NHL Predictions – Expert Picks on Wednesday, January 15:
Here are tonight’s NHL predictions:
Carolina Hurricanes (-205, 5.5) at Buffalo Sabres
6 p.m. ET
First off, note the early start time for today’s game, as we have a rare 6 p.m. mid-week game. Carolina is coming off a 3-2 home loss to Anaheim on Sunday and now head out on the road where they have lost five of their last six games and are just (7-9) as the road favorite. Slow starts for Carolina have been a major factor in their road woes. The Hurricanes have had a first-period lead just once in their last eight road games (1-6-1). Though Buffalo has just three wins in their last 10 home games, they are 7-2-1 in the opening 20 minutes. The first period Over 1.5 goals in Sabres games has cashed in five straight and 12 of 14 overall.
Let’s talk player props for today’s game. Carolina’s Sebastian Aho has 15 goals in 19 career games versus the Sabres, Eric Robinson has three goals in five games, and Martin Necas has a combined six goals in eight games against the two Buffalo goalies.
Buffalo’s Rasmus Dahlin has an assist in five consecutive games. Jack Quinn has three goals in the past two games.
Two of the last three meetings have gone to overtime.
NHL Predictions: Buffalo Sabres 1st period ML (+130) – 1 unit
Carolina Hurricanes/Buffalo Sabres 1st Period Over 1.5 (-125) – 1 unit
Rasmus Dahlin Over ½ assist (+110) – ½ unit
Jack Quinn anytime goal (+360) – ¼ unit
Sebastian Aho anytime goal (+175) – ¼ unit
Martin Necas anytime goal (+215) – ¼ unit
Eric Robinson anytime goal (+500) – ¼ unit
Regulation Draw (+340) – ¼ unit
Edmonton Oilers (-205, 5.5) at Minnesota Wild
8:30 p.m. ET
This will be the third and final meeting between the two Western Conference foes, with the road team winning the two previous games. Minnesota continues to be without key players in their lineup. There is a remote chance that star forward Kirill Kaprizov could return from injury, but Brock Faber, Jared Spurgeon and Jonas Brodin are not ready to make their return. Even with the Wild missing key players, the price on Edmonton is too rich for my blood. The Oilers are (15-7) as a home favorite but just (9-8) as the road betting favorite.
Looking at the total, these teams have combined for six or more goals in both meetings this season and 11 of their 13 matchups. The goal in the first 10 minutes prop play and first period Over 1.5 goals have cashed in both meetings this season. Oilers games have had a goal in the first 10 minutes in 10 of their last 13 games.
Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl, who leads the league in goals (31), has gone back-to-back games without a goal (fourth time this season) and has yet to go three consecutive games without finding the back of the net. Draisaitl has scored twice against the Wild this season and has 16 goals in 25 career games versus Minnesota. If Marc-Andre Fleury gets the start between the pipes, then I will jump on Corey Perry for an anytime goal. Perry has 15 goals in 19 games against “The Flower.”
Minnesota’s Matt Boldy has six goals in nine games against the Oilers (one this season). Freddy Gaudreau has six goals in nine games against the Oilers, including three in the two games this season.
NHL Predictions: Edmonton Oilers/Minnesota Wild Goal in 1st 10 minutes (-145) – 1 unit
Edmonton Oilers/Minnesota Wild 1st Period Over 1.5 (-125) – 1 unit
Edmonton Oilers/Minnesota Wild Over 5.5 (-135) – 1 unit
Leon Draisaitl anytime goal (+125) – ½ unit
Corey Perry anytime goal (+750) – ¼ unit – only if Fleury is Minnesota goalie
Freddy Gaudreau anytime goal (+550) – ¼ unit
