NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Here are tonight’s NHL predictions and best bets:
Seattle Kraken (31-29-10) at Tampa Bay Lightning (44-21-5)
Kraken (+230) at Lightning (-295) – Total 6 (Over, -120)
7 p.m. ET
These two teams met nine days ago in Seattle, with the Lightning steamrolling the Kraken, 7-2, led by Nikita Kucherov’s three goals and two assists. Tampa has now won eight of the nine meetings against Seattle, scoring four or more goals in seven of those wins. Tampa has also covered the Puck Line (-1.5 goals) in each of their last eight wins. Overall, Seattle has lost four straight and eight of ten, having given up four goals or more in six of the eight losses.
As mentioned earlier, Kucherov had a five-point game against Seattle in the last meeting. He has seven goals in eight games against the Kraken and registered multi-point games in three of the last four meetings. Brandon Hagel has seven goals and 15 points in eight games versus Seattle. He has six consecutive multi-point games against the Kraken and has points in four of his last five games (all 2+ points). Anthony Cirelli has points in four of his last five and five of seven against the Kraken. Defenseman Darryn Raddysh has put up five shots on goal or more in four of the five games. With Victor Hedman taking a leave of absence (personal reasons), I am expecting his high-volume shot total to continue.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Darryn Raddysh Over 3.5 shots on goal (+150) – 1 unit
Nikita Kucherov anytime goal (+115) – .25
Nikita Kucherov 2+ assists (+172) – .25
Brandon Hagel anytime goal (+180) – .25
Brandon Hagel Over 1.5 points (+215) – .25
Tampa Bay Lightning Team Total Over 4 (+112) – 1 unit
Tampa Bay Lightning -1.5 goals (-112) – .50
Chicago Blackhawks (27-31-13) at Philadelphia Flyers (34-24-12)
Blackhawks (+140) at Flyers (-170) – Total 5.5 (Over, -115)
7 p.m. ET
Going to tread lightly with this game. I could only get behind the Blackhawks at this price. The Flyers are a strong home favorite this season (11-6) as opposed to a home underdog (4-14). The draw is also in play with the Hawks going to overtime in five of their last nine and the Flyers going past regulation in four of their last six (BetRivers had the best price).
The Hawks’ Nick Lardis has goals in back-to-back games. Connor Bedard has had at least three shots on goal in four of his last five games. Tyler Bertuzzi has had two shots on goal in six of seven games. Tonight is game number two for the Hawks’ Anton Frondell. He had an assist in his debut playing alongside Connor Bedard.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Tyler Bertuzzi Over 1.5 SOG/Bedard Over 2.5 SOG (+166) – 1 unit
Anton Frondell Over ½ assist (+172) – .05
Anton Frondell anytime goal (+300) – .05
Konecny/Cates point parlay (+174) – .20
Regulation Draw (+350) – .05
Dallas Stars (43-17-11) at New York Islanders (40-27-5)
Stars (-125) at Islanders (+105) – Total 5.5 (-120)
7 p.m. ET
The Dallas Stars have lost three straight and four of their last five as they visit the Islanders. Five of the last six meetings between the Stars and Islanders have played to the Under, and three of the six have gone past regulation. Dallas has gone past regulation in five of their last 10 games. While the Islanders have gone to overtime just twice in their last nine games, seven of those games have been decided by one goal.
The Isles find themselves just outside of a playoff spot. With points at a premium and these being two teams from different conferences and neither team worrying about giving a point away, overtime is on the table. Jason Robertson has goals in three of his last four games and five of the last seven games he has faced the Islanders. Of the Dallas players on the active roster, Robertson has five of the nine goals scored against the Islanders’ starting goalie, Ilya Sorokin. Red-hot Wyatt Johnston has yet to put a puck past Sorokin in his career, but he has goals in five of his last seven games.
NHL Prediction and Best Bets:
Jason Robertson anytime goal (+135) – .50
Wyatt Johnston anytime goal (+165) – .10
No goals first 5 minutes/Under 6.5 (+100) – 1 unit
Regulation Draw (+325) – .05
Columbus Blue Jackets (38-22-11) at Montreal Canadiens (39-21-10)
Blue Jackets (+100) at Canadiens (-120) – Total 6.5 (Over, -120)
7 p.m. ET
The Canadiens are coming off a 5-2 win over Carolina on Tuesday and have won three of their last four overall. The Habs have also won four straight over Columbus at the Bell Centre and seven of the last 10 meetings overall. The Jackets have won five of their last six overall and 19 of 26 under new head coach Rick Bowness. Under Bowness, Columbus has gone from last place in the Eastern Conference to second place in the Metro Division.
Two of the last three meetings have gone past regulation, with all three having a combined seven goals or more. Eight of the last ten meetings have had a combined six goals or more, and six of those have had at least seven goals. This game is a perfect candidate for both teams to score two goals, and I will parlay this game with the Devils/Predators game and the Ducks/Flames game.
Montreal’s Cole Caufield has goals in five of his last six games and five straight at home. Juraj Slafkovsky has goals in three straight, and twice those goals have opened the scoring for Montreal. The Jackets’ Zach Werenski has eight assists in his last five games and 14 assists in 22 career games versus the Canadiens.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Canadiens/Jackets Over 5.5 – Stars/Isles Under 6.5 (+137) – .50
Canadiens/Jackets, Devils/Predators, Ducks/Flames – all teams to score 2+ goals (+200) – .50
Cole Caufield anytime goal (+145) – .25
Juraj Slafkovsky anytime goal (+195) – .15
Juraj Slafkovsky first Canadiens goal (+650) – .05
Werenski assist/Hutson assist/Caufield point (+224) – .25
Pittsburgh Penguins (35-20-16) at Ottawa Senators (38-24-9)
Penguins (+125) at Senators (-150) – Total 6.5 (Under, -128)
7 p.m. ET
The Penguins have lost three of their last four, have dropped five straight, and eight of nine at Ottawa. The Penguins’ last win in Ottawa was back in February 2022. Four of the last seven head-to-head meetings have gone past regulation, and five of the Penguins’ last 10 games have been decided in overtime. Pittsburgh has been leaking goals of late, giving up four goals or more in nine of their last 11 games and 48 total goals over that 11-game span.
Tonight is the third meeting this season between the two teams, and the Senators have won both (4-0 and 3-2). If Pittsburgh is going to put an end to their losing streak to Ottawa, they are going to need the Stuart Skinner who has six wins in seven decisions versus Ottawa and not the Skinner who has just one win in his last five decisions. When it comes to player props, let’s start with the Penguins’ Egor Chinakhov, who has goals in three straight, with all three goals opening the scoring for Pittsburgh.
The Pens’ top line of Sidney Crosby, Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell are all on a roll. Crosby has points in all four games since returning, Rust has points in eight straight, and Rakell has points in nine of his last 10 games. Brady Tkachuk and Dylan Cozens each have four goals against the Pens’ starting goalie, Stuart Skinner.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Egor Chinakhov anytime goal (+270) – .20
Egor Chinakhov first Penguins goal (+800) – .05
Crosby/Rust/Rakell point parlay (+164) – .50
Ottawa Senators Team Total Over 3.5 (+110) – .50
Regulation Draw (+325) – .05
Pittsburgh Penguins TT Over 26.5 SOG (-118) – .25
Brady Tkachuk anytime goal (+155) – .10
Dylan Cozens anytime goal (+235) – .10
Colorado Avalanche (47-13-10) at Winnipeg Jets (30-29-12)
Avalanche (-190) at Jets (+154) – Total 6 (Over, -115)
8 p.m. ET
The Jets have dominated Colorado in the regular season, winning seven of the last nine head-to-head contests and six of the last seven on home ice, including a 3-1 win over Colorado on March 14. Colorado defeated the Jets 3-2 in Denver on December 19. It is interesting to note that Gabe Landeskog played in the win over Winnipeg but was out with an injury in the last meeting in Winnipeg. The Avs are 38-4-7 with Landy in the lineup and 9-9-3 without their captain. Each of the last four meetings and five of the last six have gone under the full game total. Colorado’s Martin Necas has scored in both games versus the Jets this season and in seven of his last 11 meetings against Winnipeg.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Under 6.5 (-135) – 1 unit
Martin Necas anytime goal (+155) – 1 unit
New Jersey Devils (36-32-2) at Nashville (34-28-9)
Devils (-110) at Predators (-110) – Total 6 (Over, -130)
8 p.m. ET
The Devils have gone Over the full game total in seven of their last nine games. Nashville has won five straight and scored at least three goals in all five wins. The goaltending matchup has Jacob Markstrom for New Jersey and Justus Annunen for the Predators. Annunen has lost all four starts against Jersey and has a goals-against average of 4.50.
Jesper Bratt has goals in four straight and two goals in the four games he has faced Annunen. Jersey defenseman Dougie Hamilton has three goals in three games against Annunen. Jack Hughes has had four multi-point games in his last six to go along with four shots on goal or more in seven of his last nine games.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Marchesseault/Stamkos/Forsberg point parlay (+207) – .50
Canadiens/Jackets, Devils/Predators, Ducks/Flames – all teams to score 2+ goals (+200) – .50
Jonathan Marchesseault Over 2.5 SOG (+150) – .25
Jesper Bratt anytime goal (+275) – .15
Jack Hughes Over 1.5 pts (+116) – .15
Filip Forsberg anytime goal (+160) – .15
Steven Stamkos anytime goal (+185) – .15
Dawson Mercer anytime goal (+400) – .15
