NHL Odds, Picks & Predictions: Sunday (3/23)
There are plenty of NHL teams in playoff contention. We've seen that all some teams need to do is get in and make a huge run. Let's break down a couple of games and give you our best bets.
Sunday's NHL Best Bets
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
Tampa Bay Lightning (+105) at Vegas Golden Knights (-125) | O/U 6.5 (+110/-130)
The Lightning are playing well at the right time, which is what championship-caliber teams do. They have a lot of experience excelling at this time of year, as they recently played in three straight Stanley Cup Finals. Since February 4, they are 13-3-1, and those 27 points are the most in that span.
They have one of the best forward lines, highlighted by Brandon Hagel and Nikita Kucherov playing very well. Hagel is sixth in points (22), and Kucherov is seventh (21) since February 4. Jake Guentzel is also starting to get hot, as his seven goals are the second-most in March.
The Golden Knights are only one year removed from their Stanley Cup championship, and even with a few players from that team gone, they still look like contenders. In the same span that Tampa Bay has been playing well, so too has Vegas; since February 6, their 2.36 goals allowed are fifth and 0.01 behind Tampa Bay, and their 3.50 goals scored are sixth and 0.09 behind Tampa Bay.
The goaltending matchup will be the difference. Andrei Vasilevskiy has been his usual dominant self throughout the season, with 2.23 goals allowed per game and a .920 save percentage. Ilya Samsonov has struggled recently by allowing 3.19 and a .855 save percentage.
Pick: Lightning Moneyline (+105)
Buffalo Sabres (+270) at Winnipeg Jets (-340)| O/U 5.5 (-130/+110)
The Jets have been showing all season that they are the team to beat with their dominance. They have had a few extended winning streaks throughout the season, including three instances of winning seven straight. This has them in contention for the Presidents’ Cup, as they are just two points behind the Capitals.
They are tough to beat because they dominate every aspect of the game. They’re third in goals scored per game (3.46), first in power-play percentage (30.0%), goals allowed per game (2.34), and save percentage (.921).
The Sabres have the fewest points in the Eastern Conference after another season where they failed to achieve expectations. They are on an awful 3-8-1 run, and neither side has been playing well, with their 2.42 goals per game being 27th and 4.33 goals per game being last.
This could be a game where the Jets cruise to a win.
