NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Here are today’s NHL predictions and best bets.
Los Angeles Kings (14-9-9) at Florida Panthers (17-13-2)
Kings (+120) at Panthers (-140) – Total 5.5 (-140)
7 p.m. ET
The theme of the day today is, “sometimes the best bet is the one you don’t make.” When you look at this game tonight between the Kings and the Panthers, it’s a stay away when it comes to the sides. The Kings, who struggle to score (28th in offense), could once again be without Phil Danault and Quinton Byfield, both hit by the flu bug and missed Monday’s game at Dallas.
The Kings not only lost the game to Dallas (4-1) but lost starting goalie Darcy Kuemper, who was placed on Injured Reserve, the result of a collision with the Stars’ Mikko Rantanen. That means Anton Forsberg will get the bulk of the starts (Pheonix Copley the backup) until Kuemper returns. This will be the Panthers’ first home game after four on the road. With upcoming games against Tampa, Carolina (twice), St. Louis and Washington and Daniil Tarasov getting the start, I have no interest in laying a (-140) price with Florida.
What I do feel good about are a couple of player props involving Carter Verhaeghe and Brad Marchand. Marchand has 28 points in 24 games against the Kings (scored twice in the previous meeting this season), and Verhaeghe has points in back-to-back games, nine of his last 10, and points in five of seven against the Kings. Verhaeghe also has goals in seven of his last 10 games and has had three or more shots on goal in eight of his last nine games.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Carter Verhaeghe anytime goal (+220) – .10
Carter Verhaeghe Over 2.5 SOG (+105) – .20 units
Carter Verhaeghe/Marchand point parlay (+167) – .20 units
Utah Mammoth (16-16-3) at Detroit Red Wings (19-12-3)
Mammoth (+105) at Red Wings (-125)
7:30 p.m. ET
This game is a total pass for me, even though there are some good potential player props. Both these teams are on the second half of a back-to-back, and both have struggled in this spot. Detroit is 1-4 on the back end of a back-to-back and scored a combined nine goals. The Mammoth are 1-5 on the back end of a back-to-back this season and scored a combined 10 goals and were shut out in each of their last two games in this spot.
Carolina Hurricanes (21-9-2) at Nashville Predators (13-15-4)
Predators (+150) at Hurricanes (-180) – Total 6 (Over, -115)
8 p.m. ET
After struggling to score goals to start the season, the Nashville Predators have rediscovered their offense, scoring three or more goals in seven of their past 11 games, which has helped their games fly over the full-game total in nine of those 11. These two teams met in Carolina eleven days ago, with the Canes coming away with a 6-3 win.
Pyotr Kochetkov will get the start tonight for Carolina, and he has given up seven goals (3,4) in his last two starts since returning from injury. I will pass on playing either “side” in this game, but I do like the Over 6 goals. Shop around as always as there are many spots that have a 6.5 (good for those who would like to bet the under.
But for me, this is mainly about the player props. The Preds Ryan O’Reilly and Filip Forsberg are both putting up points of late and have good numbers against the Hurricanes. O’Reilly has points in four straight, eight of his last 10 games, and points in four of his last six versus Carolina (21 points in 26 career games). Forsberg has points in five straight and five of his last six against the Canes (20 points in 25 career games). Michael Bunting has goals in each of his last three games against Carolina.
On the Carolina side, Seth Jarvis has six points in eight games against Nashville, while Shayne Gostisbehere has points in eight of his last 11 games overall. Jarvis has also been cashing his shots on goal prop (Over 2.5) with frequency. He has had three or more shots on goal in nine of his last 11 games overall, eight of his last nine road games, and he put up a five-spot in the lone meeting this season against Nashville.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Michael Bunting anytime goal (+310) – .10 units
Forsberg/O’Reilly point parlay (+210) – .50 units
Jarvis/Gostisbehere point parlay (+200) – 50 units
Seth Jarvis Over 2.5 SOG (-110) – 1 unit
Over 6 (-115) – .50 units
