NHL Picks

The Carolina Hurricanes will be hosting the red-hot Buffalo Sabres on Monday night. The Sabres come into this game with a record of 7-2-1 in their last 10 games. They will be going up against a tough opponent in the Hurricanes who are one of the more well-rounded teams in the league. The Hurricanes are the third highest scoring team in the league, averaging 3.41 goals per game. They average the second-most shots on goal per game and average the fewest shots against per game of any team in the league. They are also one of the better home ice teams in the league, they have a record of 17-8-1 at the Lenovo Center. These teams have met twice already this season; they split those games with one win a piece.

This will be a real test for the Sabres to see where they are at. They have been playing well, but the Hurricanes are one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference and they would likely have to get through them in the playoffs if they have Stanley Cup aspirations. I will be siding with the Hurricanes in this one.

Sabres vs. Hurricanes prediction: Hurricanes 3-way ML (-135) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.

The Pittsburgh Penguins will take on the Seattle Kraken Monday. Both teams come into this one losing 4 of their last 5 games. The biggest difference is that the Penguins have only given up 12 goals over the past 5 games while the Kraken have given up 18 goals. Looking a little deeper into the Kraken statistics, they have lost 6 of their last 10 at home. While the defense has been a concern, the Kraken offense ranks 30^th in shots on goal and 25^th with just 2.74 goals per game. These struggles on offense may prove to be a concern against a Penguins team that ranks 12^th in save percentage and 10^th in fewest shots against them all season.

For the Penguins, the last 5 games have not given their offensive play justice. They have won 3 of their last 4 away games and have scored 16 goals in that time. On the season, they are averaging 3.17 goals per game on 28.9 shots. Additionally, the Penguins score on 28.7% of power plays while ranking 5^th in total power play goals. This could make a difference in this game considering the Kraken have the worst power play defense in the NHL. Overall, I believe the Penguins offense will be too much for the Kraken to handle. I am taking the Penguins on the money line.

Penguins vs. Kraken Prediction: Penguins ML (-125) available at the time of publishing. Playable at that number.

The Philadelphia Flyers are in Vegas to take on the Golden Knights on Monday night. This matchup features teams going in complete opposite directions. On one side, the Flyers have lost 6 games in a row and have fallen to 5 points behind the Sabres for the second Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. Defense and goaltending has gone to the wayside for the Flyers, as they’ve allowed a whopping 31 total goals over their 6-game skid. On the other side, the Golden Knights enter this matchup riding a 7-game win streak, and have scored 5.2 goals per game over that stretch. The Golden Knights have the luxury of playing at home for the 3rd game in a row, while the Flyers are hitting the road to begin a 3-game west coast road trip.

While Vegas is rolling and Philadelphia is reeling, another key metric that separates these teams is the power play. Vegas has one of the better man advantages in the NHL, ranking 4th in the league with a power play conversion rate of 27.1%. On the other side, Philadelphia’s power play percentage of 14.9% is the worst mark in the NHL. No matter how you slice it, the Golden Knights have the edge in this one. Look for Vegas to get the job done in regulation.

Flyers vs Golden Knights prediction: Golden Knights 3-Way ML (-135) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.

The Winnipeg Jets will be in Chicago to take on the Blackhawks on Monday night. The Jets seem to have found their game recently after their eleven-game losing streak. They are 4-0-1 in their last five games. The Blackhawks on the other hand come into this game riding a three-game losing streak. The Blackhawks are one of the worst offensive teams in the league. They are averaging 2.73 goals per game which is 26^th in the NHL, and they average the second fewest shots on goal per game. They really only have one offensive threat in Connor Bedard, if the Jets can limit his lines scoring chances, they should be able to win this game.

The Jets are coming off a tough overtime loss to the Maple Leafs on Saturday, and they will be looking to bounce back. This is a veteran team that knows they need to continue banking points against weaker opponents if they want to climb back into the playoff race. I expect a good game from them. Give me the Jets on the puck line.

Jets vs. Blackhawks prediction: Jets -1.5 (+170) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.

The Atlantic Division race has been tight all season and continues to heat up as we approach the playoffs. The Ottawa Senators will be visiting the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday for what is a very big game. The Senators will be on the second half of a back-to-back, as they were at home last night against the Montreal Canadiens, suffering a 6-5 overtime loss. The Red Wings were sitting idle on Saturday, so they should be well rested. There is one major difference between these teams right now, and it is the goaltending. As a team, the Senators are allowing 3.38 goals per game — which is fourth worst in the NHL. They have not been able to get a save and they will have veteran netminder James Reimer starting his first game for them on Sunday. The Red Wings will be deploying John Gibson, who has won his last 5 starts.

Offensively these teams are relatively even, but the advantage goes to the Red Wings for defensive play and goaltending. I think those will be the difference in this game. Give me Detroit in this one.

Senators vs Red Wings prediction: Detroit ML (-135) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.

Now you can bet any of our Senators vs Red Wings predictions at FanDuel Sportsbook, which has a great new-customer offer to take advantage of. If you sign up for FanDuel right now, you earn a welcome bonus worth up to $300 if your first $5 bet wins! Use this link 🔗 to join FanDuel right now and learn more.

Blues vs Oilers prediction: Edmonton 3-Way ML (-105) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.

If you’re looking for a new sportsbook for the NFL playoffs, we recommend checking out Fanatics Sportsbook. New users can get $100 FanCash bet matches on their first 10 wagers! Join Fanatics Sportsbook, where you can bet on our Blues vs Oilers predictions.