NHL Betting Odds, Picks & Predictions: Tuesday (3/14)

by Trenton Pruitt |
Mar 14, 2023

It's a jam-packed slate in the NHL tonight, as 24 teams are set to hit the ice. There are a few intriguing matchups on the docket, including the Lightning taking on the Devils, the Jets going toe-to-toe with the Hurricanes, and the Islanders squaring off against the Kings.

Let's dive into my top three bets on the ice tonight.

Trent's Betting Record Since 1/21/2023

Total: 18-22 (-5.14 Units)
NHL: 16-20 (-5.01 Units)

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

Today's Best NHL Bets

Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook

Montreal Canadiens vs. Pittsburgh Penguins

It's been a tough run for the Canadiens lately, as they've now dropped their last seven games overall. They'll look to get back into the win column tonight against a Penguins squad that's holding down the top spot in the Eastern Conference Wild Card race, sitting with 78 points. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET from PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA.

Things seem to finally be turning around for the Penguins, who have now won seven of their last nine games overall. I'll back them to make it eight of 10 tonight, and I think they handle Montreal with ease on their home ice.

Pittsburgh has been excelling on the offensive end of the ice during the above-mentioned nine-game sample, scoring an average of 3.9 goals per game. They'll take on a lousy Canadiens' defense which ranks 25th in overall defense (3.3 GAA) and 31st on the penalty kill (72.9%). Look for the Penguins to come out and dominate Montreal early while cruising to at least a two-goal victory.

Bet: Pittsburgh Penguins -1.5 (-129 via DraftKings)

Dallas Stars vs. Vancouver Canucks

Speaking of red-hot offenses, look no further than the Dallas Stars and their play over the last couple of weeks. They've won six out of their last seven contests, scoring a whopping 39 goals over the sample (5.9 GPG). The Stars will look to earn their second win in as many nights when they square off against the Vancouver Canucks tonight. Puck drop is scheduled for 10:00 p.m. ET from Rogers Arena.

I'm locking in the Stars in this Western Conference clash, they should have no issues securing two easy points tonight. They'll be tasked with scoring against one of the weakest defenses in the whole league in Vancouver. The Canucks are 31st in overall defense (3.7 GAA) and dead last on the penalty kill (68.8%).

To put into context how bad Vancouver's PK unit has been, they're currently on pace to post the third-worst penalty kill rate in history, trailing just the 1980 (68.2%) and 1983 (68.6%) Los Angeles Kings. Let's not overthink this one and take the top-ranked team in the Central to pick up a pair of points tonight.

Bet: Dallas Stars Moneyline (-132 via DraftKings)

New York Islanders vs. Los Angeles Kings

The Kings saw their five-game win streak snapped on Saturday, losing 2-1 to the Predators in a shootout. They'll try to bounce back tonight when they take on the Islanders in Los Angeles. This one gets underway at 10:30 p.m. ET from Crypto.com Arena.

With both of these teams in position to make the playoffs, we should be in for a pretty entertaining cross-conference tilt tonight. However, I'm locking in the home team to extend their point streak and earn two points. Give me the Kings moneyline.

Los Angeles has excelled on home ice this season, posting a 20-9-3 record overall. As for the Isles, they're a sub-.500 team away from home, going just 14-14-5 on the road this season. Furthermore, New York hasn't been as sharp as usual over the last five games, surrendering 13 goals over the span (2.6 GAA). While that's still a respectable number, look for the Kings' offense to do enough to win this one tonight. They've been playing well on offense, scoring 3.5 goals per game over their last seven. They also boast the seventh-ranked power play in the NHL, cashing on 23.9 percent of their man-advantage opportunities. Let's side with the home team in this one.

Bet: Los Angeles Kings Moneyline (-136 via DraftKings)

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