NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Here are today’s NHL predictions and best bets.
New York Rangers (8-7-2) at Tampa Bay Lightning (8-5-2)
Betting Line: Tampa Bay (-140, 5.5)
7 p.m. ET – TNT
The Rangers take the NHL’s best road record into Tampa and face a banged-up Lightning team that is dealing with injuries to their blueline. The Lightning have won back-to-back games and seven of their last eight. Ryan McDonagh has been placed on injured reserve and Victor Hedman missed practice on Tuesday and is a game-time decision.
New York erupted for six goals on Monday in their 6-3 win over Nashville, matching their output in their previous seven home games. The Blueshirts have scored four goals or more in five of their seven road victories. Vincent Trocheck returned to the lineup on Monday after missing 14 games and made an immediate impact, notching a pair of assists. Mika Zibanejad has 10 goals in 15 games against Andre Vasilevskiy. The Tampa netminder has just seven wins in 17 starts versus the Blueshirts. Adam Fox has a team-best 10 assists, with seven coming on the road, and his assist prop is available at plus money (+124). Tampa’s Oliver Bjorkstrand has 20 points in 23 games versus the Rangers and plays on the Bolts’ top power play unit. Brandon Hagel has seven goals and 13 points in his last eight games.
Both teams have been profitable to the first period Over 1.5 goals. The Rangers have cashed three straight and both five of six overall and on the road. The Bolts have cashed four consecutive first period Overs and five of their last seven.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
New York Rangers/Tampa bay Lightning 1st period Over 1.5 (-128) – 1 unit
New York Rangers Team Total Over 2.5 (-135) – .50 units
Mika Zibanejad anytime goal (+220) – .10 units
Mika Zibanejad Over ½ assist (+162) – .10 units
Adam Fox Over ½ assist (+124) – .10 units
Vincent Trocheck Over ½ assist (+162) – .10 units
Oliver Bjorkstrand Over ½ point (+134) – .20 units
Brandon Hagel point/Adam Fox assist (+223) – .25 units
Edmonton Oilers (7-6-4) at Philadelphia Flyers (8-5-2)
Betting Line: Edmonton (-140, 5.5)
7:30 p.m. ET – Sportsnet
The Oilers come into Philadelphia after rallying for a 5-4 overtime victory over Columbus on Monday. Jake Walman’s shorthanded goal, his second goal of the game with less than a minute to go in regulation, tied the game. Former Blue Jacket Jack Roslovic scored the OT winner. Edmonton is looking for back-to-back wins for only the third time this season (the Oilers have not won three straight this season). Connor McDavid also added a pair of goals, including a highlight reel spinarama, and now has four goals and 10 points on his five-game point streak that includes goals in three consecutive games. McJesus has had four multi-point games in his last five and has 33 points in 17 career games against the Flyers. Leon Draisaitl has 10 goals and 25 points in 17 games against the Flyers. Edmonton’s Jack Roslovic has had at least two shots on goal in 10 straight games.
The Oilers rank 13th in goals scored. However, their defense has been leaky, ranking 27th in goals allowed, and they’re 31st in the league in save percentage (.868). Edmonton has struggled on the road, with just two wins in nine games (2-5-2). The Flyers sit 27th in scoring, but are a defensive juggernaut, fifth in the NHL in goals allowed. Dan Vladar has turned into one of the best free agent signings. His 2.18 goals against average is second only to Logan Thompson for goalies who have played at least nine games, and his .917 save percentage is fourth best.
On to the Flyers prop plays. Edmonton has given up three or more goals in nine of their last 10 games, so I will grab their team total Over 2.5 (-145), which is available at BetMGM. Travis Konecny is riding a seven-game point streak, and Trevor Zegras has points in seven of 10 games. Matvei Michkov scored three goals in the two games he faced Stuart Skinner last season. Owen Tippett has victimized Skinner three times in five games. Bobby Brink has cashed his shots on goal in five straight and eight of his last ten games.
Finally, we are seeing an increase in overtime games, and I will be putting together a column on the numbers. The Oilers have gone to OT in five of their last eight games, the Flyers four times over their past eight.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Trevor Zegras/Travis Konecny point parlay prop (+146) – .25 units
Philadelphia Flyers Team Total Over 2.5 (-145) – 1 unit
Matvei Michkov anytime goal (+290) – .15 units
Bobby Brink Over 1.5 shots on goal (-102) – .25 units
Owen Tippett anytime goal (+280) – .10 units
Connor McDavid goal/Draisaitl assist (+246) – .50 units
Leon Draisaitl goal/McDavid assist (+182) – .50 units
Jack Roslovic Over 1.5 shots on goal (-196) – 1 unit
Regulation Draw (+320) – .10 units
Buffalo Sabres (5-6-4) at Utah Mammoth (9-7-0)
Betting Line: Utah (-200, 6.5)
9 p.m. ET
The Buffalo Sabres travel to Utah to face the Mammoth in search of their first road win of the season (0-3-2). Buffalo has just one win in their past seven games. This is the second meeting of the season between these clubs, following Utah’s 2-1 overtime win over Buffalo on November 4 in Buffalo. The Sabres have gone to overtime in five of their last seven games. Both teams enter on skids—Buffalo has lost three straight, while Utah has dropped five of its last six.
The Mammoth have played well at home, winning four of five and outscoring the opposition 22-12. Goals have been hard to come by for the Sabres, who have been decimated by injuries, especially at the center ice position, with Jiri Kulich and Josh Norris sidelined, leaving Ryan McLeod centering the top line. McLeod has three goals in the five games he has faced Utah goalie Karel Vejmelka. Buffalo is also without Jason Zucker and defenseman Rasmus Dahlin (family matter). The game marks the return of a couple of former Utah players, Josh Doan and Michael Kesselring.
On the Utah side, Clayton Keller has 13 points in 15 games versus the Sabres, and defenseman Mikhail Sergachev, second on the team in assists with nine, makes a good parlay piece with Keller.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Clayton Keller point/Mikhail Sergachev assist (+144) – .50 units
Regulation Draw (+350) – .10 units
Ryan McLeod anytime goal (+360) – .10 units
Under 6.5 (-115) – .25 units
