NHL Odds, Picks, & Predictions: Thursday (3/13)

Image of author by |

There are nine games in the NHL for Thursday night, which means we’ve got a few bets to place across the board during the final playoff push for many teams. Notable matchups include Florida vs. Toronto, Boston vs. Ottawa, the New York Rangers vs. Minnesota, and Washington vs. Los Angeles.

Last week’s NHL best bets flopped, going 0-2 on the card. The Stars beat Calgary on home ice, 3-2, failing to cover the puck line by two or more goals, which was bet at even odds. A complete misread on Buffalo vs. Tampa Bay, which saw the Lightning outpace the Sabres in a 6-5 win, lost Buffalo’s team total under 2.5 by the end of the 1st period.

Let’s get back into the win column with two wagers to place on tonight’s NHL slate. Follow me on X at Matt_MacKay_ for more NHL free bets and weekly analysis.

        Our NHL Prop Bet Cheat Sheet assists bettors by comparing lines from leading sportsbooks with our daily projections >>

        NHL Player Prop Bets NHL Player Props

        Thursday’s NHL Best Bets

        (Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook)

        St. Louis Blues vs. Pittsburgh Penguins

        We’re going to back a team that is quietly making a run at the Western Conference Wild Card right now. St. Louis is currently two points behind Calgary and Vancouver for the second Wild Card seed in the West, occupied by the Flames.

        The Blues are on the road against Pittsburgh on Thursday night. St. Louis is 7-2 ATS in its last nine games and just suffered its second loss in the last eight games played, falling 2-1 on the road against the Kings in overtime.

        Somehow, St. Louis hasn’t played a game since March 8th, enjoying an extensive rest ahead of tonight’s tilt against the Penguins. Pittsburgh has won two in a row against the Wild and Golden Knights. It’ll be the first head-to-head matchup of this season between these two franchises.

        Jordan Binnington is in the crease for the Blues, holding four of six opponents to two or fewer goals since returning from his victorious campaign for Canada in the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament. In the other crease is Tristan Jarry, who has had a rollercoaster season for Pittsburgh. Jarry is coming off of fantastic back-to-back performances against the Wild and Golden Knights, allowing three total goals, resulting in a pair of much-needed wins for the Penguins.

        Pittsburgh ranks second in total goals allowed this season (3.57) and St. Louis has scored three or more goals in eight of nine games since returning to action from 4-Nations, except for their 2-1 overtime loss to the surging Kings in their last matchup played.

        Everything is on the table for the Blues, while the Penguins are a bit too far removed at this moment to make a real run at an Eastern Conference Wild Card berth. Despite Jarry playing well lately, I’m going to back the more desperate team as a road favorite.

        Let’s bet a unit on the Blues to bounce back after a five-day rest and lay -134 odds on their moneyline to win outright against Pittsburgh on Thursday night.

        Pick: Blues Moneyline (-134) 

        Washington Capitals vs. Los Angeles Kings

        One of the best games on this slate doesn’t drop puck until 10:40 p.m. ET, when the Kings host the Capitals. Los Angeles is riding a three-game winning streak and is an impressive 21-3-4 at home this season.

        The Capitals’ West Coast road trip has yielded a 1-0 result thus far, outlasting Anaheim in a high-scoring 7-4 victory on Tuesday. Washington leads the NHL in goals per game (3.66) but the Kings have a fantastic defensive core, while goaltender Darcy Kuemper has an impressive 2.29 GAA and .914 save percentage.

        Kuemper gets the nod tonight for Los Angeles. Washington is expected to start reserve goaltender, Charlie Lindgren, who is also playing well, holding the Rangers and Kraken to two goals in each previous start for the Capitals.

        Los Angeles is ranked fourth in fewest goals allowed per game this year (2.63), while ranking 18th in goals per game (2.86). This will be an intriguing matchup between an offensive juggernaut and a top-notch defense.

        The goal total has gone under in each of the last five road games that Washington’s played against Los Angeles. The Kings are 16-4 SU in their last 20 games at home, while the Capitals are riding a five-game winning streak. Washington snapped a three-game skid that included loss to the Flames, Blues, and Lightning on home ice. Their last three wins haven’t been impressive in terms of opponents, beating the Red Wings, Kraken, and Ducks.

        Meanwhile, the Kings beat a red-hot St. Louis team in overtime, went on the road and outscored Vegas 6-5, and came back home to dominate the Islanders 4-1 in their last game played on Tuesday night.

        Let’s back the home team in this spot, especially if Lindgren winds up getting the nod for the Capitals tonight. We’ll bet one unit on the Kings’ moneyline at -125 odds.

        Pick: Kings Moneyline (-125)

        Matthew MacKay is a featured writer for BettingPros and FantasyPros. For more from Matthew, check out his archive and follow him @Matt_MacKay_.