Top NHL Odds, Picks & Predictions: Tuesday (4/15)
The NHL rolls out a 10-game slate tonight, and we have a couple of meaningful games on the docket. Below I'll dive into the Panthers vs. Lightning and Golden Knights vs. Flames games, as well as a third contest, from a betting perspective. Here are my three favorite NHL bets tonight.
Tuesday's NHL Best Bets
(Odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook)
Columbus Blue Jackets (-140) vs. Philadelphia Flyers (+118) | O/U 6.0 (-120/+100)
Neither of these teams has qualified for the playoffs in four straight years, and that's a trend that's going to continue this season. This Metropolitan Division showdown between the Blue Jackets (38-33-9, 85 points) and the Flyers (33-37-10, 76 points) gets underway at 7:00 p.m. ET from the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, PA.
The biggest issue with both teams this season has been their goaltending and lack of defensive structure. The Flyers enter the night with the league's worst SV% (.872), while the Blue Jackets (.888) rank 24th in the category. In terms of overall GAA, they're 29th (3.23) and 27th (3.16), respectively. Each team also ranks 20th or worse on the penalty kill this season.
Meanwhile, Columbus' offense has been a wagon all season, even with the injuries that they accrued to some of their top skaters. They've won their last four games, scoring an average of 4.8 goals per game during the stretch. Overall, the Blue Jackets are the eighth-best offense, averaging 3.2 goals per game. Finally, over the last 10 games, these are a pair of top-five offenses, each scoring north of 3.7 goals per game. I love this Over at a flat 6.0 goals.
Pick: Over 6.0 Goals (-120)
Florida Panthers (+145) vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (-175) | O/U 5.5 (-115/-105)
It's looking like the Lightning (46-26-8, 100 points) and Panthers (47-30-4, 98 points) are on a collision course for a first-round meeting in the playoffs next week. They hold the second and third spots in the Atlantic Division, respectively. Tonight's game gets underway at 7:30 p.m. ET from Amalie Arena in Tampa, FL.
The Cats have seen their offense tick up a bit over the last week, but they're still struggling to score consistently at this point. Florida has stayed below 2.5 goals in six of their last 10 games. Over the same 10-game sample size, the Panthers are 32nd in both goals per 60 minutes (2.07) and shooting percentage (6.56%).
Meanwhile, Andrei Vasilevskiy has sneakily been putting together a monster season. While everyone wants to talk about Winnipeg's Connor Hellebuyck, and rightfully so, Vasi has quietly gone 37-20-5 (second-most wins) with a 2.20 GAA (third) and a .921 SV% (fourth). His six shutouts are the second-most in the NHL. Over the last 10 games, the Bolts are allowing only 2.16 goals per game, which is the fourth-best mark in the league. I'll take the Panthers to stay below 2.5 goals tonight.
Pick: Panthers Team Total Under 2.5 Goals (-120)
Vegas Golden Knights (-105) vs. Calgary Flames (-115) | O/U 5.5 (-120/+100)
The Golden Knights (49-22-9, 107 points) clinched the Pacific Division title last time out against the Predators, and now they'll take on the Flames (39-27-14, 92 points) tonight. Calgary's two points out of the final Wild Card spot, and they'll need to win their final two games (at Kings) to even have a chance to make the playoffs. This divisional clash gets underway at 9:00 p.m. ET from the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, AB.
Typically I wouldn't be looking to play the Flames against a superior team like the Golden Knights, but considering it's do-or-die time for Calgary, I think it's worth a shot on them. Plus, Vegas has nothing to play for at this point, so who knows what kind of effort they'll give in this game.
Calgary enters this contest riding a six-game point streak, where they're 4-0-2 during the stretch. Their defense has been playing well over the last 10 games, ranking 11th in GAA (2.64) and third in xGAA (2.45). The Flames are a solid 22-12-6 at home this season as well. With the season literally on the line, I think it's worth a flier on the Flames in a pick 'em spot.
Pick: Flames Moneyline (-115)