NHL Predictions – Sunday, November 17:
I hope everyone is enjoying their Sunday. Just four games on the NHL schedule today and the Blues and Hurricanes are already underway. Carolina is coming off a win and is an overwhelming (-325) favorite today. Home Favorites (-200+) off a win are 19-2 this season and have scored four or more goals in 21 of the 22 games.
The remaining three games are all 8 p.m. Eastern starts and should be far more entertaining than the Sunday night NFL game between the Texans and Cowboys. I have best bets in all three games. Enjoy the night on ice.
Washington Capitals at Vegas Golden Knights (-130, 6.5)
8 p.m. ET
The Washington Capitals come to T-Mobile Arena on Sunday following a dominant 5-2 over the Colorado Avalanche Friday in Denver. The Caps not only limited the Avs to 19 shots on goal but did not allow a shot on goal to the league’s point leader Nathan MacKinnon. It was the first time in 78 games that MacKinnon did not register a shot on goal.
This will be the second meeting this season between the two teams. The Caps doubled the Golden Knights 4-2 back on October 15 as former Vegas goalie Logan Thompson stopped 24 of 26 shots for the victory in his first appearance versus his former team. Expect Thompson to get the start tonight in Vegas as the Caps will look to snap a six-game losing streak at T-Mobile Arena.
After tonight’s game the Golden Knights will head out for five games on the road. Vegas had their eight-game home win streak to start the season, snapped by the Carolina Hurricanes last Monday return home tonight after a pair of road victories.
The Golden Knights have scored four or more goals in nine of their 11 wins this season and seven of their eight home wins. The game total over has also been profitable for both Vegas and Washington this season. The Knights are 11-4-2 to the Over and the Caps are 9-5-2 and have gone Over the total in each of their last three games.
Jack Eichel leads Vegas with five goals and 27 points and is currently riding a five-game point streak (2 goals, 9 assists). Pavel Dorofeyev was held to one shot on goal in the Knights win over Utah, but has cashed his shots on goal prop of 3+ shots in 10 of 15 games. In his last 11 games he has yet to go back-to-back games of not cashing his prop of 3+ shots in a game.
NHL Predictions: Vegas TT Over 3.5 (+100) – 1 unit
Vegas ML (-130) – 1 unit
Jack Eichel Over ½ assist (-162) – 1 unit
Pavel Dorofeyev 3+ SOG (-130) – 1 unit
New York Rangers (-190, 6) at Seattle Kraken
9 p.m. ET
The Seattle Kraken are a perfect 4-for-4 to kick off their six-game homestand as they play host to the New York Rangers tonight at Climate Pledge Arena. Seattle will be in tough tonight on the back end of a back-to-back and three games in four nights. Seattle has lost both their games this season by 2-0 scores in the second half of the back to backs. With Joey Daccord starting on Saturday, expect Phillip Grubauer to be in goal for Seattle tonight. It’s been a rough start to the season for Grubauer who is 1-5 with a 3.27 GAA and .877 save percentage.
The Rangers have won four of their last six games but have traded wins and losses over the past five games and are coming off a 3-2 win over the San Jose Sharks. New York is 9-5 as a betting favorite this season but have been better on the road in this spot, going 4-1. In their five games as the road favorite the Rangers have outscored their opponents 25-9 and have won all four games by two or more goals.
There are a couple of Ranger players that I am focusing on for tonight. Reilly Smith who is playing with Kreider and Zibanejad has five goals in seven games versus the Kraken. Alexis Lafreniere has points in three straight games and seven of his last nine has scored two goals in three games against Seattle goalie, Phillip Grubauer.
NHL Predictions: NY Rangers ML (-190) – 1.5 units
NY Rangers -1.5 goals (+136) – ½ unit
Alexis Lafreniere anytime goal (+220) – ½ unit
                           Alexis Lafreniere Over ½ assist (+176) – ½ unit
Reilly Smith anytime goal (+340) – ¼ unit
Nashville Predators at Vancouver Canucks (-125, 6)
10 p.m. ET
Tonight marks the first meeting between the Predators and the Canucks since Vancouver eliminated Nashville from last year’s playoffs in six games. The Canucks have won four straight regular season meetings in this match up and six of the last seven have gone over the betting total.
It’s been a nightmare start to the season for Nashville, who is tied with the Chicago Blackhawks for the worst record in the NHL. The Preds have lost six of seven overall and scored two goals or less in six of the last seven. Nashville ranks last in offense, scoring an average of 2.28 goals per game and has scored two goals or less in 11 of their 18 games. Vancouver has given up two goals or less in five of their last seven games. Nashville has one win in eight road games.
The Canucks are coming off a 4-1 win over the Blackhawks on Saturday night, winning for just the third time in nine home games. Vancouver is not only playing games on back-to-back days, but three games in four nights and four games in six nights. Kevin Lankinen, who spent the past two seasons with Nashville, gets the start tonight against his former team. Lankinen has eight of Vancouver’s nine wins this season.
Quinn Hughes has 14 assists in 16 games this season and 20 assists in 13 career games versus Nashville. Elias Pettersson has started to get on a roll, scoring three goals in the last four games. Petey has had success against Nashville in his career scoring 10 goals in 15 games.
NHL Predictions – Quinn Hughes over ½ assist (-54) – 2 units
Elias Pettersson anytime goal (+215) – ½ unit
Nashville TT under 2.5 (+110) – ½ unit
