NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Here are tonight’s NHL predictions and best bets
Philadelphia Flyers (40-27-12) at Winnipeg Jets (35-31-12)
Flyers (+105) at Jets (-125) – Total 5.5 (Over, -115)
7 p.m. ET
A huge game tonight for both teams as the Flyers will look to bounce back after being doubled up by the Red Wings on Thursday. The Flyers are just one point up on the New York Islanders and two points better than the Columbus Blue Jackets for third place in the Metropolitan Division. The Jets have won three straight, five of their last six games, and are three points back of the LA Kings for the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference.
This is a tough spot for the Jets, who have gone through a recent stretch of playing four games on the road, one at home, then in St. Louis on Thursday, and took a 5 ½ hour flight home to get ready for tonight’s game. After tonight, they head back out for two games.
The Flyers have won their last three trips to Winnipeg, outscoring the Jets 8-1 in the process. I am going to pass on picking a winner, but I do like a variety of props. The Flyers’ Trevor Zegras has an assist in three straight and eight of the last 10 games. Tyson Foerster has recorded at least two shots on goal in each of his last seven games, and rookie Porter Martone has registered three shots on goal or more in four of his last six games, as well as points and an assist in each of the last three games.
On the Jets’ side, Gabe Vilardi is one goal shy of his first 30-goal season, and Kyle Connor is two goals shy of consecutive 40-goal seasons. As of the time of this writing, I don’t have goalie confirmations. Vilardi has three goals in three games versus Dan Vladar.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Trevor Zegras Over ½ assist (+110) – .25
Porter Martone Over 2.5/Foerster Over 1.5 SOG parlay (+227) – .25
Kyle Connor point/Scheifele assist (-105) – .25
Gabe Vilardi anytime goal (+240) – .05
No Goals 1st 5 mins/Under 6.5 (-101) – 1 unit
Columbus Blue Jackets (39-28-12) at Montreal Canadiens (47-22-10)
Blue Jackets (+120) at Canadiens (-145) – Total 6 (Over, -118)
7 p.m. ET
This is the third and final meeting between the two teams, with each team coming away with a one-goal win on their respective home ice. The Blue Jackets have lost eight of their last 10 games but are only two points behind the Philadelphia Flyers for third place in the Metropolitan Division. The Canadiens are coming off a wild 2-1 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday that saw Cole Caufield score his 50th goal of the season and the Canadiens score the game-winning goal with 64 seconds left in regulation, just 47 seconds after Tampa had tied the game at one.
Tonight is Caufield’s final Saturday regular-season game. Caufield dubbed, “Mr. Saturday Night,” has scored 20 of his 40 goals on Saturdays this season. He has scored a goal on seven of the last nine Saturdays and three straight Saturdays at home, with two of the three goals opening the scoring for the Canadiens.
Two other Habs players are close to achieving personal milestones. Nick Suzuki (six goals in 17 games versus Columbus) is two goals shy of 30 for the season. Ivan Demidov is two goals shy of his first 20-goal season. Josh Anderson, who was drafted by Columbus and spent his first five-plus seasons with the Blue Jackets, scored in the first meeting this season between the two teams. Anderson is worth a pizza money bet for a goal today. I just have a feeling.
The Blue Jackets have scored two goals or fewer in seven of their last 10 games, and they will be in tough against a Canadiens team that has given up two goals or fewer in seven of their last ten games, including just one goal to the Jackets when they faced on March 26 in Montreal.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Cole Caufield anytime goal (+128) – .50
Cole Caufield 1st goal of the game (+750) – .05
Cole Caufield 1st Montreal goal (+380) – .05
Montreal Canadiens in regulation (+115) – .50
Montreal Canadiens Money Line (-145) – .50
Columbus Blue Jackets TT Under 3 (-148) – 1 unit
Nick Suzuki anytime goal (+210) – .10
Ivan Demidov anytime goal (+290) – .10
Josh Anderson anytime goal (+600) – .05
Calgary Flames (32-37-9) at Seattle Kraken (33-34-11)
Flames (+125) at Kraken (-150) – Total 6 (Over, -118)
7 p.m. ET
Bobby McMann has scored in eight of the 14 games with the Kraken, scored in three of the last four games he has faced Calgary, and has had three shots on goal in three of the four games he has faced the Flames. McMann has three shots on goal or more in seven of the last nine games overall. Calgary’s Blake Coleman is expected to return to the Flames lineup following the birth of his child. He is just one goal away from 20 on the season, and how can you ignore the “baby bump” as an added incentive to find the back of the net?
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Bobby McMann anytime goal (+230) – .25
Bobby McMann Over 2.5 shots on goal (-110) – .50
Blake Coleman anytime goal (+325) – .25
Vegas Golden Knights (36-26-7) at Colorado Avalanche (52-16-10)
Golden Knights (+110) at Avalanche (-135) – Total 6 (Over, -115)
8 p.m. ET
The Golden Knights were on the verge of making five for five under new head coach John Tortorella, but the Knights squandered leads of 2-0 and a 3-1 third period lead as they lost 4-3 in a shootout to the Seattle Kraken. When the Knights hit the ice tonight in Denver, they could find themselves with an opportunity to move into the top spot in the Pacific Division if the Oilers were to lose to the LA Kings in regulation.
The Avs are coming off a 3-1 win Thursday at home over Calgary and, in doing so, clinched the league’s best overall record (President’s Trophy) and home ice throughout the playoffs.
With the Avalanche having nothing to play for and not knowing which players will be rested at the time of this column, I will hold off for now on Avalanche player props. A couple of Vegas props that I have in my account. Rasmus Andersson has recorded points in six of his last eight games (four goals, three assists), and I will also grab the Knights team total Over 2.5 goals (-140). I like the Golden Knights’ chances of scoring three goals, and if the Avalanche sits key players, I believe this line will get closer to (-150).
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Rasmus Andersson Over ½ point (+165) – .15
Rasmus Andersson anytime goal (+700) – .05
Vegas Golden Knights Team Total Over 2.5 (-140) – 1 unit
Mark Stone anytime goal (+230) – .05
Vegas Golden Knights Over 27.5 SOG (-105) – .50 units
Vancouver Canucks (22-48-8) at San Jose Sharks (37-34-7)
Canucks (+185) at Sharks (-225) – Total 6.5 (Over, -115)
10 p.m. ET
The Sharks have dropped three of their last four, were outscored 17-6, and find themselves four points out of a playoff spot with just four games remaining in the regular season. San Jose is coming off back-to-back losses to Edmonton and Anaheim and looked like they had nothing left in the tank against the Ducks.
Tonight is the Sharks’ final home game of the season, and they get the worst team in the league, the Vancouver Canucks, who they have defeated in all three meetings this season. Vancouver has lost nine of their last 10 games and given up four goals or more in seven of their last eight games. I think we see a big game from the Sharks’ Macklin Celebrini. The Sharks’ Kiefer Sherwood will face his former team for the first time.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Macklin Celebrini anytime goal (+110) – 2 units
Macklin Celebrini Over 1.5 points (+118) – .50
Macklin Celebrini Over 3.5 shots on goal (-130) – .50
San Jose Sharks Team Total Over 3.5 (-140) – .50
Kiefer Sherwood Over 2.5 SOG (+110) – .50
Kiefer Sherwood Over ½ assist (+230) – .10
Kiefer Sherwood anytime goal (+280) – .10
