Don't let the NCAA Tournament steal the entire spotlight this weekend, as we still have plenty of meaningful NHL action on the horizon. Specifically on Thursday, we have a few intriguing matchups on the ice, including the Canadiens vs. the Red Wings and the Mammoth vs. the Golden Knights.
I've got you covered from a sports betting angle Thursday night in the NHL. Here are my top three NHL bets tonight.
Thursday's NHL Best Bets
Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook
New York Rangers (+180) vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (-218) | 6.5 (+114/-135)
The Rangers (28-32-8) enter tonight's game with the Blue Jackets (35-21-11) on zero days of rest, after getting pummelled by the Devils 6-3 last night. Tonight's contest with Columbus gets underway at 7:00 p.m. ET from Nationwide Arena in Columbus, OH.
New York's offense has finally found some life in recent weeks. Including Wednesday's 6-3 loss to the Devils, the Rangers have now tallied 3+ goals in nine of their last 10 games. Included in that sample size is a 5-4 overtime loss to the Blue Jackets on March 2nd. During the 10-game sample size, the Blue Shirts are fourth in goals per 60 minutes (3.86) and first in shooting percentage (16.81%). They're on a 6-3 run to the over in their last nine outings.
Meanwhile, the Blue Jackets remain a top-tier offense, ranking 11th in goals per 60 minutes (3.42) and 10th in shooting percentage (11.74%) over the last 10 games. I expect to see the Rangers stay hot offensively, which should force the Blue Jackets to keep up the offensive pressure on the other end of the ice. Columbus has scored 3+ goals in eight of its last 10 games. They should have no issues reaching that threshold with rest and travel advantages.
Bet: Over 6.5 Goals (+114)
Buffalo Sabres (-142) vs. San Jose Sharks (+120) | 6.5 (-130/+110)
The Sabres (42-20-6) started off their four-game west coast road trip with a win over the Golden Knights on Tuesday, shutting them out in a 2-0 effort. They'll take on the Sharks (32-28-6) this evening, who return home following a 2-3-0 road trip. Included in the five-game stretch is a 6-3 loss to Buffalo on March 10th. Puck drop is scheduled for 10:00 p.m. ET from the SAP Center at San Jose in San Jose, CA.
I'll also be on the over in this cross-conference clash. With the way these teams are playing, there's a realistic chance that the Sabres clear this total by themselves. Buffalo has been rolling offensively, ranking third in goals per 60 minutes (3.87), seventh in shooting percentage (12.66%), and fourth in high-danger SOG (42) over the last 10 games. They'll take on a San Jose defense that has allowed 5+ goals in two straight games, and ranks 22nd in team save percentage (.884) this season.
San Jose should also be able to contribute a couple of goals tonight, as they've scored 3+ goals in five straight contests. They're 10th in goals per 60 minutes (3.46) and sixth in shooting percentage (12.82%) over the last 10 games. The Sharks don't get a ton of offensive chances each night, but they typically bury a decent percentage of the ones they do earn. Let's take the over in this battle of sharp-shooting offenses.
Bet: Over 6.5 Goals (-130)
Tampa Bay Lightning (-290) vs. Vancouver Canucks (+235) | 6.5 (+110/-130)
I'll wrap up my betting card in beautiful British Columbia, where the Lightning (41-21-4) are set to take on the lowly Canucks (21-38-8). Puck drop is slated for 10:00 p.m. ET from Rogers Arena in Vancouver, BC.
The Lightning have not been playing great defense lately, but you couldn't ask for a better get-right spot than against the lousy Canucks. I'll lay the juice and take Vancouver to stay under 2.5 goals tonight.
The Canucks have arguably been the worst offense in the NHL this season. They come into tonight's contest ranked 31st in goals per 60 minutes (2.52), 29th in shooting percentage (9.69%), and 25th in total SOG (1,764). Their power-play unit is just 22nd in the league at 18.59%.
More recently, we've seen the Canucks score fewer than three goals in 12 of their last 16 games. Considering there's a chance that Vancouver will be running into Vezina frontrunner Andrei Vasilevskiy (2.30 GAA, .914 SV%), I don't expect much out of them in this spot. Tampa's fourth in Corsi% (53.17%) while Vancouver's 27th (47.18%), so look for the Bolts' netminder to be out of any serious danger for a majority of the night. Give me Vancouver to stay under 2.5 goals.
Bet: Vancouver Canucks Team Total Under 2.5 (-150)
