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

There are a couple more opportunities for handshakes on Tuesday night as the Sabres and Ducks look to close out their respective series. Sandwiched in between those games will be a pivotal Game 5 between the Wild and Stars, which is shaping up to be the series the hockey world expected. Desperation will be at a peak for a few teams tonight, and it should make for more great hockey. If you will be tuning in and want to have some action, I have picked out my 3 NHL best bets for the playoff slate on Tuesday, April 28, with lines and odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook at the time of publishing. Also, be sure to check out our NHL predictions for all 3 games tonight and throughout the playoffs.

NHL best bet: Buffalo Sabres 3-way ML over Boston Bruins (-105)

The Sabres have taken control of this series in such a convincing fashion that they are a tough fade. The Bruins looked solid in the first 2 games of the series in Buffalo. But once the series shifted over to Boston, the Sabres dominated. Buffalo won games 3 and 4 by a combined score of 9-2. In those games, they also outshot Boston by 15 total shots and scored all of their goals at even-strength. As well as the Sabres played, the Bruins made things easier on their opponent than they intended. 

Buffalo did a great job capitalizing on Boston mistakes, and there were a ton. The Bruins are a well-coached team that was the 2nd best home team in the NHL during the regular season. For some reason, they just were not ready to play. There is no margin for error now as they go back to arguably the most raucous environment in the playoffs. Boston ranked 21st in the league among road teams this year with a 16-16-9 record. Their road track record, relatively poor form entering this game, and the urgency the Sabres will play with to close this out at home all give Buffalo plenty of appeal tonight.

Read our full Bruins vs Sabres Game 5 prediction

NHL best bet: Minnesota Wild vs Dallas Stars Over 5.5 (-122)

Since a Game 1 hammering, this has turned into a fantastic series as widely expected. The last 2 games have gone beyond regulation, and it looks like more could as well. There is not much separating these teams as they play their 9th head-to-head matchup this year. In the prior 8 matchups, the over is 5-2-1, including 2-1-1 in this series. The overs are nothing new for these teams as high game totals have trended for both of them recently. 

The total has gone over in 6 out of Dallas’ last 9 games, combining the end of their regular season and start of the playoffs. The over is also 6-3-1 in Minnesota’s last 10 games, including 4-1-1 on the road during that span. In their respective last 10 games, combining Wild road games with Stars home games, the over is 7-3-2. Minnesota has been a key contributor to high game totals all season as the over was 46-36-4 this season, including 26-15-2 on the road. Their average game total on the road during the regular season was 6.44 goals. Recent trends, in addition to long-term trends, and head-to-head results bode well for another over 5.5 on Tuesday.

Read our full Wild vs Stars Game 5 prediction

NHL best bet: Connor McDavid anytime goalscorer in Anaheim Ducks vs Edmonton Oilers (+115)

The Oilers are far from an ideal spot, being down 3 games to 1 with zero room for error. One thing we know for sure is that Connor McDavid will play like a man possessed tonight. Although he has not completely dominated as he typically does, McDavid still has 4 points in 4 games in this series. As game 4 progressed after Edmonton blew the lead, he kept finding a way to turn up the jets to create opportunities, leading to 2 assists. It just wasn’t enough. We’ll see an even more determined Connor McDavid on Tuesday with his team on the precipice of elimination. 

Edmonton and Anaheim have now met on 7 occasions this year. In those 7 games, McDavid has tallied 3 goals and 8 assists for 11 points. As well as the Ducks have played, they are not a great team on the defensive side of the puck. They ranked 29th in the NHL in goals allowed per game with 3.51, and on the road allowed slightly more with 3.54 goals allowed per game.

Meanwhile, the Oilers scored the 6th most goals per game, and the 7th most among home teams. The opportunity for McDavid to score is there every game against the Ducks, and should be again on Tuesday. This is a guy coming off another Art Ross season as the league’s top point producer, has a Conn Smythe under his belt as the postseason’s best player, and 154 points in 100 career playoff games. Plus money for McDavid to score in a must-win at home is great value.

Find out our expert NHL picks for EVERY GAME throughout the entire Stanley Cup Playoffs!