NHL Predictions – Expert Picks on Monday, April 14:
Here are tonight’s NHL predictions:
Chicago Blackhawks at Montreal Canadiens (-290, 5.5)
7 p.m. ET
The anticipation for tonight’s game at the Bell Centre is going to be off the charts for this game between the Blackhawks and Canadiens. Not only can Montreal clinch a playoff birth with a win in any fashion, but this game will also mark the debut of 2024 first round draft pick, Ivan Demidov. The fifth-overall pick signed with the Canadiens over the weekend after finishing his season in the KHL. Demidov is expected to play on the Habs’ third line with Alex Newhook and Patrik Laine. Most books are offering his anytime goal prop around +240, though if you have the Bally sportsbook available, they were offering his anytime goal price at +325.
Montreal’s Nick Suzuki leads the team with 87 points and is just one goal shy of having back-to-back 30-goal seasons. Lane Hutson is one point away from setting the all-time Canadiens rookie record for points by a defenseman. Hutson’s point prop (-180) doesn’t provide any value. His assist prop (-154) is a little more appealing, and his anytime goal prop (+600) is worth a pizza money bet. I would look to find a parlay partner for his assist or point prop.
The Blackhawks’ Joe Veleno has two goals in three games this season (playing for Detroit) against Montreal goalie Samuel Montembeault. Nick Foligno has goals in back-to-back games (three total) and has a pair of goals against the Habs in the lone meeting this season.
One other prop that is on my card for tonight is to play the Blackhawks on the money line for the first period. Montreal has gone 14 consecutive games (0-7-7) without leading after the opening 20 minutes.
NHL Predictions:
Blackhawks 1st period ML +176 – ½ unit
Ivan Demidov anytime goal +240 – .20 units
Ivan Demidov Over ½ assist +215 – .20 units
Nick Suzuki anytime goal +160 – .20 units
Joe Veleno anytime goal +1100 – .10 units
Dallas Stars (-115, 6) at Detroit Red Wings
7 p.m. ET
The Dallas Stars’ losing streak has reached five games as they head into the playoffs, but head coach Pete DeBoer doesn’t appear to be overly concerned. “We got through without any injuries, and the playoffs start in five days, so that’s all I care about. We want to get through these games. If we could start the playoffs tomorrow, that would be my preference, but we have to play these games out and we can’t move up or down, so let’s get through them. Work on a few things and make sure we’re as healthy as we can become [Game 1].”
With that being the approach, my approach to wagering on Dallas games is to focus on player props and targeting players to reach milestone goal and point props. Roope Hintz is two goals shy of 30, Evgenii Dadonov is one away from 20. Tonight, he will face Detroit’s Cam Talbot, who he has scored five goals in nine games against. Mikko Rantanen has nine goals in 14 games against Talbot.
On the Detroit side, Dylan Larkin is one away from reaching the 30-goal mark. He has enjoyed some success against Dallas goalie Jake Oettinger with four goals in eight games. Marco Kasper is two goals shy of scoring 20 and has scored against the Dallas netminder in their only meeting this season.
NHL Predictions:
Evgenii Dadonov anytime goal +450 – .20 units
Roope Hintz anytime goal +210 – .20 units
Mikko Rantanen anytime goal +165 – .20 units
Dylan Larkin anytime goal +220 – .20 units
Marco Kasper anytime goal +370 – .20 units
Wyatt Johnston anytime goal + 210 – .20 units
Los Angeles Kings at Edmonton Oilers (-110, 5.5)
10 p.m. ET
A win tonight by the Los Angeles Kings in any fashion and they will earn themselves the second seed and home ice in round one of the playoffs against the Edmonton Oilers. The Oilers are dealing with some injuries to key players. Leon Draisaitl has missed the past five games and likely will sit out until Game 1 of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Zach Hyman is dealing with a nagging injury and sat out against Winnipeg on Sunday. The big injury is Mattias Ekholm, as he could be out for an extended period.
For me, this game, like most games, the rest of the way will be about the player props. LA’s Quinton Byfield not only has goals in three consecutive games, but each time he has opened the scoring. Kevin Fiala has four goals in his last two games and is one away from scoring 35 goals for the first time in his career. Alex Laferriere is two away from 20 goals. Kings head coach Jim Hiller has referenced what it would mean to both the player and the team if he reached the milestone. Former Oiler Warren Foegele would like nothing more than to stick to his former team and help in getting the Kings home ice.
On the Oilers’ side, Connor McDavid has nine points (all assists) in his three games back from injury, while Corey Perry needs just two goals for his first 20-goal season since scoring 34 in 2015-16.
NHL Predictions:
Quinton Byfield anytime goal +320 – .20 units
Quinton Byfield first goal of the game +2000 – .10 units
Alex Laferriere anytime goal +340 – .20 units
Warren Foegele anytime goal +330 – .20 units
Connor McDavid Over 1.5 assists +190 – .20 units
Connor Brown anytime goal +300 -.20 units
Corey Perry anytime goal +350 Â – .20 units
Andrei Kuzmenko Over ½ assist +172 – .20 units
Adrian Kempe Over ½ assist +158 -.20 unitseriod over ½ goal (-138) – ½ unit
