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Top 3 NHL Betting Odds, Picks & Predictions: Wednesday (1/18)

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It's a thin betting board in the NHL tonight as just 10 teams get prepared to hit the ice. Two matchups stick out in particular, with the Bruins taking on the Islanders and the Flames hosting the Avalanche. Calgary currently holds a four-point edge over Colorado in the Western Conference Wild Card race, while the Islanders are the first team out in the East. It should be a thrilling night of hockey.

And here are our other top picks for Wednesday:

Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook

Top 3 NHL Betting Odds, Picks & Predictions: Wednesday (1/18)

Here's how I'm betting on tonight's slate.

Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Ottawa Senators

The Penguins and Senators are set to play in a home-and-home situation over the next three days, with tonight's game taking place in Ottawa and Friday's contest going down in Pittsburgh. Puck drop for tonight's conference clash is set for 7:00 p.m. ET from the Canadien Tire Centre in Ontario.

While the Penguins hold a nine-point edge over the Senators in the standings, not much separates these two sides from a statistical standpoint. Pittsburgh is scoring .3 more goals per game than Ottawa while allowing .1 fewer goals per contest. On the power play, Ottawa has a 6.2% edge, while Pittsburgh is performing 1.0% better on the penalty kill.

That said, I'll back the Penguins to secure the two points tonight. As the playoff race heats up, this is a game that Pittsburgh needs to have. They have veteran leadership with Sidney Crosby (21G, 28A) and Evgeni Malkin (15G, 26A), and that duo knows what it takes to be successful in the back half of a season. I expect a well-polished performance tonight against a younger Senators team that's still going through growing pains. Let's back the Penguins in this spot.

Bet: Pittsburgh Penguins Moneyline (-130 via DraftKings)

Colorado Avalanche vs. Calgary Flames

The biggest game on tonight's slate sees the Avalanche take on the Flames at the Saddledome. Calgary is currently the second Wild Card team in the Western Conference, with a four-point lead over Colorado, the first team out. However, it's worth mentioning that the Avs have three games in hand, which makes this tilt all the more important. This one gets underway at 9:30 p.m. ET in Alberta.

I'm going to ride with the Avalanche as underdogs tonight. Simply put, the Avs are much more talented offensively than the Flames. Head coach Jared Bednar knows that the team is top-heavy, and he's consistently riding with his top two lines. Mikko Rantanen (29G, 24A) and Nathan MacKinnon (13G, 34A) are each logging north of 22 minutes per game, while reigning Norris Trophy winner Cale Makar (13G, 30A) is averaging 27:09 minutes of ice time on the back end. Bednar's formula is simple: keep the best players on the ice as much as possible.

With the offensive prowess of Colorado, combined with the goaltending advantage, I like for the Avs to get it done tonight.

Bet: Colorado Avalanche Moneyline (+110 via DraftKings)

Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Vancouver Canucks

Tampa Bay is finally finding its groove, winning eight of its last 10 games. They'll go toe-to-toe with a Canucks team that's dropped seven of their last nine contests. This cross-conference showdown is scheduled for 10:00 p.m. ET from Rogers Arena.

I'm going to lock in the Bolts on the puck line tonight. These two teams are trending in opposite directions, and I expect this game to be a massacre in favor of Tampa Bay. The Lightning brings in the fifth-best offense (3.6 GPG) in the league, and they're also second on the power play (28.77%). On the flip side, the Canucks are second-to-last in defense (3.79 GAA) and dead last on the PK (66.67%). To put that into context, their 66.67% kill rate is on pace to be the worst in NHL history, beating out the '79-'80 Los Angeles Kings (68.2%).

The Lightning's offense should feast tonight and spread their lead out to at least two goals. Let's roll with Tampa Bay.

Bet: Tampa Bay Lightning -1.5 (+135 via DraftKings)

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