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)
Pittsburgh Penguins (-130) at Chicago Blackhawks (+110) | O/U 6.5 (+102/-122)
The Penguins have been playing well at the end of the season, with a 7-4-1 record in their last 12 games. It's also been against some great teams; they just took the Blues to overtime and got the upset against the Stars.
That game against the Stars saw Sidney Crosby’s resilience. He hit a milestone with his 14th career hat trick and his 13th season with 30 or more goals, the fifth-most in league history.
They could have been a contender if they had been better on defense. They have been among the worst all season, ranking 30th in goals allowed (3.59) and 29th in shots on goal allowed (30.4).
The Blackhawks are still rebuilding and will have one of the best chances at the overall No. 1 pick. They are going to build around Connor Bedard, but they need other players to build around, and I don't think they have that for the time being.
Chicago is allowing 3.61 goals per game, and while you might think taking the over is a solid bet, the better pick is Pittsburgh grabbing a win.
Pick: Penguins Moneyline (-130)
Washington Capitals (-148) at New York Islanders (+124) | O/U 6.5 (+110/-130)
As the regular season concludes, the Capitals have a couple of storylines. They will be the top seed in the Eastern Conference but are still in contention for the President’s Cup.
The other story is Alex Ovechkin being on the verge of making history. Ovi scored two goals on Friday and tied Wayne Gretzky for the most all-time goals. He's got six games to break the record, and he could do it tonight.
If this were an Islanders defense from previous seasons, then it would be a tough night, but this isn't that defense. They've struggled all season and are allowing 3.04 goals, and they've been terrible recently, having allowed 4.00 in their last seven games.
This is a good spot for Ovechkin to get the record and the Capitals to get the win.
Pick: Capitals Moneyline (-148)
