NHL Best Bets for Tuesday: Expert Hockey Predictions for Today's Games

Ryan Hodges

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.Born and raised in St. Louis. My sports fandom started with my local teams and has only grown broader and broader since day 1. I love having action all around the sports world, but my primary betting interests and handicapping lie with the NHL and MLB. I combine experience playing and coaching those sports with obsession, fandom, observations, trends and more to bring you the most knowledgeable insight possible for your picks. For Ryan Hodges media enquiries, please email contact@pickswise.com.

NHL best bet: Lightning ML (-135) over Penguins

Among a few teams in the NHL that are on fire, the Lightning may be the hottest team. Tampa enters this game on a 10-game winning streak, having beat a few phenomenal teams during that run. Pittsburgh has had a strong recent stretch of play themselves. But that has not mattered for Lightning opponents. During Tampa’s winning streak, they have beat Carolina, Florida, Montreal, and Colorado among other solid opponents. The pedigree of those opponents speaks for themselves.

The Lightning rank 2nd in the NHL in both goals scored and allowed per game. They have flexed both strengths, having outscored opponents 16-5 in their last 3 games. Tampa has scored a ridiculous 5.1 goals per game during their 10-game winning streak. If they hold anywhere near that form, it will make for a tough matchup for the Penguins who have scored 1 goal in their last 2 games, both of which were losses, entering tonight. When a team is rolling like the Lightning, they are good to ride until or unless they cool down.

Read our full analysis of Tuesday’s NHL slate.

NHL best bet: Hurricanes 3-way ML (-105) over Blues

There are a few teams that have been easy to pick on lately that unfortunately for them, have bore fruit for bettors. The Blues are one such team that fading has largely cashed. St. Louis enters this game having lost 3 consecutive games, having been outscored 15-7 by Chicago, Utah, and Vegas during that stretch. With that, they have dropped 5 out of their last 7 games as part of a .457 point percentage and NHL-worst, by far, -47 goal differential.

The Blues make for an appealing fade against most opponents in hockey. The Hurricanes are certainly no exception as Carolina is significantly the better team in this matchup. Carolina has won 4 out of their last 5 games and they sit comfortably atop the Metropolitan division. The Hurricanes are one of the best teams in the NHL, and are a solid 12-6-3 on the road. Unless they mail it in or just plain have a bad game, the Hurricanes should not have much of an issue taking care of business against a bad Blues team.

NHL best bet: Stars vs Ducks over 6.5 (-118)

This will be the 3rd and final installment of the Stars vs Ducks this season. In their first 2 matchups, Anaheim and Dallas traded 7-5 and 8-3 wins respectively. That makes 23 goals scored in just 2 games. Those games make it 5 overs in the last 7 played head to head. In the last few seasons, when the Stars and Ducks meet, totals climb. Another high total would only reinforce overs trends for each team entering this game.

The over has hit in 8 out of Dallas’ last 12 games, as well as in 8 out of their last 10 games on the road. The total has also gone over in Anaheim’s last 8 games and in 11 out of their last 12 played at home. The combined over under record between these teams is 54-36-1. Dallas scores the 3rd most goals in the NHL and Anaheim ranks a respectable 11th in the same metric. The Ducks’ NHL-worst goals allowed per game has been the catalyst behind strong overs trends along with strong goal production. Most recently, Anaheim has allowed 5+ goals in 7 out of their last 8 games. The pure matchup, team strengths and weaknesses, and recent form bode well for a 3rd consecutive over between these teams.