NHL Picks

The Colorado Avalanche and Minnesota Wild continue their second-round series in the NHL Playoffs. The Presidents’ Trophy winner in Colorado has now won all six of their playoff games so far, and will look to make it seven as this series hits the road. Meanwhile, this is already a must-win for Minnesota, who is down 0-2. To get you set for all of the action, here is our expert Avalanche vs. Wild prediction.

The absence of Joel Eriksson-Ek and Jonas Brodin have proven to be major issues for Minnesota. Veteran defender Zach Bogosian is returning to the lineup after a Game 2 absence, but the team needs a lot more firepower. The Wild are also facing some goaltending adversity, as both Filip Gustavsson and Jesper Wallstedt have posted save percentages below .820 in each of their appearances in this series. There is much chaos forming in Minnesota, with home ice advantage in the next two games unlikely to help. Colorado’s foot is fully pressed on the gas as they are absolutely running through the playoffs so far. They are incredibly deep, mature, talented, and their play has been impeccable, outscoring opponents 27-13 and winning 5/6 games in regulation. 16 of 20 players who have suited up in these playoffs have accumulated 2+ points, with 14 finding the back of the net at least once. This has been a full team effort, and clearly look the part of a Stanley Cup winner. This won’t get any easier for Minnesota, so for our Avalanche vs. Wild prediction, we expect Colorado to continue their winning ways.

Avalanche vs. Wild prediction: Colorado Avalanche money line (-130) available at time of publication. Playable to (-150).

You can bet on our Avalanche vs. Wild pick at DraftKings Sportsbook, which has thousands of betting options available and a great new customer offer where you can get $200 in bonus bets INSTANTLY when you make a first bet of just $5! Click here 👈🏼 to sign up for a DraftKings account now.

The Buffalo Sabres and Montreal Canadiens will play Game 2 of their second-round series on Friday night. The Sabres won Game 1 by a score of 4-2. If you did not watch the game, the scoreline may make it seem like the Canadiens actually dominated the game, as they out-shot the Sabres 28-16. However, I expect the Sabres to have more pucks to the net in Game 2.

In the regular season, these were 2 of the highest-scoring teams in the NHL. The Sabres averaged 3.45 goals per game, while the Canadiens averaged 3.40. Game 1 showed us that despite a tighter game being played from both teams, goals still can be scored. We are still awaiting some goal scoring from Cole Caufield, a player who had 51 goals in the regular season. Including Game 1, the Canadiens and Sabres have met 4 times in total this season, and all 4 of those games have gone over the Game 2 total of 5.5 goals.

Look for the Sabres to come out with a stronger performance offensively, as they will not be able to win often with only 16 shots on net. I like the chances of Game 2 going over 5.5 goals once again. Give me the over in this one.

Canadiens vs Sabres Game 2 prediction: Over 5.5 (-120) available at time of publishing. Playable to -130.

If you’re looking for a new sportsbook, check out bet365, the world’s #1 sportsbook. They have an amazing sign-up offer where you can INSTANTLY receive $200 in bonus bets from a $10 wager, regardless of whether that bet wins or loses! There’s no catch, it’s really that simple. Join Bet365 right now ⏰ in time to fade or follow our experts’ Canadiens vs Sabres predictions.

The Anaheim Ducks and Vegas Golden Knights have played a pair of low-scoring games to begin this series, but things could open up a bit more in Game 3 on Friday night. The Ducks are happy to see the series shift to Anaheim, as Joel Quenneville’s squad has been great at lighting the lamp on home ice all throughout this season. During the regular season, the Ducks ranked 8th in the NHL scoring 3.44 goals per game at home. For comparison, they ranked 16th, scoring 3.02 goals per game on the road. Anaheim played 3 home games in the first round against Edmonton, scoring 7, 4 and 5 in those contests. Furthermore, Anaheim has fired 62 shots on goal so far in this series. While they’ve generated just 4 goals up to this point, that total could have very easily been higher, as the Ducks found many Grade A scoring chances in Games 1 and 2. I don’t expect them to miss those opportunities in Game 3.

Vegas had scored 4.5 goals per game over their last 4 contests before being held to just a single goal in Game 2. The Golden Knights had scored at least 2 goals in every postseason up until that point. Vegas is a veteran team full of players with plenty of playoff experience, and John Tortorella should have his team well-prepared for a bounce back performance. It’s also worth mentioning that both of these teams have been fairly undisciplined so far in this series, as we’ve seen 15 total power plays through 2 games. Only a single power play goal has been scored, but if the chances continue to pile up, it could be only a matter of time before one (or both) teams get their man advantages rolling. The over is the play.

Golden Knights vs Ducks Game 3 prediction: Over 6 (-110) available at time of publishing. Playable to -115. 

You can bet on our Golden Knights vs Ducks pick with BetMGM, where right now new users can activate your new BetMGM account ⚡ and receive $150 in bonus bets INSTANTLY if your first $10+ wager is a winner!