NHL Odds, Picks & Predictions: Saturday (1/18)
The NHL has a monster 15-game slate beginning just after Noon on the East Coast and ending after midnight on the West Coast. Let’s check out two of the top picks from today’s loaded schedule!
Saturday’s NHL Best Bets
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
Detroit Red Wings (+170) at Tampa Bay Lightning (-205) | O/U 6.5 (+110/-130)
The Red Wings made a coaching change and it has changed the landscape of the season. They are recently 8-1-0 which includes a win over the defending champions the Florida Panthers. It's not surprising because this is an incredible roster. Dylan Larkin has had three straight 30+ goal seasons and is on track for another, Alex DeBrincat has put up a couple of 40-goal seasons, and Lucas Raymond continues the momentum of his breakout 2023-24 season as he leads the team with 49 points. They might keep Cam Talbot as their primary goalie after Ville Husso struggled with his return from the injured reserve (IR) and Talbot only allowed two goals to the Panthers.
The Lightning continues to show why they are the best offense in the league; they are scoring 3.63 goals per game and rank ninth with an expected goal percentage of 52.5%.
It has been tough to imagine you can contain this offense with six players with 30+ points. That includes Nikita Kucherov, who led the league in points last year and some might say was cheated out of the Hart Trophy. He currently has 65 points, third in the league, and it looks like he could be a contender for the award again.
Bolts goalkeeper Andrei Vasilevskiy has been shakey lately and going against a red-hot Detroit offense, he could struggle, but Tampa Bay should give him plenty of support in a high-scoring game.
Pick: Over 6.5 Goals (+110)
Pittsburgh Penguins (+180) at Washington Capitals (-218) | O/U 6.5 (+110/-130)
The Penguins got a much-needed win against a bad Sabres team to break a three-game losing streak, but the outlook still isn't great. They thought a few weeks ago that getting Tristian Jarry would help the defense, but struggled out of the gate, so after nine seasons in Pittsburgh, they placed him on waivers. Alex Nedeljkovic played last night and made history by becoming the first goalie to record a goal and an assist in the same game, so tonight it will be rookie Joel Blomqvist between the pipes.
The Capitals have made a massive turnaround since last year, when they grabbed the last playoff spot. However, that will not be the case this year, as they are tied for the most points in the league. The offense dealt with injuries all previous season, but it has been healthy for most of the years. Eight players have scored double-digit goals, and Alex Ovechkin leads with 21 despite playing in just 29 games.
This has been a huge rivalry in years past that features two of the best players in the game over theist two decades. However, these two teams are heading in two different directions and Captials should come away with a win.
Pick: Capitals 60-Minute Moneyline (-140)