NHL Picks

The Calgary Flames and Seattle Kraken face off on Saturday for a Pacific Division matchup. Calgary will look to play spoiler over a Seattle team that is hanging on for dear life in a playoff hunt. To get you set for the action, here is our expert Flames vs. Kraken prediction.

For quite some time now, every game has been do or die for the Kraken. The same remains here, and I see them being up for the challenge. Calgary has hovered near the bottom of the NHL standings for most of the season for a reason, as they are very young,  and have traded a plethora of their strong assets for future help. Seattle has finally broken a 6-game winless streak, and it now becomes a sprint to the finish line. Coming off a motivating comeback win over a surging Vegas Golden Knights team is just what the doctor ordered to get the Kraken back on track. They dominated Calgary 5-1 in their most-recent meeting in January, and I expect a similar effort, adding to Calgary’s rough 2-3-2 run. For our Flames vs. Kraken prediction, take Seattle on the puck line.

Flames vs. Kraken prediction: Seattle Kraken -1.5 (+180) available at time of publishing. Playable to (+125).

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The Columbus Blue Jackets are visiting Montreal to face the Canadiens for the final time this season. Columbus needs to win their remaining regular-season games and also rely on some outside help to make the playoffs, which is a challenging task. They have struggled recently, losing 4 out of their last 5 games, and must turn things around on Saturday. In fact, if they don’t secure a win, their playoff hopes will be over.

On the other hand, the Canadiens have already clinched a playoff spot and are playing their final regular-season home game. They have won four out of their last five games, but it hasn’t been without difficulty. At times, they’ve appeared disjointed, but ultimately, what matters most is the number of wins. Their goaltending has been excellent, the defence is holding strong, and the offence continues to produce consistently. The Canadiens are the stronger team overall and boast a top-10 home record. While this may not be a particularly high-scoring game, we should expect Montreal to secure a victory, effectively ending the Blue Jackets’ playoff hopes.

Blue Jackets vs Canadiens Prediction: Canadiens ML (-135) available at the time of publishing. Playable at that number or better.

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Saturday night in the NHL brings us an Atlantic Division battle between the Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs. A year ago, these teams were seen as major threats in the Eastern Conference, which included two-straight Stanley Cup wins by Florida. Time can quickly change, as they are competing for a higher draft pick in this year’s NHL draft. To get you set for the action, here is our Panthers vs. Maple Leas prediction.

These lineups look a lot different than they did at the start of the season. Many trades and injuries have resulted in two middling teams hitting the ice, headlined by injuries to Auston Matthews, Alex Barkov, and Brad Marchand. Toronto has scored just 10 goals over their last four games (2.5 per game), while Florida has scored 12 goals over their last five (2.4 per game). There has been no offensive flare from these teams, and while this game means little in the standings, I do expect these teams to compete hard against each other for pride. Two strong goaltenders in Joseph Woll and Sergei Bobrovsky are likely to mend their respective creases, where both should be motivated to be rock solid and out-perform the other. I think we are in for a tight game, one where goals are at a premium. For our Panthers vs. Maple Leafs prediction, take the under

Panthers vs. Maple Leafs prediction: Under 6.5 (+100) available at time of publishing. Playable at that total to (-120).

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It will be a crucial contest for playoff positioning in both the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference when the Philadelphia Flyers visit the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday night. Philadelphia currently occupies the final wild-card spot in the East with just a 1-point cushion over the Islanders. A 3-game winning streak has kept Winnipeg alive in the West, but it still probably has to win out in order to have a chance. A playoff atmosphere can be expected north of the border on Friday, and so can a playoff effort. That generally means a serious commitment to defense and elite goaltending with both teams’ #1 starters in the net. As such, my Flyers vs Jets prediction is Under 5.5.

Team USA Winter Olympics goaltending hero Connor Hellebuyck is heating up just in time to potentially save the Jets’ season. He has has allowed just 5 goals during his team’s 3-game surge. Hellebuyck previously faced Philadelphia in October and surrendered only 2 goals. The Flyers are countering with Dan Vladar. Although the 28-year-old Czech got roughed up a bit by Detroit on Thursday, that was clearly an aberration as opposed to the rule. Vladar had previously given up 1 goal in each of his 3 previous starts. He is 27-14-7 this season with a 2.47 goals-against average and .904 save percentage. It’s hard to see either offense doing a whole lot of damage in this borderline must-win matchup for both teams, so I’m rolling with the under.

Flyers vs Jets prediction: Under 5.5 (+100) available at time of publishing. Playable to -115.

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It’s a heavyweight tilt on Saturday night in the NHL as the Vegas Golden Knights and Colorado Avalanche square up. Colorado has top spot in the league locked up, while Vegas is gunning to clinch a playoff spot, and potentially the Pacific Division title. Here is our Golden Knights vs. Avalanche prediction for what should be a great battle.

Vegas has looked very strong since they swapped coaches to John Tortarella at the end of March. They are 4-0-1, but this includes a blown lead in a shootout loss in their most-recent game. This is not an effort they will be happy with, and with so much on the line I expect a bounceback effort. This is a major test on the road against one of the strongest teams in the NHL, but Vegas is still trying to prove to the league they are the elite team they show on paper. Colorado hasn’t been running through the league lately with a 4-3-0 record in their last seven, but a President’s Trophy already locked up has allowed them to (slightly) take the foot off the pedal. This is a must-win for Vegas, and I expect them to get the job done. Take the road underdogs for our Golden Knights vs. Avalanche prediction.

Golden Knights vs. Avalanche prediction: Golden Knights ML (+115) available at time of publishing. Playable to (+100).

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The Vancouver Canucks are visiting the San Jose Sharks for their final matchup of the season. The Canucks have already secured last place in the league and are simply looking to finish out the year. They are currently on a four-game losing streak and have scored only eight goals during that stretch. Their performance has been disappointing from the beginning, and it continues to deteriorate. On average, they score about 2.54 goals per game on 26 shots, and their penalty kill is also significantly below average.

The Sharks, while not mathematically eliminated from playoff contention, are facing a tough challenge after losing three of their last four games. They have a stronger record on home ice compared to when they play on the road, and they can find the back of the net, especially thanks to the efforts of Macklin Celebrini. If they want to keep their playoff hopes alive beyond next week, they must secure a win tonight. Expect a very motivated and desperate team right from the start.

Canucks vs Sharks Prediction: Sharks -1 (+110) available at the time of publishing. Playable at that number or better.

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The Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning matchup on Saturday afternoon is an interesting wrinkle in the playoff race. The Bruins need two points to clinch a playoff spot, while the Lightning are now 4 points back of the first spot in the Atlantic Division after losing to the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday night. The Lightning will have some motivation to bounce back from that loss, but with the teams ahead of them having favorable schedules and games running out, they might have already seen the top seed slip through their fingers.

The Bruins have been in the middle of a rough stretch, going 0-2-2 on their recent road trip, which luckily for them didn’t put their playoff chances in jeopardy. A win in a weekend matinee game at TD Garden is the only thing standing in their way of a surprising trip to the postseason, and that has usually been a tough environment for opposing teams. In home games overall, the Bruins are 28-10-1 this season, which is the second-best mark in the league.

The Lightning have been a difficult matchup for the Bruins this season. They have won all 3 meetings, including the Stadium Series and a game a week ago in which Boston held a lead, and Tampa Bay rallied to break their hearts. It might not be the most confident pick given the Bruins’ run of play lately and their struggles against the Lightning, but I’ll take Boston to get it done today and clinch the postseason in a confidence-building win.

Lightning vs Bruins prediction: Bruins ML (+105) available at time of publishing. Playable at this number. 

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The Eastern Conference playoff picture could get a bit clearer on Saturday afternoon if the Ottawa Senators find a way to beat the New York Islanders. The Senators added some cushion to their lead on the second wild card with a recent 3-game win streak, and currently sit 3 points ahead of the Islanders in the wild card race with three games to go. They also hold the same lead over the Detroit Red Wings, which means they could clinch a spot in the postseason with a win in this game and a Red Wings loss to the New Jersey Devils.

The Islanders will have something to say about that, as they showed a new coach bump on Thursday evening when they dominated the Toronto Maple Leafs in Pete DeBoer’s debut with the team. While the score ended 5-3 thanks to an uncharacteristically shaky game from Ilya Sorokin, the Islanders dominated the Leafs in terms of time of possession and shots on goal. It’s hard to say they’ll carry it over against a Senators team that has been much better than the Leafs this season, but we’ve seen the effects before of getting a new voice in the room.

In a game that could simply go either way, I am going to focus on the two offenses. Ottawa has been getting some good goaltending from Linus Ullmark, but they tend to get into shootouts, which is the type of game the Islanders have been having lately. The Islanders have seen the total go over in 4 of their last 5 games, while it has gone over in 2 of the past 3 for the Senators.

Senators vs Islanders prediction: Over 6 (-110) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number. 

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The Washington Capitals have three games remaining, and they have managed 89 points. Washington is mathematically alive for the postseason, but they’re 5 games back of the Ottawa Senators for the final wild-card spot. The Capitals are just 16-19-4 on the road this season, so this is a tall order. The Penguins, second in the Metropolitan Division, has managed a 20-12-8 mark at home. They’re 6 points clear of the Philadelphia Flyers for second place, so it appears the Penguins are locked into their seed. It remains to be seen how hard they’ll go with nothing much at stake.

Washington should be the more desperate team, as it needs to win out. However, will it be able to cobble together a rare strong effort on the road against a playoff-bound team? The Caps have a +12 goal differential on the season. The Penguins won the first meeting back in November as short underdogs as the Over (6.5) cashed. The Pens have won 4 of the past 6 meetings, too. Let’s back Pittsburgh to get the job done, nailing Washington’s coffin shut for the season.

Capitals vs Penguins prediction: Penguins ML (-125) at time of publishing. Playable to -130.

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The Edmonton Oilers (40-29-10) meet the Los Angeles Kings (33-26-19) at Crypto.com Arena in a matinee game in Southern California. Edmonton holds a one-point lead in the Pacific Division over the Anaheim Ducks and Vegas Golden Knights, both with 89 points. The Los Angeles Kings also have an outside chance at moving up in the standings, sitting with 85 points with four games to go. They must have a win on Saturday, however, they’re just 14-17-9 at home this season, and it’s been a major anchor dragging the team down.

The Oilers have managed 90 points, while going 19-15-6 on the road. They hold a tenuous lead. It’s very possible we see the Oilers and Kings meet in the first-round of the playoffs yet again. These teams have been frequent combatants in recent seasons in the first round. Los Angeles has picked up points in five straight games, going 4-0-1 in the span, putting itself in the best possible position for a playoff shot. The Kings offense has been on fire lately, too, going for 4.0 goals per game in the past 5 games. Edmonton won last season’s playoff series in six games. We have seen a split this season in the regular season meetings, with Edmonton winning 8-1 in Los Angeles on Feb. 26 in the most recent matchup. Let’s back the Oilers to get the job done.

Oilers vs Kings prediction: Oilers ML (-115) at time of publishing. Playable to -120.

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The Carolina Hurricanes will take on the Utah Mammoth Saturday. Both teams have officially advanced to the playoffs, but are looking to continue winning for playoff seeding. The Hurricanes have won 7 of their last 10 games overall. This is what has propelled them into 1st place in the Eastern Conference. The faced the Mammoth earlier this season and won 5-4 with the final goal being scored in the final minute of the game. The Hurricanes rank 2nd with 3.58 goals per game this season. The Hurricanes also rank 2nd in shots on goal with an 11.1% shot percentage and they will look to continue to run to ensure the top spot in the Eastern Conference.

For the Mammoth, they have won 5 straight games. They have officially locked in 4th place for the playoffs and sit 4 points behind the Minnesota Wild. On the season, they are averaging 3.31 goals per game while allowing 2.87 goals per game. The issue is that the Mammoth have dropped 6 of their last 10 home games. I have a feeling that with the playoffs clinched, the Mammoth may be less motivated in this game. With that in mind, the Hurricanes should hold advantages across the board and should be motivated to remain in 1st place. I am taking Carolina on the money line.

Hurricanes vs. Mammoth Prediction: Hurricanes ML (+105) available at the time of publishing. Playable at that number.

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The Minnesota Wild will be on the road Saturday taking on the Nashville Predators. The Predators find themselves one point outside of the final wildcard playoff spot with 3 games remaining. This game has all the makings for a low-scoring game. The Predators will be playing a tight checking playoff style of game as it is a must win scenario. They are not a great offensive team to begin with, averaging only 2.96 goals per game this season. They will be going up against the fourth-best defensive team in the league in the Wild, who average 2.85 goals against per game. The Predators will have their superstar netminder, Juuse Saros in goal, and I expect he will deliver a very good performance.

The Predators may be without their captain Roman Josi, who is listed as day-to-day. This is an offensive threat who may not be in the lineup. In fact, in the 3 previous meetings between these teams this season, the under is 2-1. A couple of those games finished with a 3-2 final score in overtime, and I expect a similar style of game here. Give me the under in this one.

Wild vs. Predators prediction: Under 6 (+100) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.

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