Top NHL Betting Odds, Picks & Predictions: Wednesday (1/4)
It’s a thin slate on the ice tonight, featuring just three games. The Devils take on the Red Wings in Detroit, the Lightning square off against the Wild, and the Stars go head-to-head with the Ducks. Let’s dive into two of these contests and break down my best bets in the NHL tonight.
Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook
Top NHL Betting Odds, Picks & Predictions: Wednesday (1/4)
Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Minnesota Wild
The Lightning took care of business in Chicago last night, topping the Blackhawks 4-1. We cashed the Bolts puck line en route to a profitable 2-1 betting night. Tampa Bay will go for their fifth straight win as they make the trip to Minnesota to face the Wild. Puck drop is set for 9:30 p.m. ET from Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
Brian Elliot got the nod in net for the Lightning last night, meaning that Andrei Vasilevskiy will likely take over the netminding duties on the second night of the back-to-back. For that reason, I’ll take a shot with Tampa Bay on the moneyline tonight. The Russian-born goaltender is 16-9-1 with a 2.42 GAA and .921 SV% over 26 games. This is a pretty favorable defensive matchup for the Lightning considering the Wild are just 19th offensively (3.1 gpg) and 14th on the power play (23.28%). All things considered, Tampa Bay should be in this game until the very end, and I think they have a great chance to collect the two points.
Bet: Tampa Bay Lightning Moneyline (-105 via DraftKings)
Dallas Stars vs. Anaheim Ducks
The Stars are also coming into their game tonight on the second night of a back-to-back. They dropped a 3-2 contest to the Kings last night, snapping their four-game win streak. The Ducks, on the other hand, continue to hold down the cellar of the Pacific as they’ve lost five of their last six. This Western Conference showdown is slated for 10:00 p.m. ET from the Honda Center.
We’ll likely get a goaltending matchup featuring Scott Wedgewood vs. John Gibson. Neither of these goalies has been exceptional this season, each posting GAA’s north of 3.00. Dallas’ Wedgewood comes in at 6-4-3 with a 3.03 GAA and 0.910 SV%, while Anaheim’s Gibson is 6-16-3 with a 3.98 GAA and .897 SV%. However, I still give a massive edge to the Stars in this game, as the Ducks are just so terrible. They’re dead last in the league in both offense (2.2 gpg) and defense (3.95 opposing gpg), and their -71 goal differential is by far the worst in the league. To put it in perspective, Anaheim is on pace for a -153 goal differential over 82 games, which would be the 10th-lowest mark in the history of the league.
Even though the Stars may have fatigued legs as the game carries on, they should be able to make up for it with their experience and physicality. I’m expecting a rout in Anaheim tonight. Let’s lock in the Stars on the puck line.
Bet: Dallas Stars -1.5 (+125 via DraftKings)
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