Following a standalone game in the NHL on New Year's Day, the league returns with a loaded 12-game schedule on the ice. I'm heading to PrizePicks to get some skin in the game, and below I've listed my three favorite player predictions on the platform. If all three cash, they'll net us a 5x multiplier.
Following a standalone game in the NHL on New Year's Day, the league returns with a loaded 12-game schedule on the ice. I'm heading to PrizePicks to get some skin in the game, and below I've listed my three favorite player predictions on the platform. If all three cash, they'll net us a 5x multiplier.
Thursday’s Best NHL PrizePicks Player Predictions
Joseph Woll Less Than 2.5 Goals Allowed
The Maple Leafs (23-13-2) and Islanders (14-17-7) wrap up a home-and-home series tonight. It was Toronto who logged a 3-1 victory in the Great White North on Tuesday. The series shifts back to New York. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET from UBS Arena in Elmont, NY.
Joseph Woll looked excellent in net against the Isles on Tuesday, making 30 saves on 31 shots faced (.968 SV%). It's confirmed Woll will be back in the crease tonight, and I'll play him to stuff New York once again. Give me Woll to allow fewer than 2.5 goals. The Toronto netminder has sneakily been one of the best goalies in the league this year, going 11-6-0 with a 2.48 GAA (10th) and .913 SV% (.11th).
He's tasked with shutting down a bottom-tier New York offense. The Isles come into this contest ranked 27th in scoring (2.6 goals per game), 29th in shooting% (9.17%) and dead last on the power play (11.34%). They've scored two or fewer goals in three of their last four games. Look for another solid outing from Woll and this Toronto defense, which is fifth in the NHL (2.47 GAA).
Tage Thompson More Than 0.5 Points
The Sabres (14-20-4) continue their road trip tonight. The next stop is Denver to take on the Avalanche (23-15-0) in a cross-conference showdown. Puck drop is scheduled for 9:00 p.m. ET from Ball Arena in Denver, CO.
Buffalo is in the midst of a 3-12-3 run over their last 18 games. However, Tage Thompson certainly hasn't been the problem with this poor-performing Sabres squad. The star centerman has 13 points (eight goals, five assists) during the 18-game stretch. He's scored at least one point in 10 of his last 14 games (71.4%). He leads the team in both points (30) and goals scored (18), so I'll back him to simply register a point against the Avalanche tonight.
Colorado has cleaned up its defensive woes from early in the season, but they're still not untouchable on the backend. They've allowed at least two goals in eight of their last nine games. The Avs are trending upward, but a certified goalscorer like Thompson should be able to find the holes in their defense. Give me Thompson to pick up a point tonight in Denver.
Shea Theodore More Than 0.5 Points
Let's wrap things up out west, where the Golden Knights (25-9-3) will try to bounce back after losing a 3-2 home game to the Canadiens on Tuesday. Up next is the Flyers (17-17-4). This game gets underway at 10:00 p.m. ET from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV.
I love these wagers on taking a defenseman to merely pick up a point. With a guy like Shea Theodore, who's logging 21:54 time on ice per game (TOI/G), there's always a chance he lucks into a secondary assist simply by being on the ice and eating those minutes. The veteran defenseman has logged 30 points this year, courtesy of four goals and 26 helpers. His 26 assists are the 23rd-most in the NHL.
Theodore is still running the blue line on the top power-play unit, which is third in the NHL (27.27%). They're tasked with scoring on Philadelphia's 20th-ranked penalty kill (78.10%). Overall this season, the Flyers are 29th defensively (3.26 GAA) and dead last in SV% (.871). Look for the Golden Knights to lay it on the visitors tonight, and for Theodore to have his hand in at least one goal.
Make sure to check out our other best bets for Thursday:
