Despite COVID-19 wreaking havoc on the NHL schedule, we are still lucky to have some games on today that aren’t postponed. We are loving the action throughout this impressive NHL season so far. As we move towards the mid way point in the season, each division’s ladder is starting to take shape. Every single win or loss can have a significant impact on where each team will finish at the end of the season, so it is important that you don’t miss any of the action!
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Look below to find our free NHL picks, as we preview the four games on today’s schedule.
Edmonton Oilers @ New Jersey Devils – 1.00PM ET
The Edmonton Oilers road trip continues on and Friday night they take on the New Jersey Devils. The Oilers lost to the Blues last time out, 2-4, but they still managed to hold onto third in the Pacific Division. The Devils were able to snap a six game losing streak last time out with a win against the Sabres, 4-3.
Denis Kirilov
The Edmonton Oilers have just found their way back to winning before Christmas just to lose to the St. Louis Blues right after the COVID-19 break. They have been playing on ups and downs lately which resulted in their exit from the top 5 in the Western Conference. They are actually in 8th place before this match, but the gaps are quite insignificant between the top teams. However, the Oilers need to stick to winning, because there are some fantastic rosters behind them in the standings who are desperately waiting for them to make another mistake. The Winnipeg Jets, the Los Angeles Kings, the San Jose Sharks, and the Dallas Stars have proven that they have what it takes to make the Playoffs, so Edmonton will really need to level up their game.
The New Jersey Devils are 12th in the East with 27 points from 31 matches. They seem to be one of the teams that will miss on the Playoffs, but it is still too early to call it. However, their current form doesn’t suggest that they will have much chance in achieving that. They went on a 6-game losing streak ahead of Christmas and fortunately, they outlasted the Buffalo Sabres in their first match after the break. The team has huge difficulties in finding the opposition’s net as this has been the case throughout the whole season so far. It will be interesting to see whether they can take advantage of the COVID-19 situation within the Oilers, but in my opinion, they don’t stand a chance against Draisaitl and McDavid who are eager to keep their top spots in the individual points standings.
Denis’ NHL Pick: Edmonton Oilers (-162)
Tony Battalio
The Edmonton Oilers will head southwest of the border for this one to take on the New Jersey Devils. In their first game back from the extended Christmas break on Wednesday, they lost to the St. Louis Blues by two goals. Now they will be looking to pick up a victory to approve upon their 18-12-0 record coming into this one. The Oilers started hot but have cooled off a bit as the season has progressed, however as long as Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are on the ice, this Oilers team will always be a contender. This game against the Devils is the second game of what is supposed to be a five game east coast road trip.
Evan Bouchard last 10 GP:
4-4-8/+2/21:54 TOID Even-Strength Goals: 6 (T-3rd)
D Even-Strength Points: 16 (T-5th) pic.twitter.com/DfOAvdSrPD— Bob Stauffer (@Bob_Stauffer) December 31, 2021
The New Jersey Devils come into this matchup with a record of 11-15-5 on the year. They were one of the teams that was least affected by the Covid-19 postponements as they only missed three games. However it may have been a bad thing as they’ve lost six out of their last seven games they have played. Now they will face another tough team and will have to try to find a way to pick up a victory to extend their winning streak to two games. However as for the result of this game I just don’t see that happening as I have the Edmonton Oilers picking up the victory on the road in this contest.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Edmonton Oilers (-162)
Michael Lantz
After a shaky start to the season, the Edmonton Oilers went into the league’s break sitting in fourth place in the Pacific Division. Even though their playoff hopes remain high, there has to be some concern that even with two of the league’s best scorers (Conor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl), the Oilers are just barely hanging on. They had a chance to get off to a good start on Tuesday against a very good St. Louis Blues team, that was without their hottest player Ivan Barbashev. The Oilers fumbled the opportunity, but they get another chance to get on a winning streak as they face an 11-15-5 Devils team tonight.
The New Jersey Devils currently sit in seventh place in the Metropolitan Division, as their young team is still working on how to successfully play as a unit. They have some promising young talent in Jesper Bratt and Jack Hughes, and they signed a big offseason talent in Dougie Hamilton, but so far they don’t look quite ready to compete. Still, they got off to a good start after this league was paused, as they were able to seal a 4-3 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday. They’ll host this Oilers team tonight who, aside from their two stars, have been pretty inconsistent. Even though it might be a good opportunity for this Devils team, I don’t see the Oilers letting this one get away from them.
Michael’s NHL Pick: Edmonton Oilers (-162)
Anaheim Ducks @ Vegas Golden Knights – 3.00PM ET
The Anaheim Ducks kick off their two game road trip on Friday afternoon when they take on the Vegas Golden Knights. The Ducks have lost two games in a row, both in overtime, to the Coyotes and Canucks. The Golden Knights have won six of their last seven games, with their only loss coming against the Lightning, 3-4.
Denis Kirilov
The Anaheim Ducks surprised everybody with their strong run before Christmas. They celebrated the holidays in tied 1st place in the West with the Vegas Golden Knights, each having 40 points. The Ducks have lost their last two meetings after overtime at home against the Arizona Coyotes and the Vancouver Canucks. They will now face the leader in their Conference who is ahead of them by a single point and everyone expects a really exciting and unpredictable game.
Both of their meetings this season lived up to the expectations to be close and compelling contests. The first one went in favor of the Golden Knights who led 4-1 deep into the third period, but suffered a comeback, conceding 3 goals in 5 minutes. Right when Trevor Zegras gave the Ducks the lead in the penalties and everything suggested that Anaheim might miraculously win it, Nicolas Roy came to the rescue for the Golden Knights. He saved the team with his 3rd penalty, while Yevgeni Dadonov sealed the deal for the team from Las Vegas.
Their second head-to-head match was quite eventful as well. The first period suggested that we would see a more conservative approach from both ends. However, after a scoreless start, the Ducks erupted with 4 goals in the second period. The Golden Knights kept a close gap until the very end, but unfortunately lost, 5-6. The situation in the West developed in such a way that this match is now between two of the top 3 teams in the Conference. This will further increase the pressure and I don’t think that the Ducks will be able to surprise the more experienced Golden Knights.
Denis’ NHL Pick: Vegas Golden Knights (-192)
Tony Battalio
The Anaheim Ducks have a record of 17-9-7 on the season coming into this game. They caught fire in the month of November after going on a lengthy win streak, otherwise they may be in much worse shape than they currently are at the moment. They are treading water, as they are only one game above the .500 mark through their first 33 games of the season. Anaheim will be looking to break a two game losing streak in this contest after back to back losses to the Arizona Coyotes and Vancouver Canucks. This game between Vegas and Anaheim will be for first place in the Pacific Division.
The Vegas Golden Knights have put together a decent season as they come into this game with a record of 21-12-0 so far this year. They are currently in first place in the Pacific Division, one point ahead of their opponents in this one, the Anaheim Ducks. Vegas was one of the least affected teams as they only missed two games due to the COVID-19 postponements. They have won six out of their last seven games on the year as well. As for the result of this game, I have them picking up their seventh victory in their last eight games, and it may be the most important one of them all. As it will widen the gap between them and the Ducks for first place in the Pacific Division.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Vegas Golden Knights (-192)
Michael Lantz
In this Pacific Division battle, the second-place Anaheim Ducks take on the first-place Vegas Golden Knights in a battle for the division lead. With 42 points, the Vegas Golden Knights were able to breeze by in their game the other night against the Los Angeles Kings, winning 6-3. The Kings have become the NHL’s top scoring teams, as they’ve hit the back of the net 120 times this year. They’ve been carried by guys like Reilly Smith and Chandler Stephenson, who both scored on Tuesday against the Kings. They’ll look to keep the goals coming in a pivotal game against Anaheim.
The Ducks have been one one of the biggest surprises in the NHL this season. After picking in third in the most recent NHL Draft, they’ve skyrocketed to second place in a competitive Pacific Division. Breakout player Troy Terry has been a big part of that, as he’s currently racked up 30 points on the season. There is still plenty of season left, but the Ducks look like they have the ability to keep this up and grab a playoff spot, thanks to solid young talent and trusty veterans like Ryan Getzlaf. Unfortunately the team got off to a bad start after the pause, losing 1-2 in overtime to the surging Vancouver Canucks. These two have had fantastic battles so far in 2021; Vegas won 5-4 back in October and then Anaheim took to rematch 6-5. To end 2021, these two faceoff in a rubber match; I’ll take the home team in this one as Vegas is near full-strength and one of the NHL’s hottest teams right now.
Michael’s NHL Pick: Vegas Golden Knights (-192)
New York Rangers @ Tampa Bay Lightning – 7.00PM ET
The New York Rangers and Tampa Bay Lightning play each other in back-to-back games, and on Friday night it is the first game. The Rangers have lost their last two games in a row, with losses to the Golden Knights and Panthers. The Lightning are playing on back-to-back nights, and last time out they were dominated by the Panthers, 3-9.
Denis Kirilov
The game between the New York Rangers and the Tampa Bay Lightning will be a treat to watch for the fans in the East. The reigning Stanley Cup winners lead the top 6 group with 46 points from 32 games. The Rangers are last in that mini-group on top of the table with 42 points from the same number of matches. Surprisingly for many, they even occupied 1st place for a certain period of time this season. The Rangers, however, have been in bad form recently, losing 4 out of their last 5 games in the NHL. The situation within the Lightning is quite the opposite as they are coming into this fixture on a 4-1 run. Moreover, they are on a 9-2 run which was the reason for their recent take off. However, they were just demolished by the Florida Panthers on the road, 3-9.
The Rangers have trouble in front of the opponent’s goal as they rarely have a blast on the ice and score 5 or more goals. They have a conservative approach as the most important thing for them is to secure their own area and not let some easy mistakes cost them the games. This might be a great approach when it comes to best of 7 series, but during the regular season many teams will find a way past them as I believe it’s far more important to be better in front positions than in the back. On the other hand, I think that the Lightning are performing on quite a high level on both ends and with the game being played in their Amalie Arena, I think that the defending champions will get back to winning.
Denis’ NHL Pick: Tampa Bay Lightning (-144)
Tony Battalio
The two time defending Stanley Cup champions are playing the second game of a back to back in this one. In their game last night they were absolutely battered around by the Florida Panthers and they wound up losing by a large margin of SIX goals. Now they will have to find a way to regroup against the New York Rangers as they return to home ice for this one. The loss to the Florida Panthers breaks a four game winning streak for Tampa Bay, however all signs pointed towards a pending loss after they looked lackluster in previous games. Now Tampa Bay will be looking to rebound against the New York Rangers in this one.
Congrats, Hugo! pic.twitter.com/w7vvAhF07o
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) December 31, 2021
The previously mentioned New York Rangers are coming into this game with a record of 19-8-4 as they have themselves firmly in the playoff conversion up until this point of the season. Despite being one of the least affected teams by the Covid-19 postponements, their play on the ice has been sick as of late to say the least. New York has lost four of their last five games and they will be in desperate need of a win in this one to stop the skid they are on. However as for the result of this game, I don’t see that happening as I have the Tampa Bay Lightning picking up the victory in this one at home.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Tampa Bay Lightning (-144)
Michael Lantz
After an unconvincing win the other night against the lowly Montreal Canadiens, the Tampa Bay Lightning continued to struggle last night as they were embarrassed by their rivals the Florida Panthers, 3-9. Now they’ll have to recompose themselves and take on another tough team as they host the New York Rangers on New Year’s Eve.
On Wednesday, the Rangers just barely lost to the same Florida Panthers team that swatted the Lightning 9-3. In their 3-4 loss to Florida, the Rangers got goals from three of their biggest offensive talents: Artemi Panarin, Chris Kreider, and Mika Zibanejad. Still, it wasn’t enough, as their strong defense couldn’t handle one of the league’s top offensive talents in Florida. They’ll hope to have better luck against a Tampa Bay team that looks flat after the restart. Still, as ugly as the Panthers loss was for Tampa Bay, I feel it will also serve as a slap in the face. I expect them to regather and go out and grab a win against this very good Rangers team in a potential playoff matchup.
Michael’s NHL Pick: Tampa Bay Lightning (-144)
Washington Capitals @ Detroit Red Wings – 7.30PM ET
The final game on Friday night’s schedule will see the Washington Capitals take on the Detroit Red Wings. The Capitals won their game last time out, 5-3, against the Predators, and this takes their season record to 19-6-7. The Red Wings will be playing their first game since having four games in a row postponed, and their season record currently sits at 15-13-3.
Denis Kirilov
After a tough COVID-19 period, the Washington Capitals remained in the mix for the top spot in the East. They are currently 2nd with 45 points from 32 matches, staying a point away from the Tampa Bay Lightning who lead the Conference. The Capitals continue to rely much on their 36-year-old veteran, Alexander Ovechkin. He is third in the individual standings with 48 points (22 goals and 26 assists) right behind the duo from Edmonton, Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid. He is two goals away from the top spot, occupied by the German forward for the Oilers with 24 goals. These statistics further prove his enormous impact on the Capitals and as long as he is healthy, he will be a nightmare for the opposition.
The Detroit Red Wings are surprisingly 8th in the East with 33 points from 31 matches. They might lose this spot soon as they have played a couple more games than their rivals behind them in the standings. However, everybody thought that they would be around the Sabres, the Senators, or even fighting with the Canadiens at the bottom of the table. They have one of the worst goals difference records as this came as a result from their weakened defense. The Red Wings enjoyed a fantastic last month at home, winning 7 out of their last 8 games played in Little Caesars Arena. This actually makes me stay away from picking a winner in this match, but I will actually suggest going for the option for “over goals”.
Denis’ NHL Pick: Over 5.5 (-115)
Tony Battalio
The Washington Capitals come into this game with a record of 19-6-7 on the season, which puts them at six games above the .500 mark on the year. They are currently occupying the top spot in a very competitive Metropolitan Division. The Capitals only missed three games due to the Covid 19 postponements, which has allowed them to remain in form on the ice. In their first game back, they beat the Nashville Predators by two goals, and they will be looking to extend their winning streak to two with a victory over the Detroit Red Wings with a win in this one.
The previously mentioned Detroit Red Wings come into this game with a record of 15-13-3 on the season. They have been treading water all year, hanging above, below, and around the .500 mark this season. They are currently in fourth of the Atlantic Division and they will need to start stringing wins together soon to avoid falling out of the playoff conversion in a super competitive division and conference. They have won two of their last three games, and will be looking to add to the streak with a victory at home here. However as for the result of this game, I have the Washington Capitals picking up the win instead.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Washington Capitals (-146)
Michael Lantz
The Detroit Red Wings young core has been very impressive this season, thanks to the likes of Tyler Bertuzzi, Dylan Larkin, and Lucas Raymond. Right now they’re hanging onto the fourth-seed in the Atlantic Division as they head into a matchup with one of the NHL’s best teams and scoring monsters, the Washington Capitals.
The Caps continued to show they’re one of the league’s powerhouse teams on Wednesday as they steamed past a very good Nashville Predators team 5-3. They got off to a hot start, powering three goals in the first period—but they let in three in the second period before getting hot again in the third with a 2-0 advantage. They’ll hope to get off to another hot start against Detroit, but will have to buckle down on defense, as this Red Wings attack is developing into one of the league’s best. The Red Wings squeezed past the Capitals with an overtime win in their first meeting, only for the Caps to shut them out when they rematched in November. For this rubber match I’ll go with the Red Wings to score an upset at home.
Michael’s NHL Pick: Detroit Red Wings (+122)
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*Odds and spreads correct at time of writing, courtesy of FanDuel.
