NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Here are today’s NHL predictions and best bets.
Anaheim Ducks (18-10-1) at Pittsburgh Penguins (14-7-6)
Ducks (+105) at Penguins (-125) – Total 6.5 (Over, -115)
7 p.m. ET
The Ducks and Penguins are meeting for the second time this season. The first time they met, Anaheim rallied from a 2-0 deficit to win 4-3 on a Chris Kreider power-play goal (his second goal of the game) with less than two minutes remaining in regulation. Kreider has feasted on the Penguins in his career, particularly on goalie Tristan Jarry, scoring 12 goals in 18 games. He also has scored twice in the two games he has faced tonight’s starting goalie, Arturs Silovs. Kreider, Leo Carlsson and Troy Terry all picked up points in the first meeting. Carlsson has points in eight of his last 10 games and Terry has points in eight of his last 11 games.
The Ducks’ second line and second power-play unit, led by rookie points leader Beckett Sennecke (12 points in last 11 games) and Mason McTavish (5 goals, 8 points in seven games versus Pittsburgh), provide excellent value for a point parlay. Anaheim has won back-to-back, four of six and six of their last 10 games and scored four or more goals seven times over the 10-game span. Frank Vatrano, who snapped a 14-game goalless drought on Sunday against Chicago, has six goals in 10 games against Jarry.
A couple of Penguins props for tonight. Tommy Novak remains on Pittsburgh’s top line with Sidney Crosby, who has five points in seven games against the Ducks and scored a goal in the one game he has faced Anaheim goalie Ville Husso. Books are not offering a point or assist prop, but Novak’s goal prop (+340) is at a great price for a player on the top line, still not as good as it was Sunday when we cashed (+525 anytime goal). Crosby has been held without a goal in back-to-back games, and only once this season has he gone three consecutive games without a goal. “Sid the Kid” has scored the Penguins’ first goal of the game in three of the team’s last seven games and seven times overall.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Sidney Crosby anytime goal (+145) – .15 units
Sidney Crosby first Penguins goal of the game (+500) – .05 units
Bryan Rust/Sidney Crosby point parlay (+120) – .50 units
Tommy Novak anytime goal (+340) – .10 units
Chris Kreider anytime goal (+200) – .10 units
Frank Vatrano anytime goal (+550) – .05 units
Chris Kreider/Troy Terry/Leo Carlsson point parlay (+492) – .25 units
Beckett Sennecke/Mason McTavish point parlay (+320) – .25 units
Mason McTavish anytime goal (+320) – .05 units
San Jose Sharks (14-13-3) at Philadelphia Flyers (15-9-3)
Sharks (+150) at Flyers (-170) – Total 5.5 (Over, -130)
7 p.m. ET
The Sharks are coming off a 4-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes and have vaulted themselves into a wild-card spot in the Western Conference. San Jose is seeking back-to-back wins for the first time since mid-November. Forward Collin Graf is the latest to join Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith on San Jose’s top line. Graf has goals in back-to-back games, and both goals have opened the scoring for the Sharks. I will also target William Eklund for a point. Eklund plays on the Sharks’ second line and top power-play unit and we get him at plus money to pick up a point. Defenseman Dmitry Orlov has an assist in five of the last six games he has played against Philadelphia.
For the Flyers, Travis Konecny and Trevor Zegras are tied for the team lead in points (23) and are on Philly’s top line and top power play. Both have put up solid numbers against the Sharks. Konecny is riding a four-game points streak and has points in each of his last three games against San Jose and four of the last five. Zegras has points in six of his last seven games against San Jose. Philadelphia’s Noah Cates has three goals in three games against Sharks starting goalie Alex Nedeljkovic.
Quick strikes have been commonplace for both teams. San Jose has cashed the first-period Over 1.5 in 10 of the last 12 games, and the Flyers have done it in four of their last five.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
First-period Over 1.5 (-128) –.50 units
Travis Konecny/Trevor Zegras point parlay (+148) –.50 units
William Eklund Over ½ point (+105) –.50 units
Collin Graf anytime goal (+450) –.10 units
Collin Graf first Sharks goal (+1200) –.05 units
Noah Cates anytime goal (+290) –.10 units
Dmitry Orlov Over ½ assist (+215) –.10 units
Macklin Celebrini/Will Smith point parlay (+173) –.20 units
Tampa Bay Lightning (16-10-2) at Montreal Canadiens (15-10-3)
Lightning (-105) at Canadiens (-115) – Total 6.5 (Over, -105)
7 p.m. ET
Tampa has been blanked in back-to-back games and now goes into the Bell Centre in Montreal on a back-to-back and three games in four days. The biggest question is who starts in goal for Tampa. Andrei Vasilevskiy is on injured reserve and Jonas Johansson started Monday night, so does Tampa go with Brandon Halverson, who has played in just two NHL games since being drafted in 2014? Montreal will once again turn to Jakub Dobes between the pipes. Tonight will be his fifth consecutive start. Six of the last seven meetings between the teams have gone Over the total.
On to the player props. Brayden Point (points in 9 of 10 vs. Montreal), Jake Guentzel (points in six straight vs. Montreal) and Brandon Hagel (points in 9 of 11 vs. Montreal) have all enjoyed success against the Canadiens. Cole Caufield is riding an 11-game points streak but has been held off the scoresheet in his last three games vs. the Bolts. He has cashed his shots-on-goal prop in five of the last six meetings and eight of his last 11 games overall. Point has had two or more shots on goal in nine of his last 12 games. Oliver Bjorkstrand, who plays on the fourth line but the top power-play unit, has cashed his shots-on-goal prop in each of the last five meetings against the Canadiens.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Over 6.5 (-105) – 1 unit
Brayden Point/Brandon Hagel/Jake Guentzel point parlay (+323) – .25 units
Cole Caufield Over 2.5 SOG/Brayden Point Over 1.5 SOG/Oliver Bjorkstrand Over 1.5 SOG (+371) – .25 units
First-period Over 1.5 (-152) – 1 unit
