Top NHL Odds, Picks & Predictions: Tuesday (3/18)
The NHL is back in action with a nine-game slate, and the postseason race is heating up, as we're now more than 80% through the campaign. Below I'll dive into a few of the matchups from a sports betting perspective and let you know where I'm laying my cash on the ice. Here are my top NHL bets tonight.
Tuesday's NHL Best Bets
(Odds courtesy of Bet365 Sportsbook)
New York Islanders (-110) vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (-110) | O/U 6.0 (+100/-120)
Let's pick it up in Pittsburgh, where the Penguins (28-31-10) are looking to make a last-ditch effort to climb up the Eastern Conference standings. They've won four straight games, and they'll host a Metropolitan Division foe in the Islanders (30-28-8) tonight. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET from PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA.
I'm going to ride the Pens while they're hot, playing them on the moneyline in front of their home crowd. Pittsburgh's a serviceable 17-13-5 on home ice this season, while New York is just 14-15-5 on the road. The Pens have won four straight contests, where they're averaging 4.5 goals per game during the stretch.
The big edge for Pittsburgh comes on special teams. New York enters tonight's action ranked dead last on the power play (11.52%), while sitting just 31st on the penalty kill (70.63%). Pittsburgh is ninth (24.34%) and 20th (77.17%), respectively. Additionally, the Isles are just 29th in high-danger shots (196) and 19th in shooting percentage (8.73%). So, while the Pens haven't been sharp defensively this year, they should manage to outpace this lowly Islanders offense, given they don't generate too many quality chances. Let's take the Penguins at even money.
Pick: Penguins Moneyline (-110)
St. Louis Blues (-115) vs. Nashville Predators (-105) | O/U 5.5 (-115/-105)
The Central Division features an intriguing clash tonight, with the Blues (33-28-7) taking on the Predators (25-33-8). With a St. Louis (73 points) win and a Vancouver (73 points) loss to Winnipeg, the Blues would overtake the Canucks for the final Wild Card spot, meaning the Central Division would occupy five spots in the Western Conference playoff standings. This divisional tilt gets underway at 8:00 p.m. ET from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, TN.
This feels like we're getting an absolute bargain to back the Blues at roughly an even-money price. They've been playing exceptional hockey as of late, going 8-2-1 across their last 11 games. The offense has been humming, scoring 4.1 goals per game during the 11-game stretch. The Blues have climbed to 20th in overall offense (2.9 GPG), compared to the Preds' mark of 30th (2.6 GPG).
Nashville's offense has really been an issue this season. As I mentioned, they're just 30th in overall scoring, but, they're also 21st on the power play (20.54%) and 31st in shooting percentage (6.89%). With Roman Josi (lower-body) still sidelined, I simply do not trust this team to muster up enough offense to compete with the upward-trending Blues. I'll back St. Louis in this road spot.
Pick: Blues Moneyline (-115)
Seattle Kraken (-160) vs. Chicago Blackhawks (+135) | O/U 6.0 (-105/-115)
Let's wrap things up in the Windy City, where the Kraken (29-34-5) take on the Blackhawks (20-38-9) in a Western Conference clash. Puck drop is set for 8:30 p.m. ET from the United Center in Chicago, IL.
I'm not going to try and convince anyone that Chicago is good. However, are they bad enough that Seattle, who sold at the deadline, should be this much of a favorite? I don't think so. This Kraken team is very underwhelming, owning a win rate of just .426 this season. They're just 13-19-0 on the road, compared to the Hawks' modest home record of 13-15-4.
Statistically, Seattle is just 29th in expected goals per 60 minutes (2.21), while ranking dead last in high-danger shots (98). They're the only team in the NHL that hasn't accumulated 100+ high-danger shots. The Kraken are also 24th on the power play (18.82%), while the Hawks are eighth overall on the man-advantage (24.36%). All things considered, I think the Kraken are extremely beatable so I'm taking a flier on the Blackhawks as underdogs tonight.
Pick: Blackhawks Moneyline (+135)