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NHL Betting Odds, Picks & Predictions: Wednesday (3/22)

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It’s a slim two-game slate on the ice tonight. One matchup features the Pittsburgh Penguins and Colorado Avalanche. The other showcases the Arizona Coyotes and Edmonton Oilers. 

Let’s dive into each matchup and get some best bets locked in. 

Trent’s Betting Record Since 1/21/2023

  • Total: 20-28 (-9.69 Units)
  • NHL: 18-26 (-9.56 Units)

Also, take a look at our other best bets for Wednesday:

Wednesday’s NHL Betting Odds, Picks & Predictions

Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook

Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Colorado Avalanche 

The Penguins are sliding out of control right now, losing four straight games and slipping outside of the top two spots in the Eastern Conference Wild Card race. Things won’t get any easier tonight as they take on the defending champion Avalanche, who have won their last six games. Puck drop is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. ET from Ball Arena in Denver, CO. 

I’ll ride the hot hand in this one and back the Avs on the moneyline. Colorado has been clicking on both ends of the ice, outscoring their opponents 28-12 over the six-game streak. On the flip side, the Pens have scored just seven goals over their recent four-game skid. 

Statistically, one of the reasons for the mediocre season from Pittsburgh has been their special teams’ play. The Penguins are 17th on the power play (21.2%) and 16th on the penalty kill (79.7%). They’ll be tasked with slowing down the fourth-ranked power play unit tonight, an Avs club that’s finding the back of the net on 24.8% of their man-advantage opportunities.

Ultimately, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin can only carry this team so far. They need someone else to step up and contribute, and Pittsburgh simply isn’t getting that from anyone else on the team right now. Let’s back the red-hot Avalanche tonight. 

Bet: Colorado Avalanche Moneyline (-165)

Edmonton Oilers vs. Arizona Coyotes 

The Coyotes had their eight-game point streak snapped last night in a 2-1 loss at the hands of the Jets. They’ll attempt to start a new streak tonight as they take on the Edmonton Oilers. This one gets underway at 10:30 p.m. ET from Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta. 

Both of these teams have been playing well recently, but I’m going to lay the 1.5 goals with the Oilers here. They’ve won four straight games and covered the puck line in three of those four games. 

Edmonton brings in the league’s best offense, a team that’s scoring 3.9 goals per game (1st) and cashing on 31.2% of their power play chances (1st). To put into perspective just how dominant this man-advantage unit has been, if the season ended today, the Oilers would have the fourth-highest power play percentage in NHL history. 

Look for the Oilers to go to work against an Arizona team that’s entering on the second night of a back-to-back. Edmonton should have no issues securing the two points against the below-average defense of the Coyotes, which ranks 24th overall (3.3 GAA) and 20th on the PK (76.7%). 

Bet: Edmonton Oilers -1.5 (-180)

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