NHL Picks

The Columbus Blue Jackets and Montreal Canadiens are set for an Eastern Conference battle on Thursday night at Bell Centre. Both of these teams would be in the playoffs if the postseason started today, and the Blue Jackets have been on an absolute heater since hiring Rick Bowness. However, they have scored just 3 total goals over their last 3 games. The good news is that Montreal allows plenty of goals, ranking 25th in the NHL allowing 3.21 goals per game. Montreal’s team save percentage of .889 is near the bottom of the league as well, so don’t be surprised if the Blue Jackets’ offense bounces back in a big way in this one.

The Canadiens may give up plenty of goals, but they score plenty of goals as well. Montreal ranks 3rd in the league scoring 3.53 goals per game, and have scored 12 total goals over their last 2 games. Those matchups came against the Hurricanes and Islanders – a pair of strong defensive teams with solid goaltending. The Blue Jackets are not as strong defensively, and they present a favorable matchup for the Canadiens. Both teams play and open style of hockey that encourages driving the net and being creative in the offensive zone. Both teams also have offensive-minded defensemen in Zach Werenski and Lane Hutson. That formula could make for a high-scoring affair.

Blue Jackets vs Canadiens prediction: Over 6.5 (-115) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.

The New York Islanders are set for a pivotal matchup against the Dallas Stars on Thursday night. Pretty much every game down the stretch will be a pivotal one for the Isles, as they are directly in the middle of a tightly-contested playoff race in the Eastern Conference. New York and Ottawa are tied with 85 points apiece, with Detroit just a single point behind with 84. The Islanders are in desperate need of a win, as they have dropped 3 of their last 4 games at the most crucial time of the season. The good news is that Patrick Roy’s team has the home ice advantage in this one, and the Islanders are a strong 19-12-2 at UBS Arena this season.

Furthermore, the Dallas Stars also enter this matchup stumbling a bit. Dallas has lost 3 games in a row and 4 of its last 5. The Stars were initially fine without superstar Mikko Rantanen in the lineup following the Olympics, but his absence may now be catching up to them. Dallas has scored 2 goals or fewer in 3 of its last 4 games, and it’s worth mentioning that Roope Hintz continues to be sidelined as well. Both Rantanen and Hintz provide strong 200-foot play for Dallas, and they both possess great size. With Dallas in a dry spell and without a pair of key contributors, I am backing the Islanders to find the win column on home ice.

Stars vs Islanders prediction: New York Islanders ML (+105) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.

The Calgary Flames have endured a rough season, but they enter this Thursday night matchup against the Anaheim Ducks riding a 4-game win streak. They key to Calgary’s recent success has been locking down defensively. The Flames have allowed just 7 total goals over those 4 games, and the penalty kill is a perfect 7-for-7 in that stretch. Furthermore, the under has cashed in 3 of those 4 games, with the lone exception coming in a 4-3 overtime win over the Lightning on March 22. It’s clear that Calgary’s best tactic right now is to focus heavily on the defensive end, and I expect that trend to continue in this matchup against Anaheim.

The Anaheim offense has struggled away from Honda Center this season. More specifically, Anaheim’s goals per game average drops from 3.51 at home to 3.03 when playing on the road. Going up against a Calgary team that is dialed in defensively right now, look for the Ducks to struggle to find the back of the net. The Flames have been among the lowest-scoring teams in the NHL all season long, and they enter this matchup ranked dead last in the league scoring a measly 2.48 goals per game. They’ve been slightly better lately, but the offensive ceiling of this team is still severely limited after trading away their best contributors at the deadline. With a total of 6.5, look to the under.

Ducks vs Flames prediction: Under 6.5 (-110) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.

The Washington Capitals will take on the Utah Mammoth Thursday night. The Capitals have had a rough season with slim hopes of making the playoffs. The Capitals currently sit 6 points out of the playoffs and have lost 3 of their last 5 games. On the season, they have the worst away form in the Eastern Conference. Through their 34 away games, they have a record of 13-17-4. Through their last 6 away games, they have given up 21 total goals while only scoring 8. This lack of offense and struggles are defense are not great against a tough Mammoth team.

For the Mammoth, they rank 5^th in the Western Conference and have won 3 of their last 5 games, though they have hit a slump recently at home. They have dropped 5 of their last 6 home games, which has put them back in heat of the playoff race. On the season, they average 3.13 goals per game while allowing 2.82 goals per game. The positive thing for the Mammoth is that they are able to limit opposing teams shots, as they give up the 7th-fewest shots to opposing teams. Overall, the Mammoth should be more motivated in this game and should find their form again. I am taking the Mammoth on the money line.

Capitals vs. Mammoth Prediction: Utah Mammoth ML (-150) available at the time of publishing. Playable at that number.

The Boston Bruins are continuing their quest to secure a playoff spot as they travel to Buffalo to face the Sabres. After losing to the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 last night, the Bruins need to quickly put that defeat behind them and focus on this upcoming game. Currently occupying a wild-card spot, they are aware that teams behind them are catching up — so they can’t afford to lose many games as the season comes to a close. They will have a tough challenge ahead and will likely depend on a standout performance from goaltender Joonas Korpisalo.

On the other hand, the Sabres are returning home following a 4-game road trip during which they posted an impressive 3-0-1 record. This team is winning at a pace not seen in Buffalo for over 15 years. While the Sabres currently sit atop their division, the Lightning are only 2 points behind — further motivating them to secure a victory against the Bruins. Given the potential for a high-scoring game, I expect the Sabres to come out on top — and to do so in regulation.

Bruins vs Sabres prediction: Buffalo 3-Way ML (-135) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.

The New York Rangers will be in Toronto on Wednesday night to face the Maple Leafs. This is a game between 2 teams on the outside of the playoff picture looking in. Both of these clubs boast solid goaltending with Igor Shesterkin and Joseph Woll projected to get the starts. The offensive production from the Rangers has been lackluster at best in their last 5 games — and all season, really. They have only managed to score 9 total goals over their last 5 games. On the season they have the 26th-ranked offense, averaging 2.76 goals per game. The Rangers are averaging the second-fewest shots on goal per game with 25. In their last outing they only registered 10 shots on goal.

The Maple Leafs have been struggling to put pucks on net recently without their captain, Auston Matthews. Their offense has run a little dry without him. Given the weak offense and solid goaltending in this game, I think we are in for a low-scoring affair. Give me the under in this one.

Rangers vs Maple Leafs prediction: Under 5.5 (+105) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.