NHL Predictions – Expert Picks on Tuesday, March 4:
Here are tonight’s NHL predictions:
Nashville Predators at Boston Bruins (-130, 5.5)
7 p.m. ET
This is a bit of a hazmat play for me with these two offenses, but the Predators are in our system play after being blanked by the Rangers in their last game. Nashville games have included a goal in the first 10 minutes in seven of the last 10 road games. The first-period Over has cashed in four of the last six Bruins games and two of the last three Preds games.
NHL Predictions: Goal in the first 10 minutes (-140) – ½ unit
1st Period over 1.5 (-120) – ½ unit
San Jose Sharks at Buffalo Sabres (-230, 6.5)
7 p.m. ET
Both these teams are on the second half of a back-to-back and are a combined 3-13. At this price, I must take the Sharks. The Sabres are an absolute mess and have no business being this heavy a favorite. How do they react the game after coach Lindy Ruff said, “We have to win this game” and they lose to Montreal?
A couple of player props have caught my eye. Tyler Toffoli has goals in back-to-back games and has two goals in two games versus Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. The Sabres’ Alex Tuch has goals in four straight and two goals in four games against expected Sharks starting goalie Vitek Vanecek.
NHL Predictions: Sharks ML (+185) – ¼ unit
Tyler Toffoli anytime goal (+200) – ¼ unit
Alex Tuch anytime goal (+175) – ¼ unit
Columbus Blue Jackets at Tampa Bay Lightning (-180, 6.5)
7 p.m. ET
One of my favorite games on the card. It’s a bad spot for the Lightning, who are coming off a 2-1 loss against the Florida Panthers on Monday night. Not only is it a back-to-back for the Bolts, but it is three games in four days, four games in six and five games in eight days.
I expect Jonas Johansson to get the start for Tampa. He hasn’t started a game since Jan. 28. Not only will I grab Columbus on the money line, but will take a shot at their team total (both over 2.5 and 3.5). The Jackets have scored three goals or more in 12 of their last 16 games and have scored four or more goals in 25 of their 30 wins this season.
There is a slew of juicy player props in this game. The Jackets’ Boone Jenner has assists in four straight games, Kent Johnson has seven points in his last five games and Kirill Marchenko has five goals in seven games against Tampa to go along with four assists in two games against the Lightning this season. On the Tampa side, Jake Guentzel has 14 goals in 25 games against the Jackets, while Brayden Point has 16 goals in 28 games.
NHL Predictions: Blue Jackets ML +150 – ½ unit
Blue Jackets TT over 2.5 (-165) – 1.5 units
Blue Jackets TT over 3.5 (+145) – ¾ units
Kent Johnson over ½ point (+105) – ½ unit
Boone Jenner over ½ assist (+280) – ¼ unit
Kirill Marchenko anytime goal (+200) – ¼ unit
Jake Guentzel anytime goal (+155) – ¼ unit
Brayden Point (+120) – ¼ unit
Pittsburgh Penguins at Colorado Avalanche (-265, 5.5)
9 p.m. ET
The last time Sidney Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon were on the same ice, it was as teammates for Canada in the 4 Nations tournament. It would be great to see them as teammates in Colorado, but that is a pipedream.
The Penguins are struggling, having given up 31 goals in their last five games. The Avs, meanwhile, have found their offense, scoring five goals in each of their past two games. Colorado’s Jonathan Drouin has 10 goals in 21 games against the Penguins and has scored two goals on just three shots against projected Penguins starting goalie Alex Nedeljkovic. Val Nichushkin has had five shots on goal in each of the last two games. Today’s his birthday, so I’m betting on him giving himself the gift of a scoring goal.
NHL Predictions: Avalanche TT over 3.5 (-155) – 1.5 units
Avalanche TT over 4.5 (+150) – ¾ units
Val Nichushkin anytime goal (+185) – ¼ unit
Val Nichushkin over 3.5 SOG (+215) – ¾ units
Val Nichushkin over 2.5 SOG (-125) – 1.5 units
