Top NHL Odds, Picks & Predictions: Saturday (3/30)
We are now in the second half of the season. Let's analyze today's matchups and give you the best bets.
Saturday's NHL Best Bets
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
Dallas Stars (-175) at Seattle Kraken (+145) | O/U 6 (-112/-108)
You should always take note of the teams that get hot toward the end of the season because if they carry that momentum into the playoffs, they can go far. That's the Stars right now, as they are 11-2-0 in their last 13. This offense has been as great as it's been all season because everyone is contributing, from the top line to the bottom has scored, including a few defensemen. The goaltending has also been fantastic; Jake Oettinger has won four straight with a .932 save percentage, and Scott Wedgewood has won three straight with a .916 save percentage.
The Kraken went on a brutal 4-7-2 stretch, which has basically taken them out of playoff contention. The defense continues to play well, allowing 2.60 goals per game throughout that span, but as it's been all season, the offense has been terrible, scoring 2.14 per game.
The Stars are favored, as they should be and the juice should be heavier with how each team is playing. This is great when you don't have to take the puckline.
Pick: Stars 60-Minute Moneyline (-110)
Vegas Golden Knights (-120) at Minnesota Wild (+100) | O/U 5.5 (-122/+102)
The Golden Knights are on a nice run, going 4-0-1 in their last five. They've now moved into third in the Pacific, the Western Conference race is still tight, and a bad finish could have them out of the playoffs completely. They've also been winning with missing important players, including Adin Hill, Alex Pietrangelo, William Carrier, Mark Stone, and Tomas Hertl, who are all key guys at their respective positions.
The Wild are one of the teams the Golden Knights need to worry about as they are charging up the standings in the West. Being eight points off the second Wild Card with ten games remaining is tough, but they play Vegas once more after tonight, and the Kings who hold that final Wild Card spot. They have a solid offense with 51.87% expected goal share, but that's been even better at 53.30% in their last ten.
Filip Gustavsson is Minnesota’s hotter goalie, so it wouldn't be surprising if he got back-to-back starts in an important game. Minnesota is playing very well on both sides of the ice, and although Vegas is winning, they've been facing some below-average teams. This could be a low-scoring game, but you should take the team with the better goalie, and that's Gustavsson.
Pick: Wild Moneyline (+100)
New York Islanders (+136) at Tampa Bay Lightning (-162) | O/U 6.5 (+102/-122)
The Lightning are showing they're a championship-filled roster. This team has been good enough to stay in playoff contention all year, but they are now making a charge. Currently, they are holding the first Wild Card spot, but they are a team that just needs to get in, and they can make things happen. They're on a great run, going 7-0-1, and have scored three goals or more in each.
The question is, which Islanders will we see in this game? Their performances have been so drastically different that you never know. In the last month, they've won six straight, then lost six straight, and have now lost seven of their last nine, with the two wins somehow coming against Florida and Winnipeg.
The Bolts have been playing their best offense all season and Andrei Vasilevskiy has been more consistent than he has all year.
Pick: Lightning 60-Minute Moneyline (-105)