NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Here are today’s NHL predictions and best bets.
Philadelphia Flyers (11-6-3) at Tampa Bay Lightning (12-7-2)
Betting Line: Philadelphia (+150) at Tampa (-180) – Total 5.5 (Over, -115)
7 p.m. ET
The Philadelphia Flyers are coming off a franchise-record 6-3 rout of the New Jersey Devils (scoring three goals in 26 seconds), winning for just the second time in regulation in the last 10 games. The Lightning extended their winning streak to three games with a 5-3 win at Washington, scoring four times in the opening period and knocking Caps goalie Logan Thompson out of the game.
The Bolts have now reeled off 11 wins in their past 14 games. But the win didn’t come without a cost, as Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point both left the game with injuries. Kucherov was on the ice this morning at the Lightning’s morning skate, but Point did not participate and was most noticeable when Tampa was working on their power play alignments. Nick Paul and Jack Finley took turns on the top unit.
Tampa is still without defensemen Victor Hedman, Erik Cernak and Ryan McDonagh. The injuries to the Tampa blue line have opened the door for Darren Raddysh who is on a four-game point and assist streak and J.J. Moser, who has assists in three straight games (still waiting for a sportsbook offering any props). Jake Guentzel is riding a four-game point streak (five goals, one assist) and has two goals in four games against Flyers starting goalie, Samuel Ersson. On the Flyers’ side, Owen Tippett has six assists on his current four-game point streak. Travis Konecny has points in consecutive games and 10 of his last 12.
Two of the last three meetings between the two teams have gone to a shootout. The Flyers are no strangers to games going beyond regulation, playing bonus hockey in four of their last six games and nine times this season (20 games). Five of the last seven games have had a combined seven goals or more. With the injuries that Tampa is dealing with, I will grab the underdog Flyers on the money line.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Jake Guentzel anytime goal (+150) – .15 units
Darren Raddysh Over ½ assist (+180) – .15 units
Nick Paul anytime goal (+240) – .15 units
Jack Finley anytime goal (+625) – .15 units
Regulation Draw (+330) – .25 units
Owen Tippett Over ½ assist (+350) – .25 units
Travis Konecny Over ½ point (-128) – .50 units
Philadelphia Flyers ML (+150) – 1 unit
Columbus Blue Jackets (11-8-3) at Washington Capitals (11-9-2)
Betting Line: Columbus (+140) at Washington (+165) – Total 6.5 (Under -125)
7 p.m. ET
The Blue Jackets have traded wins and losses in each of the past six games and are coming off a disappointing 4-3 overtime loss to the Red Wings on Saturday. Late news from the Jackets had star forward and their points leader Kirill Marchenko leaving practice early today and being replaced by Yegor Chinakhov on the top line. His status for tonight’s game is not known. The Jackets have won two of the last three meetings with the Capitals, but Washington has won six of the last eight. Columbus has gone past regulation in seven of their last 10 games.
Logan Thompson gets the start for the Caps tonight. Thompson was pulled in Saturday’s 5-3 loss to Tampa after giving up four goals on six shots. As a team, the Caps have given up three or more goals in five of their last six games. Alexander Ovechkin had his four-game goal streak come to an end on Saturday, but I see no reason why he can’t start a new one tonight. Ovi has goals (seven) in five of his last six games overall and five of his last six against the Jackets. He has four goals in seven games when facing Blue Jackets’ starting goalie Elvis Merzlikins.
Defenseman Jakob Chychrun is on a seven-game heater (three goals, six assists). I am going to grab his assist prop at “plus money,” but there is good value on his point prop (-118) as well. For the Jackets, Adam Fantilli has goals in back-to-back games and six of his last eight games (seven goals). He has had multi-goal games in two of his last three meetings against Washington. Sean Monahan has points in five consecutive games against Washington (19 points/25 games), and Zach Werenski is on a six-game point streak, multi-point games in three of four and points in three of his last four games versus the Caps.
A couple of goal props for Columbus that are worth sprinkling on include Cole Sillinger who has three goals in five games (10 shots) when versus Logan Thompson. Denton Mateychuk scored the lone Columbus goal in their 5-1 loss to Washington earlier this season.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Regulation Draw (+350) – .25 units
Columbus Blue Jackets Team Total Over 2.5 (-140) – 1 unit
Alex Ovechkin anytime goal (+130) – .15 units
Jakob Chychrun Over ½ assist (+136) – .15 units
Adam Fantilli anytime goal (+240) – .15 units
Monahan/Werenski point parlay (+231) – .15 units
Cole Sillinger anytime goal (+550) – .05 units
Denton Mateychuk anytime goal (+1400) – .05 units
Vegas Golden Knights (10-4-7) at Utah Mammoth (11-8-3)
Betting Line: Vegas (-115) at Utah (-105) – Total 6 (Under, -115)
9 p.m. ET
This is the second time these two teams will meet in four days, with the Golden Knights defeating the Mammoth 4-1, behind a pair of goals from Jack Eichel. Vegas is coming off a 4-3 overtime loss at Anaheim on Saturday, their seventh loss this season in games that have gone past 60 minutes. The Mammoth snapped a four-game losing streak on Saturday with a 3-2 win over the New York Rangers. Utah has just three wins over the past 10 games, with all three wins coming against teams from the state of New York (Buffalo -2, Rangers -1).
Low-scoring games have been the way both these teams like to play. VGK games have gone under the total in four of their last five, and Utah has played five straight games going Under the posted total. For the season, Utah has played 13 Unders, seven Overs and one game landed on the posted total.
The Knights’ Braeden Bowman has stayed hot since being called up, with goals in three straight and points in four of his six games. Jack Eichel has been a shot volume machine, with four or more shots on goal in four of his last six games and five of seven against the Mammoth. He also has four goals in six games against Utah goalie Karel Vejmelka, including two in their previous meeting. Shea Theodore is on a four-game point streak and has points in six of the last seven games. On the Utah side, former Vegas blueliner Nate Schmidt has points in four straight and five of the last six games. Logan Cooley has seven points in seven games against the Knights. Clayton Keller has picked up an assist in four straight games versus Vegas.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Jack Eichel Over 3.5 shots on goal (+118) – .50 units
Jack Eichel anytime goal (+160) – .15 units
Shea Theodore point (+110) – .15 units
Braeden Bowman goal (+280) – .15 units
Braeden Bowman assist (+230) – .15 units
Nate Schmidt Over ½ point (+200) – .15 units
Cooley point/Keller assist (+230) – .25 units
