NHL Predictions – Expert Picks on Thursday, February 27:
Here are tonight’s NHL predictions:
St. Louis Blues at Washington Capitals (-166, 5.5)
7 p.m. ET
For me, it’s mostly about Alexander Ovechkin props when it comes to wagering on Caps games. The “Great 8” is just 12 goals shy of breaking Gretzky’s goal record (894). Ovechkin has 21 goals in 27 career games against the Blues but did not score in the game he faced Joel Hofe, who will start tonight for St. Louis. I will be on Ovechkin not only to score a goal but to score the last goal of the game. Whether the Caps are up or down a goal or two, Ovi will be on the ice. Until the sportsbooks put out odds on Ovechkin’s shots on goal props that are too pricey, I will continue to play him to have four, five and maybe even six shots on goal in a game. In his last three games, he has had 5, 9 and 4 shots on goal, as well as 41 directed at the net. Ovechkin is attempting, on average, 17 shots a game.
NHL Predictions: Ovechkin Over 3.5 shots on goal (-120) – 2 units
Ovechkin Over 4.5 shots on goal (+195) – ½ unit
Ovechkin anytime goal (+110) – ¼ unit
Ovechkin last goal of the game (+800) – ¼ unit
Blues TT over 2.5 (-135) – ½ unit
1st period Over 1.5 (-125) – 1 unit
NY Islanders (-115, 5.5) at Boston Bruins
7 p.m. ET
The Bruins opened as a (-130) favorite. This line has flipped to the Islanders, who are now a (-115) road favorite despite the Islanders receiving 26% of the bets and 18% of the money, according to our VSIN Betting Splits page. New York has lost a season-high four consecutive games in regulation, and the Bruins, who are dealing with injuries to their top two defensemen (Charlie McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm), have also dropped four straight, the last two in Overtime. I have zero interest in playing either side in this game. I do love the total. The last six meetings have had a combined 9, 9, 6, 9, 7 and 8 goals. A couple of player props that have caught my eye. I gave out a Morgan Geekie goal prop on Tuesday that cashed (now nine goals in his last 13 games), and I will come back with that again today, along with his shots on goal prop (Over 2.5). Geekie has had three or more shots on goal in four consecutive games.
NHL Predictions: Islanders/Bruins Over 5.5 (-130) – 1.5 units
Morgan Geekie Over 2.5 SOG (+138) – 1 unit
Morgan Geekie anytime goal (+250) – ¼ unit
Edmonton Oilers at Florida Panthers (-140, 6.5)
7 p.m. ET
I’m going to keep this one short and sweet. For those of you who are into instant gratification, the first-period over 1.5 goals has cashed in 13 of the last 15 Oilers games. Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl has goals in six consecutive games.
NHL Predictions: 1st Period Over 1.5 (-145) – 1unit
Leon Draisaitl anytime goal (+135) – ¼ unit
Minnesota Wild at Utah HC (-185, 5.5)
9 p.m. ET
Utah HC opened as (-120) home favorite, and it quickly shot up to (-185). I could only play the Wild at this price, but instead will offer up a quartet of Utah player props.
NHL Predictions: Nick Bjugstad anytime goal (+700) – ¼ unit
Lawson Crouse anytime goal (+380) – ¼ unit
Barrett Hayton anytime goal (+270) – ¼ unit
Clayton Keller anytime goal (+160) – ¼ unit
Chicago Blackhawks at Vegas Golden Knights (-410, 6)
10 p.m. ET
This game highlights one of my favorite trends of the NHL season. In games where we have a favorite of (-400+) the underdog has scored a goal in the first period in 14 of the 18 games this season. The Blackhawks themselves have scored a first-period goal in four of their last five games. In 12 of the 18 games in this spot, we have also had a goal scored in the first 10 minutes. The full game Under has also cashed in 12 of the 18 games. Shop around on the total, as there are 5.5 and 6 out there. I also like both teams to score in the opening 20 minutes. I expect a strong first period from the Golden Knights, who were not happy at all with how they felt they gave the game away to the LA Kings on Monday night with a poor third period. The first-period BTTS prop in games with a (-400) favorite has cashed in eight of the 18 games, which is very profitable.
A couple of player props that I will be on. The Blackhawks’ Connor Bedard scored a goal in each game that he has faced Vegas goalie Adin Hill. The Knights’ Victor Olofsson has six goals in eight games in his career versus Chicago.
NHL Predictions: Blackhawks 1st period Over ½ goal (+105) – 1 unit
Goal 1st 10 minutes/Yes (-160) – 1 unit
1st period BTTS (+190) – ½ unit
Connor Bedard anytime goal (+280) – ¼ unit
Victor Olofsson anytime goal (+300) – ¼ unit
Vancouver Canucks (-135, 5.5) at Anaheim Ducks
10 p.m. ET
The Canucks are coming off a hard-fought 3-2 overtime win last night in Los Angeles against the LA Kings. Vancouver squandered a 2-0 third-period lead before Conor Garland scored the overtime winner, his second goal of the game for the victory. The game marked the return of defenseman Quinn Hughes for the Canucks, who was playing his first game since January 31. Despite having seven defensemen in the lineup, Hughes played 21:38 last night, the second-most minutes on the team. Now Hughes and the Canucks face a Ducks team who have won seven of their last 10 games. I do like Anaheim in this spot, and I must not be the only one. Vancouver opened as a (-155) road favorite and has been bet down to (-135). The Canucks are 1-5 in the second half of back-to-backs this season. I will also be on Anaheim defenseman Jackson LaCombe’s shot prop of Over 1.5. LaCombe has cashed this prop in six straight and 13 of his last 14 games.
NHL Predictions: Jackson LaCombe Over 1.5 SOG (-130) – 2 units
Anaheim Ducks ML (+112) – ¾ units
