NHL Predictions – Expert Picks on Thursday, March 6:
Here are tonight’s NHL predictions:
Buffalo Sabres at Tampa Bay Lightning (-245, 6.5)
7 p.m. ET
The Tampa Bay Lightning are loading up for another run at the Stanley Cup. On Wednesday, Tampa acquired Yanni Gourde and Oliver Bjorkstrand for a pair of first-round draft picks from the Seattle Kraken. It is a big price to pay for two players that will play in their bottom six forward group, but for the Lightning, it is Stanley Cup or bust. For Buffalo, this will mark the 14th consecutive season the Sabres will miss the postseason. Buffalo is coming off a 6-2 thumping from the 32nd and last overall in the standings, the San Jose Sharks. Buffalo has lost four straight, outscored 19-6 and have given up four goals or more in each loss. For the season, Buffalo has given up four goals or more in 25 of their 36 losses. Tampa has scored four or more goals in 28 of their 36 wins. The first period Over 1.5 goals has cashed in 18 of their 27 road games.
NHL Predictions: Tampa TT over 3.5 (-145) – 1 unit
1st period Over 1.5 (-145) – 1unit
Calgary Flames at Dallas Stars (-230, 5.5)
8 p.m. ET
The Dallas Stars are on quite a run of late, scoring four goals or more in 11 of their last 12 games. The full game has gone Over the total in wight straight and 11 of the last 12 Stars games as well. When it comes to this matchup, the full game Over has cashed in seven straight with combined totals of 8, 7, 11, 7, 11, 9 and 11 goals. The Stars scored four or more goals in six of the seven meetings. A goal in the first 10 minutes has cashed in eight of the last 9 Dallas home games and 20 of their last 23 games overall (GIFT stats courtesy of @ianduncs, @PsuOtto).
A couple of Dallas player props that are on my radar for tonight. Dallas defenseman Thomas Harley has continued his strong play since playing for Team Canada at the 4 Nations tournament. Harley is on a four-game assist streak (6 total). Jason Robertson also has six assists in his last four games as well as eight goals in 10 career games against the Calgary Flames. Wyatt Johnston is on a three-game goal streak with five goals and has seven goals in his last seven games.
Two Flames props that I am on are a Connor Zary anytime goal and Jonathan Huberdeau to record at least one assist. Zary has two goals in three games against Jake Oettinger and Huberdeau, who not only has assists in three consecutive games but 22 assists in 28 games against the Dallas Stars.
NHL Predictions: Flames/Stars over 5.5 (-130) – 2 units
Dallas Stars TT over 3.5 (-120) – 1 unit
Thomas Harley over ½ assist (+120) – ¼ unit
Jason Robertson anytime goal (+150) – ¼ unit
Wyatt Johnston anytime goal (+195) – ¼ unit
Connor Zary anytime goal (+500) – ¼ unit
Jonathan Huberdeau over ½ assist (+184) – ¼ unit
Seattle Kraken at Nashville Predators (-130, 5.5)
8 p.m. ET
It’s a battle between the 28th overall Seattle Kraken and the 30th overall Nashville Predators in the NHL’s point standings. So, what would possess me to get involved in a wager on this game? It’s all about the props. I am going back to the well with the Kraken full game Over. Seattle is 20-6 to the Over following a loss. Let me do the math for you. That is a 77% success rate. The “GIFT” has cashed in seven of the last nine road games and 15 of the last 19 Nashville games overall. The Kraken’s Shane Wright has 16 points in his last 15 games.
NHL Predictions: Kraken/Preds Over 5.5 (-115) – 1.5 units
GIFT/Yes (-145) – ½ unit
Shane Wright over ½ point (+110) – ½ unit
San Jose Sharks at Colorado Avalanche (-420, 6.5)
9:30 p.m. ET
It’s the final game of the night and it features what has been one of my most profitable trends. The trend is to play the Underdog to score a first-period goal when the favorite is (-400+). In our system, the Underdog has scored a first-period goal in 15 of the 19 games.
Other plays in this system:
Goal in the 1st 10 minutes (13-6)
1ST Period Over 1.5 goals (12-7)
1st Period Both Teams to Score (9-10)
Full Game Under the total is (12-7)
This is the first time the Avalanche have been a favorite of (-400+), but this will be the fifth time they have been a favorite of (-300+). Colorado has cashed each of the listed props in three of their four previous games in this spot when being a favorite of (-300+).
On to the player props. The Avs Ross Colton has scored twice this season against the Sharks and has six goals in eight career games versus San Jose.
NHL Predictions: Sharks 1st period over ½ goal (+100)
GIFT/Yes (-165) – 1 unit
1st period BTTS (+180) – ½ unit
1st period Over 1.5 goals (-145) – 1 unit
