NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Here are today’s NHL predictions and best bets.
Tampa Bay Lightning (27-13-3) at Philadelphia Flyers (22-13-8)
Lightning (-145) at Flyers (+122) – Total 5.5 (-140)
7 p.m. ET
There is no way I am going to stand in the way of the Tampa Bay Lightning and their nine-game winning streak. Tampa extended their winning streak on Saturday with a 7-2 pounding of the Flyers. Philadelphia does get a break tonight in that they don’t have to face Andrei Vasilevskiy for a second straight game. Insteadm they will face Jonas Johansson. Dan Vladar gets the start tonight for the Flyers (2-2-0 lifetime vs Tampa, 4.25 goals against average). Johansson has won his last two starts and four of his last six. I will say that Vladar has been a much better goalie this season than in previous seasons. The Flyers’ netminder has given up two goals or fewer in seven of his last eight starts.
If you like Tampa to win this game as I do, then play the Tampa team total Over 3.5. The Lightning have scored four goals or more in 21 of their 27 wins this season, and over the past 2+ seasons, they have scored at least four goals in 94 of their 119 wins (79%).
A couple of player pros for me in this contest. Nikita Kucherov is on an eight-game points streak, and he has two or more points in all eight games. That streak extends further with Kucherov registering two or more points in 17 of his last 22 games. Darren Raddysh has points in five straight and six of his last eight games, while Brandon Hagel has points in five straight and eight of his last nine games against the Flyers. Hagel also has goals in three consecutive games.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Tampa Bay Lightning Team Total Over 3.5 (+120) – 1.5 units
Hagel point/Raddysh assist (+234) – .50 units
Nikita Kucherov Over 1.5 points (+126) – .25 units
New Jersey Devils (22-21-2) at Minnesota Wild (26-11-9)
Devils (+140) at Wild (-170) – Total 5.5 (Over, -140)
8 p.m. ET
It is the “Hughes Bowl” tonight in Minnesota with Luke and Jack for the Devils and Quinn for the Minnesota Wild. There have been suggestions that the Devils players were disappointed that they lost out on acquiring Quinn Hughes from Vancouver, and in the 12 games since Quinn was traded, the Devils have just four wins in 13 games. There was also a feeling that the return of Jack Hughes to the Devils lineup would be a spark to the team, but Jersey has just two wins in the 10 games since Jack came back from injury. Jack has just one goal in those 10 games but does have six assists, including three assists in the past two games. Luke Hughes is also on a two-game points streak (one goal, two assists). Quinn Hughes has assists in back-to-back games as well (four total).
Quinn’s partner on the blueline, Brock Faber, has an assist in four consecutive games. Quinn has also been shooting the puck a lot of late with 16 shots on goal (8,4,4) in the past three games and has had three or more shots on goal in four of his last five contests against the Devils.
New Jersey’s Jesper Bratt (15 points/15 games vs Minny) and Nico Hischier (10 points/12 games vs Minny) have enjoyed success against the Wild. The Devils have won the last five meetings, including a 4-1 win earlier this season. The Wild did win the previous five before New Jersey went on this run.
The Devils’ recent form keeps me away from playing New Jersey to make it six straight wins over Minnesota. I believe the Wild get back to their winning ways. Since acquiring Quinn Hughes, they have scored four goals or more in seven of their wins. In addition, I am on Minnesota to win the first period. The Devils have had the lead just once (1-6-2) after the opening 20 minutes in their past nine games. The Wild are 5-0-3 in the past nine after the opening 20 minutes of play.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Minnesota Wild 1stperiod (-1/2 goal) +138 – .50 units
Minnesota Wild Team Total Over 3.5 (+106) – .50 units
Quinn Hughes Over 2.5 shots on goal (-110) – 1 unit
Brock Faber Over ½ point (+128) – .20 units
Bratt/Hischier point parlay (+127) – .20 units
Hughes brothers point parlay (+249) – .20 units
