NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Here are tonight’s NHL predictions and best bets
Pittsburgh Penguins (36-21-16) at New York Islanders (42-27-5)
Penguins (+100) at Islanders (-120) – Total 6 (Over, -120)
7 p.m. ET
The Islanders and Penguins are meeting for the third time this season, with each team coming away with a one-goal win. Both games have seen a combined seven goals or more. In fact, 11 of the last 16 meetings have had a combined seven goals or more, and 14 of the 16 have had at least six goals combined between the two teams. For their part, the Penguins have found themselves in high-scoring games of late, cashing the full game Over in 11 of their last 12 games.
It’s been a great month of March for Pittsburgh defenseman Erik Karlsson, who has goals in back-to-back games and eight goals and 21 points in 14 games this month. The Islanders’ Matthew Schaefer is riding a three-game assist streak (five). Schaefer has also cashed his shots on goal prop (Over 2.5) in seven consecutive games and nine of his last 10. The Islanders’ second line of Matt Barzal, Callum Ritchie and Brayden Schenn (eight goals, 22 points last 10 games) has been the Islanders’ most productive line of late. In a game where I already like the Over, I am going to parlay the trio each to get a point.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Schaefer/Karlsson point parlay (+152) – 1 unit
Islanders/Pens Over 5.5 – Blues/Sharks Under 6.5 (+176) – 1 unit
Islanders/Penguins Over 6 (-120) – .50
Matthew Schaefer Over 2.5 SOG/Over 5.5 (+143) – .50
Barzal/Ritchie/Schenn point parlay (+268) – .50
Calgary Flames (31-34-8) at Colorado Avalanche (48-14-10)
Flames (+290) at Avalanche (-375) – Total 6 (Over, -120)
8:30 p.m. ET
Tonight marks the 12th time this season the Colorado Avalanche are a favorite of (-300) or greater. They have won eight of the 11 games and covered the Puck Line (-1.5 goals) in all eight wins. The first period Over 1.5 goals has also cashed in eight of the 11 games. One of my favorite bets with a (-300+) favorite is to take the Underdog to score a first-period goal. The Dog has scored in 19 of the 26 games in this situation this season, but in five of the seven times the Underdog has failed to score, it has been against the Avalanche.
The Flames come into tonight’s game having won four of their past six games and scored a goal in the opening 20 minutes in four of their past seven games. Calgary’s Matvei Gridin and Matt Coronato are riding five-game point streaks and make up two-thirds of the Flames’ top line and are also on the top power play unit. This will be Nazem Kadri’s first game against his former team since being traded on March 7. You know there will be “money on the board” from Kadri, and his player props are worth targeting. Martin Necas has picked up two or more points in three of his last five games and has two multi-point games against Calgary in his last four head-to-head contests.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Martin Necas Over 1.5 pts (+142) – 1 unit
1st period Over 1.5 goals (-128) – 1 unit
Calgary Flames 1st period Over ½ goal (-102) – .25
Matvei Gridin Over ½ point (+160) – .10
Matt Coronato Over ½ point (+120) – .10
Victor Olofsson anytime goal (+500) – .05
Nazem Kadri anytime goal (+230) – .10
Nazem Kadri Over ½ assist (+150) – .25
Vancouver Canucks (21-43-8) at Vegas Golden Knights (32-26-16)
Canucks (+280) at Golden Knights (-360) – Total 6.5 (-110)
10 p.m. ET
All eyes in the hockey world will be on Vegas tonight after the shocking firing of Bruce Cassidy on Sunday and the announcement that John Tortorella will be taking over behind the bench. Torts will get a “soft landing” tonight with the last-place Canucks coming to T-Mobile.
Vancouver comes into tonight’s having lost five straight, surrendering 29 total goals. The Golden Knights have lost three straight and six of seven and find themselves only four points up on the LA Kings and five points better than Seattle (both teams have a game in hand) as they try to hang on to third place in the Pacific Division. I am expecting Vegas to come out hard and fast under Torts in the first period, and with that, I am on the first period Over 1.5 goals as well as Vegas Over one goal (1) and 1.5 goals scored in the first period (available at BetRivers).
One of those Vegas goal scorers that I like tonight is Ivan Barbashev, who has four goals in six games versus Canucks goalie Kevin Lankinen. Jack Eichel has 24 points in 24 games against the Canucks, highlighted by five multi-point games, and in his last 11 home games, he has five two-or-more-point games. The Canucks are leaking goals, and I expect Eichel to play a prominent role tonight.
With the Golden Knights being a (-360) favorite, that triggers my system play of taking the Underdog to score a first-period goal. In the 26 games this season with a (-300+) favorite, the Underdog has scored a first-period goal 19 times.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
1st period Over 1.5 goals (-140) – .50
Vancouver Canucks to score a first period goal (-112) – .50
Vegas Golden Knights 1st period Over 1 goal (-127) – .50
Vegas Golden Knights 1st period Over 1.5 goals (+175) – .50
Vegas Golden Knights Team Total Over 4 (-110) – .50
Ivan Barbashev anytime goal (+240) – .25
Jack Eichel Over 1.5 pts (+122) – .25
