NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Here are today’s NHL predictions and best bets.
Anaheim Ducks (21-17-3) at Washington Capitals (21-15-6)
Ducks (+125) at Capitals (-145) – Total 6.5 (Under, -120)
7 p.m. ET
Two teams meet in the US nation’s capital that have found wins hard to come by. The Ducks have lost five straight and nine of the last 11 games. The Capitals have lost eight of 11. Washington could be without forwards Tom Wilson and Aliaksei Protas, who both missed the Caps game against Chicago on Saturday and are listed as day-to-day.
The Ducks’ Beckett Sennecke and the Capitals’ Dylan Strome both have goals in back-to-back games. Sennecke found the back of the net when the teams met earlier this season in Anaheim. The Ducks’ Mason McTavish has points in four straight and six of seven overall, but has struggled on the road with one point in his last five games away from Honda Center.
If Anthony Beauvillier remains on the Capitals’ top line with Strome and Ovechkin, both his assist and goal props have great value. His shots on goal prop at Over 1.5 (-200) doesn’t have great value on its own, so I will parlay his shot prop with Jacob Trouba of the Ducks. Beauvillier has had two or more shots on goal in 10 of his last 12 games overall, five of his last six, and 15 of 20 on home ice. Trouba has had at least two shots on goal in five straight overall and on the road. The Capitals’ Ryan Leonard has points in three straight and eight of his last 11 games. He has enjoyed home cooking with points in each of his last four home games and six of his last eight on home ice.
I have zero interest in wagering on either the Ducks or Caps, but I will take a shot with the Over 6.5 full game total. Anaheim is on a (7-1) run to the full game Over and (27-14) on the season. Their 3.56 goals against per game ranks them dead last in the NHL. Washington has gone Over the total (full game) in five straight and nine of their last eleven.
The Ducks are on the front end of a back-to-back and have won three of the five games in this spot. Petr Mrazek will be making his first start for the Ducks since November 30 (5-3 loss at Chicago). Five of Mrazek’s seven starts this season have had a combined seven goals or more, and four of the seven have had eight or more goals. Washington has won seven of the past 10 meetings, but Anaheim did win the lone meeting this season, rallying for a 4-3 shootout victory.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Ducks/Caps Over 6.5 (-130) – 1 unit
Beauvillier/Trouba both Over 1.5 shots on goal (+168) – .25
Utah Mammoth (19-20-3) at New York Rangers (20-18-5)
Mammoth (-110) at Rangers (-110) – Total 5.5 (Over, -120)
7 p.m. ET
We have a “Malinsky Special” with this game tonight as the Rangers are playing their first game back at home after six on the road. The Rangers opened as a (-130) home favorite, and money is pouring in on Utah as we are seeing this game move to a “pick ’em.” I was already on Utah before the line move, and I also like Utah on the money line for the first period. The Rangers have had a first-period lead at home only twice in 18 home games, while trailing nine times, and the other seven have ended tied.
A couple of player props caught my attention. Utah defenseman Sean Durzi has points in three straight and eight of his last nine games. Forward Clayton Keller has cashed his shots on goal prop in five straight road games and nine of his last 12 away from Salt Lake City. He has also cashed in four of his last five contests against the Rangers.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Utah Mammoth ML (-110) – 1 unit
Utah Mammoth 1st period ML (-115) – 1 unit
Sean Durzi Over ½ point (+154) – .50
Clayton Keller Over 2.5 Shots on goal (+105) – 1 unit
Minnesota Wild (25-10-8) at Los Angeles Kings (17-14-9)
Wild (-120) at Kings (+100) – Total 5.5 (Over, -120)
10:30 p.m. ET
These two teams met just two nights ago in Los Angeles, with the Kings coming away with a 5-4 shootout win. Both meetings between the Kings and Wild this season have been decided in a shootout, with the home team coming out on the winning end each time. The Wild opened as a small (-105) underdog, and we have since seen money coming in on Minnesota, flipping them from Underdog to the betting favorite.
While LA earned the extra point on Saturday, the Kings didn’t earn any style points. The Wild were coming off a game in Anaheim the night before and were far from the best, but still good enough to erase four one-goal deficits and get the game to Overtime before losing in the shootout.
I expect a far better effort tonight from Minnesota, who have become an explosive team since acquiring Quinn Hughes in a trade from Vancouver. The Wild are (7-4) since acquiring Hughes (earned points in 10 of 11 since the trade) and have scored four or more goals in all seven wins with Hughes. Prior to the trade, the Wild scored four or more goals just nine times in their first 18 wins this season.
The Wild’s Matt Boldy is second in the NHL in goals (26) and has a goal in both games against the Kings this season (I know his goal on Saturday bounced in off his chest), 10 of his last 15 games overall, and four of his last six road games. He has scored the Wild’s first goal 11 times this season, with seven of those coming on the road. Wild defenseman Brock Faber, originally drafted by the Kings, has cashed his shots on goal prop versus the Kings in three of the four games he has faced LA (3,1,3,4).
NHL Projections and Best Bets:
Minnesota Wild Money Line (-120) – 3 units
Minnesota Wild Team Total Over 3 (-105) – 2 units
Minnesota Wild to score 1stgoal of the game (-115) – 1 unit
Matt Boldy anytime goal (+145) – .25 units
Matt Boldy to score Wild 1stgoal (+470) – .05 units
Brock Faber Over 1.5 shots on goal (+108) – .25 units
