NHL Odds, Picks & Predictions: Wednesday (3/19)
We have a pair of standalone NHL games on TNT on Wednesday. They each have playoff implications, as the postseason race heats up. Let's check out the odds and my favorite NHL bets.
Wednesday’s NHL Best Bets
(Odds courtesy of Bet365)
Colorado Avalanche (-115) vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (-105) | O/U 6.0 (-115/-105)
Let's get started in The Great White North, where the Maple Leafs (40-24-3) are set to host the Avalanche (41-24-3). Each team currently resides in third place in their respective divisions. Puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m. ET from Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, ON.
The Leafs have not looked great recently, going just 2-4-1 in their last seven games. They haven't been sharp on either end of the ice, as the average score of those seven games equates to 3.9 to 3.1 in favor of the opposition. Included in that sample size is a 7-4 rout at the hands of the Avalanche in Denver back on March 8th.
I'm taking the Avs in a pick’em spot tonight. Colorado has been finding its groove, rattling off eight wins in their last nine games (8-0-1). The lone blemish is a 2-1 shootout loss to the Wild. Their offense is clicking, averaging 4.4 goals per contest during the sample size. Overall, Colorado now boasts the sixth-best offense in the league (3.3 goals per game), while sitting ninth defensively (2.59). In the last 10 games, the Avs are third in expected goal differential per 60 minutes (+0.89), compared to the Leafs’ mark of 25th (-0.49). Let's back the visitors in this one.
Bet: Avalanche Moneyline (-115)
Seattle Kraken (+150) vs. Minnesota Wild (-180) | O/U 5.5 (-120/+100)
The night concludes in the Twin Cities, where the Kraken (30-34-5) enters on the second night of a back-to-back, following a 6-2 thrashing of the Blackhawks. Up next is the Wild (38-25-5), who have been idle since Monday's 3-1 home win over the Kings. This Western Conference tilt gets underway at 9:30 p.m. ET from Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, MN.
These teams, for whatever reason (maybe due to their underwhelming offenses), have this narrative surrounding them that they're more defensive-focused. However, they both rank outside of the top 10 in team GAA, while sitting toward the bottom of the league in penalty-killing. Minnesota is 12th in GAA (2.66) and 30th on the penalty kill (71.26%), while Seattle is 24th (2.96) and 21st (76.82%), respectively.
Furthermore, these teams have met twice already this season, and both games have been barnburners. Seattle won a 5-4 shootout on October 12th, while Minnesota bounced back with a 4-3 road win on March 4th. Still, the oddsmakers set a total of just 5.5 goals. Minnesota's defense is still a bit shaky, so Seattle's offense should be able to find success in this game. Seattle has seen at least six combined goals in eight of their last 10 contests. Let's lock in the over.
Bet: Over 5.5 Goals (-120)