NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Here are today’s NHL predictions and best bets.
Calgary Flames (2-9-2) at Philadelphia Flyers (6-4-1)
Betting Line: (Flyers -135, 5.5)
7 p.m. ET, Sportsnet, NHL Network
It’s been a nightmarish start for the Calgary Flames, who are coming off a loss on Saturday to the Nashville Predators, 4-2, dropping their third straight and their 11th loss in 13 games to start the season. Goalie Dustin Wolf was pulled on Saturday after giving up three goals on 11 shots and replaced by rookie Devin Cooley, who stopped all 12 Nashville shots he faced. Calgary coach Ryan Huska has decided to go back to Wolfe for tonight’s matchup. Flames games are 9-3-1 to the full game Over this season, but 10-3 to the Over when you consider today’s total of 5.5 goals.
It was a similar situation in Philadelphia last night as starting goalie Dan Vladar was given the hook just 33 seconds into the third period after the Leafs’ Easton Cowan scored his first NHL goal, giving Toronto a 4-1 lead. Vladar was replaced by Aleksei Kolosov, who was recently recalled from the minors to replace the injured Samuel Ersson. Kolosov stopped all seven shots he faced in relief. The Russian netminder has 18 NHL games on his resume (17 last season). He closed out the 2024-25 season, giving up four goals or more in six of his final nine starts.
Philadelphia is 5-0 this season in the role as a home favorite, with three of the five games going past regulation. The Flames have won the last two meetings with the Flyers and four of the last six. All four Calgary wins had a combined seven goals or more.
This game is prop-heavy for me. Flyers leading scorer, Trevor Zegras has gone Over his shots on goal prop (1.5) in each of his last 5 games. He has points in four straight games (four goals, four assists), assists in four straight games, and a power play point in four straight games. His 13 points lead the team, and he is the only Flyers player who has double-digit point totals for the season. His linemate, Matvei Michkov, has assists (3) in back-to-back games and his two “helpers” in two games against the Flames.
This is also the return of a pair of two former Flyers, Joel Farabee and Morgan Frost. Farabee has had at least two shots on goal in five straight games and points in four straight (two goals, two assists). Nazem Kadri has points in five straight (three goals, three assists), and Jonathan Huberdeau is on a four-game point streak (one goal, three assists).
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Calgary Flames/Philadelphia Flyers Over 5.5 (-125) – 1 unit
Trevor Zegras assist (+128) – .20 units
Trevor Zegras power play point (+300) – .10 units
Trevor Zegras Over 1.5 shots on goal (-156) – .50 units
Matvei Michkov assist (+162) – .20 units
Nazem Kadri assist/Huberdeau point (+216) – .20 units
Joel Farabee/Morgan Frost point parlay (+309) – .10 units
Joel Farabee Over 1.5 shots on goal (-110) – .20 units
New Jersey Devils (9-3-0) at Anaheim Ducks (6-3-1)
Betting Line: (Devils -130,6.5)
8 p.m. ET
New Jersey sits atop the Metropolitan Division after a 4-1 road win over the Kings last night. Jacob Markstrom’s 43 saves and Dawson Mercer’s two shorthanded goals, giving him five goals in three games, helped to snap a mini two-game skid. The Devils lead the NHL with four shorthanded goals and rank 1st on the power play (32.3%). Jack Hughes (9-6-15) and Jesper Bratt (4-9-13) are rolling, and Timo Meier has points in seven of 12 games.
Now the Devils head south on the 5 Freeway to face the Anaheim Ducks on the back end of a back-to-back and their third game in four days. Jake Allen, coming off his first loss of the season (6-1-0), will get the start tonight. New Jersey has lost their last two trips to the Honda Center and eight of their last 10. Anaheim is on a mini two-game win streak and has won four of their last five games, scoring five or more goals in three of the wins. Ducks leading scorer, Leo Carlsson (five goals, 15 points), is on a five-game point streak that includes assists in four straight and goals and power play points in back-to-back games. His linemate, Troy Terry, is coming off a two-goal, one-assist game versus the Devils on Friday and now has points (10) in six consecutive games. He has six goals and five assists in nine career games against the Devils. Cutter Gauthier, who leads the team in goals (6), is on a five-game point streak that includes a power play point in each of the last two games.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Troy Terry anytime goal (+240) – .10 units
Dawson Mercer anytime goal (+230) – .10 units
Cutter Gauthier anytime goal (+200) – .10 units
Leo Carlsson Over ½ assist (+116) – .10 units
Troy Terry Over ½ assist (+114) – .10 units
Detroit Red Wings (8-4-0) at San Jose Sharks (4-6-2)
Betting Line: (Detroit -190, 6.5)
8 p.m. ET
The Sharks are on a roll, winners of back-to-back games and four of their last six. Saturday, the Sharks snapped a 12-game losing streak to the Colorado Avalanche and won for just the third time over Colorado in their last 20 meetings, rallying for a 3-2 overtime victory. San Jose has picked up victories over Jersey and the Avalanche in their past two games. The Sharks have won two straight and three of the last four meetings with Detroit. Four of the last seven meetings have gone to overtime and seven of the last 10 have flown Over the total (6.5). Eight of the last 12 San Jose games have gone Over the betting total. Detroit has played five consecutive full-game Overs. The full game Over has cashed in eight of the 12 Wings games this season. At this price (+165), and the way San Jose is playing, the Sharks are worth a sprinkle.
This will be another prop-heavy game for me. The Sharks’ Phillipp Kurashev has goals (4) in three consecutive games, and at (+380), this is too good a value to pass up. Macklin Celebrini is on a seven-game point streak (six goals and seven assists), and Detroit’s Dylan Larkin leads the Wings with eight goals and 17 points. The Sharks rank 29th on the penalty kill. Detroit has the league’s 10th-best power play. Alex DeBrincat and Mo Seider are the Wings’ top two point producers with the man advantage.
NHL Prediction and Best Bets:
Detroit Red Wings/Sharks Over 6.5 (-120) – 1 unit
1st period Over 1.5 (-158) – .30 units
San Jose Sharks ML (+165) – .10 units
Macklin Celebrini/Larkin each Over ½ point (-105) – 1 unit
Regulation Draw (+340) – .10 units
Phillipp Kurashev anytime goal (+380) – .10 units
Alex DeBrincat Over ½ Power Play point (+200) – .10 units
Mo Seider Over ½ Power Play point (+230) – .10 units
