After a 3-week break from the regular season, the NHL is back! There is a ton to watch for down the stretch as several teams battle for coveted playoff spots with under 30 games remaining. It will also be interesting to see the effect the Olympics have on players as they return from a physically, mentally, and emotionally draining 3-weeks in Milan. This has been a phenomenal NHL season and it is only going to get better beginning tonight! If you will be tuning in and want to have some action, I’ve picked out my NHL best bets for Wednesday, with lines and odds courtesy of DraftKings at the time of writing. Also, be sure to check out all of our NHL predictions for every game throughout the season, including all 8 matchups today.
NHL best bet: Maple Leafs vs Lightning Over 6.5 (+114)
Unsurprisingly, this game will be featured on TNT as it will draw plenty of eyes. The Lightning are in great shape with the best point percentage in the Eastern Conference. That is not quite the case for the Maple Leafs who are 6 points out of a playoff spot with 4 teams to jump. With just 24 games remaining in Toronto’s season, there is no time to waste. They have to get hot and collect every point possible. This will be a hungry Maple Leafs team tonight.
If Toronto is going to beat Tampa, they will need to do what they do best: score. The Maple Leafs rank 27th in the NHL in goals allowed per game. Facing a team like the Lightning who score the 2nd most goals in the league, it is unlikely the Leafs find success on the defensive side of the puck. The over has hit in 4 out of Tampa’s last 6 games, and in 5 out of the last 6 played head to head. The pure matchup and team strengths should bode well for another high-scoring affair.
Read our full Maple Leafs vs Lightning prediction for tonight’s game on TNT
NHL best bet: Jets 3-way ML over Canucks (+120)
Likely to the dismay of several Canucks fans, the season goes on. The Olympic break was a nice reprieve for those in Vancouver that will be glad to see the season end. Sounds bleak, but is true for a team that is significantly the worst in hockey, is in full rebuild mode after trading cornerstone players, and is as injured as the Canucks have been. While the Jets are not exactly a juggernaut themselves, they have won 8 out of the last 10 played against Vancouver, including a 5-3 win earlier this year.
Vancouver enters tonight with just 2 wins in their last 19 games and 2 wins in their last 14 played at home. They have allowed 4+ goals in 7 out of their last 11 games which has furthered their 32nd-league rank in goals allowed per game, while they rank 29th in goals scored per game. Fading the Canucks is just about as reliable of a play in hockey this season and getting plus-money for the Jets to win in regulation is good value.
Read our full Jets vs Canucks prediction
NHL best bet: Golden Knights ML over Kings (+124)
These teams played head to head in their last game entering the Olympic break in a game which Vegas won 4-1. With that win, the Golden Knights are now 2-0-1 against the Kings this year, having outscored the Kings a combined 12-9. The Kings roster has undergone turnover in the last 3 weeks since a regular season game was played as they added Artemi Panarin, but lost Kevin Fiala due to an injury sustained at the Olympics. While the addition of Panarin improves the Kings’ roster, they now will have to get used to new personnel both with Panarin and without Fiala. Working out new lines does not improve overnight.
In addition to the better performances head to head, the Golden Knights have been the better team on the season as a whole. They sit atop the Pacific 4 points clear with a game in hand on the Oilers who are behind them. There are 3 teams and 8 points in between Vegas and Los Angeles, and the Golden Knights have better league ranks in goals scored per game, power play, penalty kill, and face offs, all by a wide margin. The addition of Panarin is undoubtedly an improvement for the Kings. But the loss of Fiala and the strength of Vegas both head to head and overall gives this plus money a ton of value for an outright win.
Read our full Golden Knights vs Kings prediction for today’s matchup on TNT
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