NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Here are tonight’s NHL predictions and best bets
Tampa Bay Lightning (48-22-6) at Buffalo Sabres (46-23-8)
Lightning (-115) at Sabres (-105) – Total 6.5 (-110)
7 p.m. ET
The Buffalo Sabres return home after losing back-to-back games on the road, but when they step on the ice tonight, they will likely hear the cheers from a raucous crowd at the Key Bank Center, as the Sabres are playoff-bound for the first time in 15 seasons. The Rangers defeated the Red Wings on Saturday, clinching a playoff spot for Buffalo.
Tonight is the first meeting between these two Atlantic Division rivals since their epic game on March 8th that featured 10 fighting majors and 102 minutes in penalties. In and around that, Buffalo had leads of 3-0 and 4-1 only to see Tampa storm back with five unanswered goals to take a 6-4 lead, and then the Sabres rallied for the final three goals of the game and won 8-7. Tampa leads Buffalo by two points and has a game in hand as the two teams are also battling for the top spot in the Atlantic Division.
I am not sure what type of game we will get tonight. Is there still some bad blood that carries over from the March 8th game that carries over into tonight? I do like Tampa to win tonight, and I will go with one point parlay prop with Nikita Kucherov and Rasmus Dahlin each to earn a point. Any other bets for this game will be in-game.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Tampa Bay Lightning Money Line (-115) – .50
Kucherov/Dahlin point parlay (-104) – 1.5 units
Seattle Kraken (32-32-11) at Winnipeg Jets (33-31-12)
Kraken (+140) at Jets (-170) – Total 6 (Under, -120)
7:30 p.m. ET
I am going to keep this one very simple. The Kraken are still mathematically alive but barely, as they are seven points (when you factor in the tiebreaker) back of Nashville for the second Wild Card spot in the Western Conference. The Jets somehow find themselves within striking distance of the second Wild Card spot, just three points out of a playoff spot, but they do have four teams to climb over.
For Seattle, they must win this game in regulation, so if, for some reason, this game is tied late, I would not be shocked if Seattle pulls their goalie for a sixth skater (extra attacker) and goes for a regulation victory. Simply, the Kraken can’t afford to give the Jets a point and allow this game to go to overtime. Give me the Jets, the better team to win this game in regulation.
NHL Predictions and Best Bet:
Winnipeg Jets in Regulation (+100) – 1.5 units
Chicago Blackhawks (28-35-14) at San Jose Sharks (36-32-7)
Blackhawks (+140) at Sharks (-170) – Total 6 (Over, -128)
10 p.m. ET
Two of the brightest stars in the game meet for the second time this season as Connor Bedard and the Blackhawks come into San Jose to take on Macklin Celebrini and the San Jose Sharks. When these two teams met back in February, the Hawks doubled up the Sharks, 6-3, and both Bedard and Celebrini found the back of the net. Tonight’s meeting goes well beyond the two young superstars, especially for the Sharks, who are three points back (includes tiebreaker) of Nashville after the Preds defeated San Jose on Saturday for the 15th consecutive time, putting an end to the Sharks’ four-game winning streak.
As always, shop around for the best odds. If you like the Over 6, FanDuel is one sportsbook that offers the “flat 6.” I will be on both Bedard and Celebrini to score a goal, as well as parlaying the two players to register at least three shots on goal. The Sharks’ Will Smith has four goals in four games against the Hawks, and Alex Wennberg has scored in three of San Jose’s last four games overall. Dmitry Orlov is riding a five-game assist streak.
I do like lots of goals in this game and will split a unit on the Over 6 and the Sharks team total Over 3.5.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Chicago Blackhawks/San Jose Sharks Over 6 (-128) – .50
San Jose Sharks Team Total Over 3.5 (+100) – .50
Bedard/Celebrini Over 2.5 SOG parlay (-105) – 2 units
Bedard/Celebrini Over 3.5 SOG parlay (+258) – .10
Connor Bedard anytime goal (+180) – .25
Macklin Celebrini anytime goal (+110) – .25
Will Smith anytime goal (+200) – .10
Alex Wennberg anytime goal (+350) – .05
Nashville Predators (36-31-9) at Los Angeles Kings (31-26-19)
Predators (+115) at Kings (-140) – Total 5.5 (Over, -130)
10:30 p.m. ET
These two teams met five days ago in Los Angeles, with the Predators hanging on for a 5-4 win in a shootout. In fact, both meetings this season have ended with Nashville coming out on the winning end of a 5-4 shootout win, as these two teams have gone past regulation in each of their past four head-to-head contests. Overtime is no stranger to the LA Kings, who set the NHL record on Saturday, going past regulation in their 7-6 overtime win over the Maple Leafs. It was the 31st time this season (41% of their games) the Kings have played bonus hockey. More recently, they have gone past regulation in six of their past nine games. They have also given up five goals or more to the opposition in three of their past four games.
On to the player props. Nashville’s Filip Forsberg is on a three-game goal streak (four total), and the Kings’ Adrian Kempe is on a heater of his own with goals in four consecutive games (six total). Forsberg has two goals in the two games against the Kings this season, and Kempe has found the back of the net three times in two meetings this season against Nashville.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Regulation Draw (+310) – .25
Filip Forsberg anytime goal (+180) – .25
Adrian Kempe anytime goal (+180) – .25
Over 5.5 (-130) – 1.5 units
Nashville Predators Team Total Over 2.5 (-136) – 1 unit
Nashville Predators Team Total Over 3 (+123) – .25
