results may be predictive. Let’s break them down from the team most favored to the underdog.
Since losing to the Canadiens in the 2021 COVID-19 bubble Conference Finals, Vegas has made it a point to dominate Montreal. The Golden Knights have won 7 of their last 8 meetings against the Canadiens, with the lone loss coming in a tight one-goal game — the most recent time these teams met.
Vegas is a proud, veteran-heavy squad, playing at home in front of demanding fans, while Montreal is a young, up-and-coming team still adjusting to life on the road and the distractions of Las Vegas. Expect the Golden Knights to bring their experience and intensity, but be wary if this one goes to overtime because they have lost seven straight beyond regulation. Vegas is currently favored to win this game with -194 odds on FanDuel.
The Kings travel to Anaheim to face a Ducks team that has surprised the NHL with its scoring punch this season. Led by Leo Carlsson and Cutter Gauthier, both in just their third seasons, the Ducks are still young and inexperienced. On the other side, Anze Kopitar continues to excel in division matchups — he has 32 goals and 58 assists in 93 career games against the Ducks, and I expect those numbers to go up after this game.
Since the start of 2022, the Kings have beaten Anaheim 12 of 14 times, with one of those two losses coming in a shootout. LA’s combination of veteran experience and defensive structure should be enough to stifle Anaheim’s youthful attack. FanDuel has the LA Kings at -130 to win this one on the road.
Two offensive-minded West Coast teams meet in San Jose, but history strongly favors the road side. Since April 2019, the Canucks have defeated the Sharks an absurd 18 of 20 times, including their last two matchups, both ending in 2-1 overtime wins for Vancouver. The Sharks have significantly improved this season, with Macklin Celebrini leading them in scoring and chasing Nathan MacKinnon at the top of the NHL scoring charts.
That said, with such a dominant historical record, Vancouver is an intriguing bet, even if the outcome is slightly less certain. FanDuel gives the Canucks -118 odds to win their upcoming game against the Sharks.
History can help guide your predictions, but in hockey, nothing is guaranteed. Each game is a chance for upsets, last-second goals, and moments that defy expectation. That unpredictability is what keeps fans glued to the ice and bettors on edge.