NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Here are tonight’s NHL predictions and best bets.
Dallas Stars (+105) at Minnesota Wild (-125)
Total 5.5 (Over, -120)
Wild lead series 3-2
7:30 p.m. ET
The Minnesota Wild are one win away from advancing to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs and their first playoff series win since 2015. The Dallas Stars will look to extend this series to a seventh game, but their struggles to score goals at even strength have led to the Wild winning both games three and four. Dallas has gone 207:53 without scoring a goal at even strength. The Stars have scored nine of their fourteen goals in the series on the power play.
Jason Robertson leads Dallas with five goals in the series, with two coming on the power play. He has three of the Stars’ four goals at even strength. He also leads the Stars with 28 shots on goal through the first five games of the series, registering five or more shots on goal in each game. The Dallas forward has 19 goals in 24 career games versus Minnesota and scored the first goal of the game (not just the first Dallas goal) in four of his last five visits to Grand Casino Arena.
On the Dallas side, Matt Boldy also has 28 shots on goal and has had four shots on goal or more in all five games (7,4,4,5,8). His teammate, Joel Eriksson Ek, has had four shots on goal or more in seven consecutive games versus Dallas. Mats Zuccarello returned to the Wild lineup in Game 5 (after missing games 2-4) and scored the game’s first goal. Zuccarello has points in three straight overall and in each of his last three games against the Stars. He also has points in eight of ten overall and seven of his last ten against Dallas.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Mats Zuccarello Over ½ point (-130) – ½ unit
Jason Robertson 1st goal of the game (+900) – .10 units
Jason Robertson 1st Dallas goal of the game (+400) – .10 units
Jason Robertson anytime goal (+130) – 1 unit
Jason Robertson Over 3.5 SOG (-160) – 1 unit
Jason Robertson Over 4.5 SOG (+130) – ¼ unit
Matt Boldy Over 3.5 SOG (-150) – 1 unit
Boldy/Eriksson Ek/Robertson all with 4+ shots on goal (+370) – ½ unit
Boldy/Robertson Over 3.5 SOG parlay (+140) – 1 unit
Boldy/Eriksson Ek/Robertson all with 1+ first period shots on goal (+161) – 1.5 units
Dallas Over ½ power play goal (+100) – ½ unit
Edmonton Oilers (-135) at Anaheim Ducks (+110)
Total 7 (Under, -122)
Ducks lead series 3-2
10 p.m. ET
It is going to be a frenzied atmosphere at the Honda Center in Anaheim tonight. The Ducks are seeking their first playoff series win since 2017 and have their second shot in the series to close out Edmonton. For their part, this Oilers team has won five of their last seven games when facing elimination. In my estimation, the pressure now swings on Anaheim and the need to close out the series tonight and avoid going back to Edmonton for a winner-take-all game seven.
For all the talk about the Oilers struggles between the pipes, Ducks goalie Lukas Dostal and his 4.32 goals against average ranks dead last in this year’s playoffs and his .864 save percentage ranks 20th out of the 21 goalies who have suited up. The Oilers have scored four goals in all but one game of this series (game 4, 4-3 OT loss). After being held without a point in the first two games of the series, both Connor McDavid (2,2,2) and Evan Bouchard (3,2,2) have had three consecutive multi-point games. McDavid has had at least three shots on goal in all five games of the series. On the Anaheim side, Leo Carlsson’s 26 shots on goal (10 in game 1) have had four shots on goal or more in every game of the series.
The first period Over has cashed in all five games of the series.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Leo Carlsson/Connor McDavid 3+ shots on goal (-120) – 2 units
Leo Carlsson/Connor McDavid 4+ shots on goal (+262) – 1 unit
Edmonton Oilers Team Total Over 3.5 (-110) – 1 unit
McDavid 2+ points/Bouchard Over ½ assist (+104) – 1 unit
Evan Bouchard 2+ points (+160) – ¼ unit
1st period Over 1.5 (-150) – 1 unit
