NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Here are today’s NHL predictions and best bets.
San Jose Sharks (24-20-3) at Florida Panthers (25-19-3)
Sharks (+160) at Panthers (-190) – Total 6.5 (Over, -115)
6 p.m. ET
The Panthers return home from a six-game road trip and will welcome the return of Matthew Tkachuk to the lineup. It’s not uncommon that when a star player returns, the team comes out a little flat. For Florida, this is just a bad spot. It’s their first game back from an extended road trip, and then after tonight, they go back on the road for three games.
San Jose won the lone meeting this season against the Panthers, a 3-1 victory back in November in San Jose, snapping a 12-game losing streak to Florida. Getting the Sharks at (+160) is great value, and I will grab it. The full game total opened last night at six in many spots, but that number is gone. I am seeing 6.5 across the board, so I would recommend waiting for a six in-game.
San Jose’s Colin Graf has goals in three straight games. It is the third time this season Graf has had a goal streak of three games or more. BetMGM currently has the best available price (+425). Florida defenseman Uvis Balinskis has become a goal-scoring machine (goals in back-to-back), and with the injury to Seth Jones, he is on the top power play unit. FanDuel has the best price for his anytime goal.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
San Jose Sharks Money Line (+160) – .25 units
Colin Graf anytime goal (+425) – .10 units
Uvis Balinskis anytime goal (+1700) – .05
Sharks Team Total Over 2.5 (-135) -. 25
Minnesota Wild (27-13-9) at Toronto Maple Leafs (24-16-8)
Wild (+105) at Maple Leafs (-125) – Total 6 (Over, -118)
7:30 p.m. ET
The Maple Leafs return home after a solid four-game western road trip that concluded with a come-from-behind 4-3 overtime win at Winnipeg. Toronto bookended wins at Colorado and Winnipeg with losses at Utah and Vegas in overtime. They are playing some of their best hockey of the season. Tonight is the fifth game in eight nights for Toronto, and three of their games on the road trip went past regulation. The Leafs will be without forward William Nylander, who is dealing with a lower-body injury suffered in the loss to Vegas.
The Wild come in off an impressive overtime win at Buffalo on Saturday and handed the Sabres just their third loss in the past 18 games. Minnesota won that game without their entire second line, as they are without Matt Boldy, Marcus Johansson and Joel Eriksson Ek, and they still found a way to win the game.
I am on the Wild to win this game and to jump out to a first period lead. The Wild have struck first on the road in five of their last seven games. I do believe Toronto comes into this game a little overconfident after a solid road trip, and the Wild playing with a depleted roster.
One Maple Leafs prop that is on my card is an Auston Matthews anytime goal. The Toronto Captain has goals in back-to-back games and seven of his last 11 overall (10 total). He has 11 goals in 14 career games against the Wild. One Minnesota player prop I will grab is a shots on goal parlay with Brock Faber, Mats Zuccarello and Quinn Hughes all to have at least two shots on goal.
Even with the Wild missing key players up front, their games have continued to fly over the full game total. Minnesota is on a 10-1 run to the Over. Leafs games have gone Over in each of their last four games. The draw is also in play. Toronto has gone to overtime in five of their last eight games, and the draw has cashed in three of their last five meetings.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Minnesota Wild to score 1st goal/1st period (+130) – .25
Minnesota Wild 1st period Money Line (-110) – .25
Auston Matthews anytime goal (+110) – .10
Zuccarello/Faber/Hughes each Over 1.5 shots on goal (+139) – 1 unit
Wild/Leafs Over 6 (-118) – .25
Minnesota Wild Team Total Over 2.5 (-170) – .75
Minnesota Wild Team Total Over 3 (-118) – .25
Ryan Hartman Over ½ point (-108) – .25
Regulation Draw (+310) – .05
Philadelphia Flyers (22-17-8) at Vegas Golden Knights (24-11-12)
Flyers (+170) at Golden Knights (-210) – Total 6 (Over, -120)
8 p.m. ET
The Golden Knights made big news on Sunday with the acquisition of Rasmus Andersson from the Calgary Flames in exchange for Zach Whitecloud, draft picks, and other cash considerations. I don’t believe Andersson will be available for today’s game, as there is immigration paperwork to be completed.
On to the game. The Flyers are a mess. They have lost six straight and surrendered five goals or more in each of the last five games. Philly has also lost six of their last seven meetings to the Golden Knights, with four of the meetings going past regulation, including the Golden Knights’ 3-2 win earlier this season in Philadelphia. Vegas is on a roll right now, winners of seven straight and scoring four goals or more in six of the seven.
This game features the Cheesecake Factory menu of player props. Let’s start with Mark Stone, who has goals in 10 of the past 11 games. I can’t pass that up. Pavel Dorofeyev is heating up once again with goals in back-to-back games, and he has three goals in four games versus the Flyers. Mitch Marner has an assist in five of their last seven games. Jack Eichel has an assist in three straight, six of eight, and in six straight versus the Flyers.
One Flyers player prop will be Owen Tippett to record three shots on goal or more. He has hit this number in seven consecutive games and in five of the six meetings against the Golden Knights.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Vegas Golden Knights Team Total Over 3.5 (-122) – 2 units
Marner/Eichel each Over ½ assist (+122) – .50
Mark Stone anytime goal (+150) – .10
Pavel Dorofeyev anytime goal (+170) – .10
Owen Tippett Over 2.5 shots on goal (+134) – .25
Winnipeg Jets (19-22-6) at Chicago Blackhawks (19-22-7)
Jets (-135) at Blackhawks (+115) – Total 5.5 (Over, -125)
8:30 p.m. ET
It will be an emotional night in Chicago as Jonathan Toews returns to the place he called home for the first 15 seasons of his NHL career before stepping away for health reasons. I am sure the crowd will be cheering “Captain Serious” loud and proud when he hits the ice. It’s likely there won’t be a dry eye in the crowd and probably Toews himself, when the Blackhawks roll out the video tribute. When it comes to what matters to us, wagering on the game, I will be on a Toews anytime goal and to score the Jets’ first goal of the game (must happen, doesn’t it). For those in Canada, Pinnacle has the best price for an anytime goal (+370), and for those in the USA, there are multiple books that are offering (+325).
I do like the full game Over 5.5 goals. Winnipeg games have gone Over the total in nine straight games. Winnipeg’s Kyle Connor (four goals/three games), Josh Morrissey (three goals/three games), and Gabe Vilaridi (two goals/two games) have all enjoyed success against Hawks starting goalie Spencer Knight. Alex Iafallo plays on the Jets’ top line and has points in four straight and five of the last six games.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Jonathan Toews first Jets goal (+1000) – .05
Jonathan Toews anytime goal (+325) – .10
Jets/Blackhawks Over 5.5 (-125) – 1 unit.
Alex Iafallo Over ½ point (+145) – .25
Gabe Vilardi anytime goal (+250) – .10
Josh Morrissey anytime goal (+575) – .10
Kyle Connor anytime goal (+125) – .10
Spencer Knight Over 22.5 saves (-125) – 1 unit
