NHL Predictions – Expert Picks on Thursday, January 16:
There are 13 games on the NHL card today, and I have plenty of plays to choose from. I am going to try to keep the game previews concise and provide you with the necessary information and reasoning behind the sides, totals, and props that I am suggesting. Best of luck today as we look forward to another profitable day of wagering on the NHL. As always, shop around for the best prices. I am finding a great deal of variance on prices, especially pertaining to player props. Here are tonight’s NHL predictions.
New Jersey Devils (-120, 5.5) at Toronto Maple Leafs
7 p.m. ET
Former Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe is hoping the third time is the charm as the Leafs have taken the first two meetings against the Devils, outscoring New Jersey 6-3, with the Under cashing in both games.
New Jersey has played seven consecutive games that have gone under the total and are 32-12-1 to the Under for the season. Toronto has gone Under the total in six of their last eight games and have scored just one goal in their past two games.
The goal in first ten minutes prop has cashed in six straight Leafs games and 14 of the last 17.
Auston Matthews has 19 goals in 20 games against the Devils and the Devils Nico Hischier has two goals in two games against Toronto goalie Joseph Woll.
NHL Predictions: New Jersey Devils/Toronto Maple Leafs Goal 1st 10 (-145) – 1 unit
New Jersey Devils/Toronto Maple Leafs Under 5.5 (-105) – 1 unit
Auston Matthews anytime goal (+130) – ¼ unit
Nico Hischier anytime goal (+210) – ¼ unit
Washington Capitals at Ottawa Senators (-115, 5.5)
7 p.m. ET
The Ottawa Senators will look to extend their win streak to four games tonight when they host the Washington Capitals tonight who are riding a two-game win streak after trading wins and losses in their previous 11 games.
Ottawa has won three of four and five of the last seven meetings between the two teams and have now gone from Underdog to a small Favorite at most sportsbooks. We are seeing a reverse line move in this game as the Senators are getting just 30% of the bets and 38% of the money, according to our VSIN Betting Splits page.
With Ottawa goalie Linus Ullmark still out with an injury, Leevi Merilainen has taken over as the number one netminder for the Senators. Merilainen is coming off a shutout over the Islanders on Tuesday for his second shutout in his past three starts. The Sens lead the NHL with seven shutouts this season.
Ottawa’s last eight games have gone Under the total, while the Capitals have gone Under the total in their past four. Despite those numbers, I will play the first period Over 1.5 goals. Washington has gone Over the total (1.5 goals) in 15 of 21 road games.
Three of the last five and four of the last eight meetings between the Sens and Caps have gone to Overtime, and four of the last seven Capitals games have gone past regulation.
Alexander Ovechkin has just one goal (empty net) in his past five games but does have 36 goals in 57 games against the Senators.
Capitals rookie Ethen Frank has goals in consecutive games and has points in his first three games.
Two Senators props that have my attention: Drake Batherson has 7 goals and 11 points in 10 games versus the Capitals and Josh Norris has three goals in five games against Washington.
NHL Predictions: Washington Capitals/Ottawa Senators 1st Period Over 1.5 (-120) – 1 unit
Alexander Ovechkin anytime goal (+145) – ½ unit
Ethen Frank anytime goal (+550) – ¼ unit
Drake Batherson anytime goal (+250) – ¼ unit
Drake Batherson Over ½ assist (+144) – ¼ unit
Josh Norris anytime goal (+275) – ¼ unit
Anaheim Ducks at Tampa Bay Lightning (-310, 6)
7 p.m. ET
The Ducks are coming off a 3-0 shutout at the hands of the Washington Capitals. Tuesday, our systems are in play of a goal to be scored in the first ten minutes and the first period Over 1.5 goals. For the season, teams in this spot have cashed the goal in first ten minutes in 55 of 80 games. The first period Over 1.5 is (48-32). The last four Ducks games have all had a goal scored in the opening 10 minutes. When these two teams met 11 days ago in Anaheim, both prop plays cashed.
Anaheim’s Troy Terry has four goals in seven career games against the Lightning, including two against Andrei Vasilevskiy. Tampa’s Jake Guentzel has eight goals in 11 games versus the Ducks.
NHL Predictions: Jake Guentzel anytime goal (+140) – ¼ unit
Troy Terry anytime goal (+275) – ¼ unit
Anaheim Ducks/Tampa Bay Lightning Goal 1st 10 minutes (-175) – 1 unit
Anaheim Ducks/Tampa Bay Lightning 1st Period Over 1.5 (-145) – 1 unit
Detroit Red Wings at Florida Panthers (-230, 5.5)
7 p.m. ET
Very simple for this game tonight. We are going with a goal to be scored in the first 10 minutes of the game. This prop has cashed for us in nine straight and 13 of the last 14 games. The Panthers Anton Lundell has five goals in nine games vs Detroit (+350). Jonathan Berggren has 2 goals in three games versus Florida goalie Sergei Bobrovsky (+600)
NHL Predictions: Goal to be scored in 1st 10 minutes (-140) – 1 unit
Anton Lundell anytime goal (+350) – ¼ unit
Jonathan Berggren anytime goal (+600) – ¼ unit
San Jose Sharks at Columbus Blue Jackets (-170, 6.5)
7 p.m. ET
The Columbus Blue Jackets have won five straight and find themselves in a wild card spot. They will look to make it six straight when they host the Sharks tonight, who beat Columbus back in November, 2-1 in overtime as Vitek Vanecek stopped 49 of 50 shots. Tonight, Columbus will go up against Alexandar Georgiev who is coming off a win over Detroit on Tuesday, snapping a six-game losing streak. First periods have been a problem this season for the Sharks netminder as his teams (Sharks/Avs) are 3-19-3 in the opening 20 minutes. It has been better since coming to the Sharks, as he is 2-4-2 in the first period since coming to San Jose. I am still willing to take a shot on the Jackets’ first-period money line (-1/2 goal) tonight, as well as playing the first-period total of Over 1.5 goals. The Jackets are 17-6 to the first period Over 1.5 goals at home. That fits in well with the Sharks, who have cashed the first period Over 1.5 on the road in 14 of 22 games.
A couple of player props for tonight that are on my radar. Zach Werenski is riding a 17-game point streak at home (12 G, 22 A). He has had two points or more in four straight and six of his last seven home games. Adam Fantilli is riding an overall six-game point streak (seven points).
NHL Predictions: Zach Werenski anytime goal (+280) – ¼ unit
Zach Werenski Over 1.5 points (+176) – ¼ unit
Adam Fantilli anytime goal (+225) – ¼ unit
Adam Fantilli over ½ assist (+145) – ¼ unit
Macklin Celebrini Over 2.5 SOG (-140) – 1 unit
William Eklund anytime goal (+340) – ¼ unit
Philadelphia Flyers at NY Islanders (-135, 5.5)
7:30 p.m. ET
We have another system play tonight with the Islanders being shut out by Ottawa in their previous game, and that fits nicely with the Flyers, whose games have had a goal in the first 10 minutes in nine straight and ten of their last 11. The Islanders have won three of four and seven of 10 versus the Flyers.
NHL Predictions: Philadelphia Flyers/New York Islanders Goal 1st 10 (-140) – 1 unit
Philadelphia Flyers/New York Islanders 1st Period Over 1.5 (-120) – 1 unit
Chicago Blackhawks at Nashville Predators (-260, 5.5)
8 p.m. ET
If it’s a Blackhawks game, then you must be on a goal in the first 10 minutes and the first period Over 1.5 goals. The goal in first 10 prop has cashed in seven straight and nine of the last 10, and the first period Over 1.5 goals has cashed in 11 straight. The Predators’ Jonathan Marchessault has assists in five straight games. Filip Forsberg has goals in three straight and five goals in twelve games against Petr Mrazek.
NHL Predictions: Goal in 1st 10 minutes (-150) – 1.5 units
1st Period Over 1.5 (-135 – 1.5 units
Filip Forsberg anytime goal (+145) – ¼ unit
