NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Here are today’s NHL predictions and best bets.
San Jose Sharks (1-5-2) at Minnesota Wild (3-5-1)
Betting Line: Minnesota Wild (-210, 6.5)
6 p.m. ET
The Minnesota Wild are coming off a 6-2 pounding by the Utah Mammoth on Saturday. The Wild were down 3-0 less than five minutes into the game, and they never recovered. This is the fourth and final stop on the Sharks’ four-game road trip that has seen them pick up their only win of the season against the New York Rangers, sandwiched around losses to the Islanders (4-3) and New Jersey Devils (3-1). In the Devils game, the Sharks did score first, but a pair of power play goals by Dougie Hamilton and an empty-net goal sealed their fate.
The Wild have owned the Sharks over the years, winning seven straight meetings, but they are way overpriced in this game. Minnesota is expected to start rookie goalie Jesper Wallstedt today, with number one goalie Filip Gustavsson playing yesterday against Utah. No confirmation yet if the Sharks will go with veteran Alex Nedeljkovic or rookie Yaroslav Askarov between the pipes. Regardless of which goalie gets the start, the Wild’s Matt Boldy has had success at finding the back of the net. He has scored seven goals in 10 games against the Sharks. He scored six goals in the four head-to-head matchups against Nedeljkovic and scored once in his lone meeting with Askarov in net.
The Sharks have scored three or more goals in five of their nine games this season, and the Wild have given three or more goals six times in their nine games. The Wild have lost both games this season on the second half of a back-to-back. I like the Sharks team total of Over 2.5 goals (-110). Macklin Celebrini leads San Jose in goals (five) and points (12) and is tied for the team lead in assists (seven). In his three games against the Wild, he has five goals and eight points. William Eklund plays on the second line and number one power play, has had three or more shots on goal in four consecutive games.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Matt Boldy anytime goal (+130) – .15 units
Macklin Celebrini Over ½ power play point (+250) – .10 units
Macklin Celebrini anytime goal (+195) – .10 units
William Eklund Over 2.5 SOG (+126) – .20 units
San Jose Sharks Team Total Over 2.5 (-110) – 1 unit
Los Angeles Kings (3-3-3) at Chicago Blackhawks (4-2-2)
Betting Line: LA Kings (-160, 6)
7 p.m. ET
The Los Angeles Kings come into Chicago off a shootout loss (nine rounds) to the Nashville Predators. The Kings are also playing their third game in four days. Saturday was the fourth consecutive Kings game to go past 60 minutes and the sixth time in nine games to start the season. Los Angeles is one of three teams this season still in search of a regulation win. The Blackhawks are on a mini two-game win streak, have won four of their last five games, and will be the more rested team, having had the last two days off. Two of the last three Hawks games have gone to overtime.
With Darcy Kuemper getting the start last night in Nashville, expect Anton Forsberg to get the nod for the Kings tonight. Forsberg is 1-1-1 to start the season with a 3.89 goals against average and an .880 save percentage. The Blackhawks will also go with their number two goalie tonight as Arvid Soderblom gets his third start of the season (1-0-1). In a season where many of the numbers look like they are upside down, the Kings, who have finished in the top three in goals against the past two seasons, rank 21st this season. Chicago, who finished 31st last season and 29th and 28th the two prior seasons, rank 4th this year.
Los Angeles has given up three or more goals in seven of their nine games this season. LA’s Adrian Kempe has goals in three consecutive games and five straight road games. Corey Perry has made an impact with his return to the lineup, scoring a goal in both games since returning.
Chicago’s Ryan Donato has goals in four straight and five goals and a pair of assists in his last five games. Ilya Mikheyev and Andre Burakovsky, who play on either side of Connor Bedard on Chicago’s top line, are both good prop options. Mikheyev has had at least two shots on goal in six consecutive games and has four goals in the six games he has faced Kings goalie Anton Forsberg. Burakovsky, who missed the Tampa game on Thursday due to the birth of his child, returns to the lineup tonight. Never a bad play to go with a player to score a goal after the birth of a child, better known as “the baby bump.”
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Chicago Blackhawks Team Total Over 2.5 (-138) – 1.5 units
Chicago Blackhawks Team Total Over 3 (+110) – .50 units
Ryan Donato anytime goal (+300) – .10 units
Ryan Donato Over ½ assist (+230) – .10 units
Ilya Mikheyev anytime goal (+400) – .10 units
Ilya Mikheyev Over 1.5 shots on goal (-144) – .25 units
Andre Burakovsky anytime goal (+450) – .10 units
Adrian Kempe anytime goal (+185) – .10 units
