The NHL is set to drop the puck on Friday’s condensed two-game slate. The final push for the Stanley Cup Playoffs is on, with only a handful of games left in the regular season, meaning tonight’s matchups should provide plenty of entertainment value in high-stakes environments.
My previous NHL Best Bets, Odds, & Picks: Friday (3/20) settled 1-2. The Devils lost 2-1 on the road to the Capitals, while the Panthers got routed 4-1 on the road against the Flames. The lone winner was under 6.5 goals between the Mammoth and Ducks, cashing at plus odds.
Tonight’s pair of games features a playoff matchup in each conference. The New York Islanders host the Philadelphia Flyers and find themselves in a Wild Card seed, with five other opponents, including the Flyers, chasing them for contention. New York is a -146 betting favorite with a 5.5 goal total. Then, it’s a late-night puck drop when the Anaheim Ducks host the St. Louis Blues as a -142 betting favorite and a 6.5-goal total.
Let’s lock in two wagers and bet both games on tonight’s 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)
Philadelphia Flyers vs. New York Islanders
The Flyers and Islanders are both in desperation mode. Philadelphia is on the second leg of a back-to-back, while New York holds a rest edge and benefits from playing on home ice.
Upon closer inspection, the Flyers are a great road team lately. They’ve won eight of their last nine matchups on the road, while going 12-6 SU across the last 18 games to climb into Wild Card contention.
Philadelphia is 2-1 SU against New York this season. The Islanders will start goaltender Ilya Sorokin, who has six shutouts and a strong 2.64 GAA. The Flyers have yet to name their starting goaltender.
Despite all of the advantages seemingly favoring the New York Islanders at home, don’t be afraid to bet on the Flyers. Philadelphia has recent wins against the Stars, Red Wings, Sharks, Kings, and Ducks. Plus, they need to keep winning to erase the three-point margin that the Islanders hold in the jam-packed Wild Card race.
Bet on the Flyers to win outright on the moneyline at +122 odds at UBS Arena tonight.
Pick: Philadelphia Flyers Moneyline (+122)
St. Louis Blues vs. Anaheim Ducks
The Blues and Ducks will meet for the third time this season at the Honda Center tonight. Anaheim has lost three straight games and now clings to a tiebreaker to hold a lead in the Pacific Division race.
St. Louis saw its four-game winning streak snapped with a 5-4 regulation loss to the Sharks, then grabbed a point during a 2-1 overtime loss on the road against the Kings on Wednesday.
The Blues are among the most profitable under teams in the NHL this season at 40-34. The Ducks, conversely, are 44-31 toward the point total over, boasting a top-12 scoring offense.
Previous results from games played this season went 4-1 in favor of the Ducks and a 4-0 shutout by the Blues last month in Anaheim. See a theme? Yes, unders hit in both matchups.
Under 6.5 has been a winner in nine of the Blues’ previous 10 games played. It’s 5-5 in the Ducks’ last 10 matchups, which is enough to justify laying juice on under 6.5 at -134 odds.
Pick: Under 6.5 (-134)
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