The NHL has a nice five-game slate on tap for Friday night’s action on the ice. The Stanley Cup Playoff race is heating up, as teams in contention have less than a month to secure a berth in the postseason.
Tonight’s NHL calendar starts with the New Jersey Devils vs. Washington Capitals, with Jack Hughes taking the surging Devils into D.C. as underdogs. A late-night puck drop between two Western Conference playoff contenders starts when the Utah Mammoth hosts the Anaheim Ducks.
My previous NHL Best Bets, Odds, & Picks: Friday (3/6) turned a profit at 2-1. Dallas blew a lead late, otherwise, we would’ve swept the board. The Minnesota Wild and Anaheim Ducks each won their games outright, cashing two of our three moneyline wagers.
I’ve found three NHL best bets to place ahead of tonight’s five-game NHL slate. Follow me on X @Matt_MacKay_ for more NHL analysis and free picks as we head into the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Friday’s NHL Best Bets
(Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook)
New Jersey Devils vs. Washington Capitals
New Jersey enters the nation’s capital riding a three-game winning streak. The Devils need to continue logging wins if they want to make a late push for a Wild Card berth in the Eastern Conference.
Washington finds itself in the same position as New Jersey in terms of being outside the playoff bubble. The Capitals are 5-4-1 in their last 10 games played, including a 4-1 win at home over Ottawa on Wednesday.
The Devils have had the upper hand in this head-to-head matchup lately. New Jersey is 6-1 SU on the road against the Capitals in their last seven meetings, while also 7-2 SU across their previous nine games played.
Goaltenders have yet to be confirmed. However, we’ve seen New Jersey score four or more goals during its three-game winning streak, including good wins over the Kings and Bruins.
Washington has lost to the Flyers and Bruins recently, with a 2-1-1 record at home in March. New Jersey has won six of its previous nine road games, so let’s back the Devils to win outright as an underdog at +108 odds tonight.
Pick: New Jersey Devils Moneyline (+108)
Florida Panthers vs. Calgary Flames
Florida is playing the second game of a back-to-back on the road against the lowly Calgary Flames. Oddsmakers have set this line to a pick’em, which feels a bit like a red flag, considering how poorly the Flames have played in 2026.
The Panthers are dealing with injuries to key players like Brad Marchand and Sam Reinhart. However, Florida is still a better roster, short-handed, than Calgary at full strength.
The Flames are 32nd in the NHL in total goals scored per game (2.44) and rank in the bottom half of the league for goals allowed per game. Florida is also 4-2 SU in its last six games, including a 4-0 shutout win on the road against Edmonton on Thursday night.
Surprisingly, Calgary is 6-0 SU against Florida at home in their previous six matchups at the Saddledome. However, the Flames have been held to two or fewer goals in four of their past five games played.
The Panthers’ road trip started flat with 5-2 and 6-2 losses to Seattle and Vancouver. After shutting out the Oilers, expect more confidence from Florida’s lineup against the league’s worst offense.
Bet on the Panthers to wrap up their four-game road trip with a win against Calgary at -110 on the moneyline.
Pick: Florida Panthers Moneyline (-110)
Anaheim Ducks vs. Utah Mammoth
A Western Conference tilt between the Ducks and Mammoth should provide a lot of entertainment on Friday’s late-night matchup. Utah is a -128 betting favorite at home, winning back-to-back games in impressive fashion against Dallas and Vegas by a combined 10-3 margin.
Anaheim is just 1-3 SU in its last four games played. This includes a 3-2 home loss to the Flyers in overtime during its last outing.
The total is set to 6.5, creating value on the under. Both teams have gone under the goal total line in seven of their previous 10 games played.
The last time the Mammoth and Ducks played, Utah won 7-0 on the road in December. Earlier in the season, Anaheim won 3-2 in overtime.
Let’s follow this total trend and bet under 6.5 at plus odds to close out our NHL Friday night betting card.
Pick: Under 6.5 Total Goals (+104)
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