NHL Predictions – Expert Picks on Thursday, January 2:
Here are tonight’s NHL predictions:
Carolina Hurricanes at Florida Panthers (-125, 6.5)
7 p.m. ET
The Panthers swept a home and home from Carolina back in November (6-0, 6-3), but that was with Spencer Martin in goal for both games. Martin is currently in the minors with Carolina’s top AHL team. Carolina will have number one goalie Pyotr Kochetkov for tonight’s game. The Canes have lost three of their last four games overall and have just one win in their last nine road games. Jack Roslovic leads Carolina with 17 goals and has three goals over his past two games and seven points in his last five games, while teammate Seth Jarvis has four assists in his last two games.
After being blanked in back-to-back games the Panthers put up five goals against the NY Rangers and have scored four or more goals in 19 of their 23 wins this season. The Hurricanes have surrendered at least four goals in 12 of their 15 losses. Florida’s Sam Bennett has scored twice versus Carolina this season.
NHL Predictions: Florida Panthers TT Over 3.5 (+140) – 1 unit
Florida Panthers/Carolina Hurricanes Over 5.5 (-110) – 1 unit
Sam Bennett anytime goal (+255) – ¼ unit
Jack Roslovic anytime goal (+295) – ¼ unit
Seth Jarvis Over ½ assist (+150) – ¼ unit
Boston Bruins at NY Rangers (-112, 5.5)
7 p.m. ET
The Rangers continue to be in a downward spiral dropping 15 of their last 19 games, with eleven of the losses by two goals or more. The Bruins have dropped two of their last three games but have won five of their last eight.
This game is settling in, as colleague Josh Applebaum would call a “Hazmat Special.” According to our VSIN Betting Splits page, the Bruins are getting 69% of the bets and 87% of the money, yet the Rangers are a small (-112) home favorite. This is the first meeting between the two teams. The Rangers have won three straight versus the Bruins.
With Igor Shesterkin placed on injured reserve (out at least three games) after New York’s 5-3 loss to Florida just two days ago, Jonathan Quick will handle the starting duties and Louie Domingue gets the recall to be the backup. Quick is 13-6-1 lifetime versus the Bruins with a 2.40 GAA and two shutouts.
Boston is 8-11 on the road. They are 5-3 as a road favorite but just 3-8 as a road underdog. Early goals have been a common theme in Bruins road games. The Over 1.5 goals have cashed in 10 of the last 11 road games. Early goals have also been a theme in Rangers games with a goal being scored in the first 10 minutes in five straight games and 14 of the last 17 games.
New York’s Artemi Panarin has scored three goals in five games versus Jeremy Swayman. Vincent Trocheck has scored twice in four games against the Bruins netminder.
NHL Predictions: Boston Bruins/New York Rangers Goal 1st 10 (-155) – 1 unit
Boston Bruins/New York Rangers 1st period Over 1.5 (-120) – 1 unit
New York Rangers ML (-112) – 1 unit
Artemi Panarin anytime goal (+175) – ¼ unit
Vincent Trocheck anytime goal (+200) – ¼ unit
Minnesota Wild at Washington Capitals (-170, 5.5)
7 p.m. ET
After losing four straight games, the Wild have won three of their past four games. Minnesota owns the league’s best road record, winning 13 of 19 games.
The Capitals are on a nice run of their own, winners of four straight and have won 12 of 18 games on home ice. Alexander Ovechkin continues his chase of Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goal record of 894. Ovechkin is 25 goals shy of passing the “Great One.” Ovechkin has 19 goals in 23 career games versus the Wild.
The Wild’s Matt Boldy has three goals in two games versus tonight’s starter, Charlie Lindgren, and teammate Yakov Trenin has found the back of the net twice against Lindgren.
NHL Predictions: Minnesota Wild ML (+140) – 1 unit
Alexander Ovechkin anytime goal (+145) – ¼ unit
Matt Boldy anytime goal (+190) – ¼ unit
Yakov Trenin anytime goal (+700) – ¼ unit
Marco Rossi Over ½ point (-110) – ½ unit
Detroit Red Wings at Columbus Blue Jackets (-115, 6.5)
7 p.m. ET
After losing their first game under new head coach Todd McLellan, the Wings have responded with a pair of 4-2 victories over the Caps and Penguins. The Blue Jackets have won three of their last four games. Detroit has won the last three and five of the last six games against Columbus. Seven of the last 10 meetings have gone Over the total. Columbus has been a great Over team, especially in the first period at home, where the Over has cashed in 14 of their 19 home games. The Wings are 10-6 to the first period Over on the road, and all three games with Todd McLellan have had at least two goals in the opening 20 minutes.
NHL Predictions: Detroit Red Wings/Columbus Blue Jackets 1st period Over 1.5 (-140) – 1 unit
Detroit Red Wings/Columbus Blue Jackets Over 6.5 (-1020) – 1 unit
Lucas Raymond anytime goal (+215) – ¼ unit
Alex DeBrincat anytime goal (+235) – ¼ unit
Vladimir Tarasenko anytime goal (+390) – ¼ unit
Kirill Marchenko anytime goal (+150) – ¼ unit
Dmitri Voronkov anytime goal (+210) – ¼ unit
Ottawa Senators at Dallas Stars (-185, 5.5)
8 p.m. ET
The Senators closed the month of December with nine wins in 13 games and 11 of their last 16 overall. This will be game number seven of the Senators nine-game road trip. Ottawa has won four of the first six games on this road swing.
The Stars have won three of the last four meetings against the Sens at home. The Stars Wyatt Johnston has goals in three straight and has six points in his last four games. Jason Robertson has also picked it up of late with goals in consecutive games and assists in three straight.
Ottawa’s Josh Norris has five goals in four games against the Dallas Stars, with two coming against Dallas goalie Jake Oettinger. Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot has scored two goals in two games versus Oettinger and Ridly Greig has scored in back-to-back games. The prices on the players are too good to pass up.
NHL Predictions: Ridly Greig anytime goal (+425) – ¼ unit
Josh Norris anytime goal (+295) – ¼ unit
Wyatt Johnston anytime goal (+155) – ¼ unit
Wyatt Johnston Over ½ assist (+120) – ¼ unit
Jason Robertson anytime goal (+190) – ¼ unit
Dallas Stars in Regulation (-120) – 1 unit
Tampa Bay Lightning (-285, 6.5) at San Jose Sharks
10 p.m. ET
The Sharks are coming off a 4-0 shutout at the hands of the Philadelphia Flyers a couple of days ago, so that triggers our system plays of a goal to be scored in the first 10 minutes and the first period Over 1.5 goals.
Tampa’s Brayden Point has 13 assists in 14 games versus the Sharks. If Alexandar Georgiev gets the start, we will play the Lightning (-1/2 goal) in the opening period. Macklin Celebrini has been a shot volume machine for the Sharks, and we will continue to play the Over on his shots on goal prop.
NHL Predictions: Tampa Bay Lightning 1st period (-1/2 goal) +105 – 2 units
Brayden Point Over ½ assist (-135) – 1 unit
Tampa Bay Lightning TT Over 3.5 (-155) – 1 unit
Macklin Celebrini Over 2.5 SOG (-165) – 2 units
Macklin Celebrini Over 3.5 SOG (+150) – ½ unit
Macklin Celebrini Over 4.5 SOG (330) – ¼ unit
Best of the Rest
Leafs/Islanders Over 5.5 (-120) – 1 unit
