NHL Predictions – Expert Picks on Tuesday, March 11:
Here are tonight’s NHL predictions:
Tampa Bay Lightning at Carolina Hurricanes (-125, 5.5)
7 p.m. ET
The Lightning look to make it a clean sweep of the season series with the Hurricanes. Tampa has held Carolina to three goals in two games. The Lightning are coming off a listless 4-0 home loss to the Boston Bruins on Saturday as they played without defenseman Victor Hedman. Hedman was injured in the first period in Tampa’s win over Buffalo and then missed the next game. The Lightning captain was back on the ice Monday at practice and is expected to play tonight. With the Lightning being blanked in their previous game, they are in our systems play of a goal to be scored in the first 10 minutes and the first-period Over 1.5 goals.
The Hurricanes are coming off an impressive 4-2 win on Sunday, sparked by their latest trade deadline acquisitions. Logan Stankoven, who came from Dallas in the Mikko Rantanen trade, scored a goal in his first game with the Canes and Mark Jankowski, not known for his offense, scored a pair of goals and now has six goals this season.
Tampa’s Brayden Point has four goals in four games against expected Carolina starting goalie Pyotr Kochetkov.
NHL Predictions: Goal in the first 10 minutes/Yes (-140) – 1 unit
1st-period Over 1.5 (-120) – 1 unit
Brayden Point anytime goal (+190) – ¼ unit
Washington Capitals (-195, 6) at Anaheim Ducks
10 p.m. ET
Alexander Ovechkin’s pursuit of Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goal record moves out west with stops in Anaheim, San Jose and Los Angeles. Ovechkin is nine goals shy of making history as the Caps visit the Ducks at the Honda Center. In their lone meeting this season, Ovechkin was held without a goal and has 12 goals in 26 career games against the Ducks.
I am back on an Ovechkin anytime goal, Ovi to score the last goal of the game as well as his shots on goal props (Over 3.5 and 4.5). In the nine games since returning from the 4 Nations tournament, he has 42 shots on goal and 91 shots directed at the net. He has had four or more shots on goal in seven of the nine games and five or more five times ,including three of the last four games.
Shop around on the Ovechkin props. FanDuel was offering the best number on Ovi scoring the last goal of the game. DraftKings had the best price on his anytime goal. If you like Ovechkin to score the last goal of the game, FanDuel also offers a prop on Ovechkin (and many players) to score a goal in the third period. When targeting his shots on goal prop, I found that DraftKings had the best number for Over 3.5 shots on goal, but FanDuel had a better number for Over 4.5 shots on goal.
Two Ducks player props for tonight: Sam Colangelo has goals in four straight (5 total) and defenseman Jackson LaCombe has points in seven of his last 10 games.
NHL Predictions: Alexander Ovechkin anytime goal (+110) – ¼ unit
Ovechkin last goal of the game (+750) – ¼ unit
Ovechkin 3rd-period goal (+390) – 1/4 unit
Ovechkin Over 4.5 shots on goal (+162) – ½ unit
Ovechkin Over 3.5 shots on goal (-140) – 1.5 units
Jackson LaCombe Over ½ point (+124) – 1 unit
Sam Colangelo anytime goal (+480) – ¼ unit
Nashville Predators (-170, 6) at San Jose Sharks
10:30 p.m. ET
It’s a battle of the 30th-place Predators and the 32nd and last overall Sharks. Nashville has owned the Sharks over the years, winning 12 straight, 16 of 20 and 22 of the last 30 meetings. Still, there is no way I am laying money on the road favorite. Tonight is the third time the teams will meet this season, and the previous games have been shootouts (6-5 and 7-5), so playing Over the total is the only way to go. As always, shop around on the total, as 6 and 6.5 are both available. The last three meetings have ended with 10 goals or more.
NHL Prediction: Nashville/San Jose Over 6 (-120) – 1 unit
