NHL Predictions – Expert Picks on Tuesday, February 4:
Here are tonight’s NHL predictions:
Columbus Blue Jackets at Buffalo Sabres (-175, 6.5)
7 p.m. ET
The Sabres opened as a -145 home favorite and despite receiving only 57% of the bets and 55% of the money, according to our VSIN Betting Splits page, Buffalo has been bet up to -175. There are key injuries on both sides. The Jackets are going to be without winger Kirill Marchenko (broken jaw) and defenseman Zach Werenski (undisclosed). The Sabres will be without leading goal scorer Tage Thompson.
It’s hard for me to lay that big a price on a Sabres team that is 29th overall in the standings even with the Jackets having won just nine of 28 road games. For me, the first- and second-period Over, full-game Over and player props are the way to tackle this game from a betting perspective.
The first-period Over has cashed in 17 of the last 21 Buffalo home games and has cashed in seven of the last 10 meetings between these teams. The second-period Over has cashed in 12 consecutive Sabres games overall (this I will play Live only). Eight of the last 10 meetings have gone Over the full-game total.
Multiple props in this game make me excited for this game. The Jackets’ Adam Fantilli has five goals in his last five road games and three goals in three games overall against the Sabres. Kent Johnson has eight points in his last seven games (3 goals, 5 assists).
Rookie Jiri Kulich centers Buffalo’s top line and has four goals in his last six games. Sportsbooks are still offering Kulich at +300 to score a goal. Kuilch has four goals in his last six games. Defenseman Rasmus Dahlin has five assists in his last five games and 12 assists in 14 career games against Columbus.
NHL Predictions: 1st Period Over 1.5 (-145) – 1 unit
Columbus Blue Jackets/Buffalo Sabres Over 6.5 (-110) – 1 unit
Jiri Kulich anytime goal (+300) – ¼ unit
Rasmus Dahlin Over ½ assist (+108) – ¼ unit
Alex Tuch anytime goal (+210) – ¼ unit
Adam Fantilli anytime goal (+260) – ¼ unit
Kent Johnson anytime goal (+250) – ¼ unit
Kent Johnson Over ½ assist (+172) – ¼ unit
Minnesota Wild at Boston Bruins (-130, 5.5)
7 p.m. ET
The Wild travel to Boston off a 6-0 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Saturday, which puts them in our system play to score a goal in the first 10 minutes (67-34) and the first-period Over (59-42) when they have been shut out in their previous game. The Wild are in the system play for the third time this season. They are 2-0 to the goal in first 10 minutes, first-period Over and the full-game Over. They are also 2-0 for the BTTS first-period prop (Both teams to score). The Bruins have had a goal scored in the opening 10 minutes in 12 of their last 15 games. Remember, if the first-period Over 1.5 does not cash for us, double down on the second-period Over 1.5 goals. The trend is on a 12-5 run and 25-17 for the season.
The Wild are not only without star forward Kirill Kaprizov (recovering from surgery) but will also be without forward Ryan Hartman, who begins his 10-game suspension for slamming the head of Ottawa’s Tim Stutzle to the ice. Minnesota’s Marco Rossi has six points in his last five games. Rossi, like all the Wild players, was held pointless in the loss to Ottawa, but over the past 10 games, only once has he gone consecutive games without a point.
The Bruins’ David Pastrnak is riding a 10-game point streak (10 goals, 23 points) and has had eight multi-point games during the run. Pasta also has seven goals in eight games versus Wild goalie Marc-Andre Fleury. Teammate Oliver Wahlstrom has three goals in three games against Fleury.
NHL Predictions: Goal 1st 10/Yes (-140) – 1.5 units
1st Period Over 1.5 goals (-120) – 1.5 units
1st Period BTTS (+184) – ¼ unit
Minnesota Wild/Boston Bruins Over 5.5 (-115) – 1 unit
Marco Rossi Over ½ point (-113) – ½ unit
David Pastrnak Over 1.5 points (+172) – ¼ unit
David Pastrnak anytime goal (+110) – ¼ unit
Oliver Wahlstrom anytime goal (+600) – ¼ unit
Regulation Draw (+300) – ¼ unit
Carolina Hurricanes (-140, 5.5) at Winnipeg Jets
8 p.m. ET
With the announcement that Eric Comrie will start in goal tonight for the Jets, the Hurricanes have gone from underdog to favorite. This is why I have repeatedly made the point that you have to be careful when “following the money” of NHL line moves because the opening line is based on each team starting its No. 1 goalie. Yes, injuries also play a part in line adjustments, but if the backup goalie gets the start after the initial line move is posted, that will greatly affect the betting line. While Comrie has one win in his last nine starts, my good friend Kevin Rogers (@RogersPicks) pointed out that in those nine games, Winnipeg is 8-1 to the 1st-period Under 1.5 goals. That led me to research Canes goalie Pyotr Kochetkov’s 1st-period numbers and Carolina is 6-3 to the Under over his last nine games.
One player prop that has my attention is the Canes’ Mikko Rantanen going over his shots-on-goal prop (2.5).
NHL Predictions: 1st Period Under 1.5 (-105) – 1 unit
Mikko Rantanen Over 2.5 SOG (-110) – 1 unit
Philadelphia Flyers at Utah HC (-140, 5.5)
9 p.m. ET
It’s been 217 minutes, 41 seconds since the Flyers put a puck past a goalie. Scott Laughton’s empty-net goal with 15 seconds left in regulation on January 27 versus New Jersey was the last time the Flyers scored a goal. Since then, they have been shut out by the Devils, New York Islanders and most recently on Saturday by the Colorado Avalanche. It is the first time this season that an NHL team has been held without a goal in three consecutive games. Tonight’s opponent, Utah HC is having its own struggles, having dropped five in a row and getting been outscored 16-8. This is the second meeting between the teams after Utah won 4-2 in Philadelphia in December.
I will once again be on the system play (goal in first 10 minutes and first-period Over 1.5). Remember, if the first-period Over 1.5 does not cash, double down on the second-period Over 1.5 goals. The trend is on a 12-5 run and 25-17 for the season.
One Philadelphia player I will target for a goal prop is Travis Konecny. He plays on the Flyers’ top line and No. 1 power-play unit. Konecny scored twice on Connor Ingram in the only game he faced the Utah goalie.
NHL Predictions: Goal in 1st 10 minutes/Yes (-140) – 1 unit
1st Period Over 1.5 goals (-120) – 1 unit
Travis Konecny anytime goal (+200) – ¼ unit
